LaFleur resolution hailed as ‘return to balance’ for Louisiana legislature

Special to Gazette

BATON ROUGE - Louisiana’s governor historically wields more power than counterparts across the United States: handpicking leadership in both chambers of the Louisiana Legislature, setting State Bond Commission agendas and possessing line-item veto authority.
In the waning hours of the 2015 Legislative Session, Sen. Eric LaFleur of Ville Platte aimed to curtail that authority in the Louisiana Senate — harnessing the frustration of fellow members and overwhelmingly passing a resolution to allow the Senate to act more independently when it comes to selecting its leaders.
LaFleur said the frustration felt by lawmaker during the 2015 session, namely having to fill a $1.6 billion budget shortfall while abiding by a governor’s standards crafted by a Washington, D.C., advocacy group, rose to new heights.
Strong-arm tactics by the Governor’s Office reached a new level when Gov. Jindal and legislative leadership proposed and successfully passed a fictitious tax credit, which provides theoretical cover to profess the state budget was balanced without raising taxes.
Most members in both chambers held their nose and voted for the measures, due to threats by the Governor’s Office to veto the entire budget if the legislation — dubbed the SAVE bill — wasn’t passed.
While the governor suggests no new taxes were raised, in fact, revenue was raised throughout the budget by capping and rolling back corporate tax credits across the gamut of industry, raising tobacco taxes and passing several fee hikes on individuals, including vehicle registration fees.
“This was plainly not a good way to make public policy,” LaFleur said. “So we looked at ways to have more legislative input and control over budgetary matters in the future.”
Senate Resolution 215 by LaFleur directs all members to be nominated on the first ballot and votes cast by secret ballot to nominate the candidate for Senate president and president pro tempore — allowing members to vote without fear of retribution from the governor.
“It’s an authority we have ceded,” LaFleur said. “We have gotten into a tradition where we allow it to happen. You talk to any other senator in this country and they are floored by the fact that we just acquiesce to the choice of the governor.
“I believe the frustration we felt this session — and probably the last three — has gotten us to this point. Going forward, if we really want an independent body, this takes a step to put us on that track.”
LaFleur added: “At the end of the day each vote is secret. The day after the election you cannot find the person or persons that voted against you. It gives members the same independence every voter in our districts has.”
A bipartisan group of senators overwhelmingly supported the bill from the floor hailing from rural and urban districts alike.
“What a great opportunity for the Senate to stand up and take charge of a responsibility that is ours,” said Sen. Gerald Long of Winnfield. “I believe the governor will have input on the next election for Senate President, but he should not have more input than you and I have.
“We ought to understand this is not about the fourth floor (the Capitol floor of the governor’s office), this is about the Senate floor.”
Sen. Jonathan Perry of Kaplan also commended LaFleur for authoring the resolution and said the reason the State faced the dire budget situation it did was due to a lack of independence in both chambers.
“These problems will not go away until this body says we control our own leadership,” Perry said. “In my humble opinion, this is the most important vote this session for the members of this body.”
Sen. Norby Chabert of Houma said the vote to pass the resolution is his most important in six years serving in the Senate.
“The governor has more influence than I’ve ever seen,” Chabert said. “This vote is to ensure the people who will come after us have the ability to select their own leadership.
“It’s easy to say you’re a senator, you’re independent. But we all know that practically right now that ain’t possible. This is one step, the biggest step in my opinion.”
Sen. Sharon Weston Broome of Baton Rouge, the Senate’s current president pro tempore, said the resolution would “usher in a season of change” for the Senate.
“I know our constituents will be better for that change,” Broome said.
Sen. J.P. Morrell of New Orleans said independence in the Senate has ebbed over time and the transparent debate on the Senate floor on the issue was healthy.
“This reaffirms as a senate we are elected anonymously,” Morrell said. “Every member is elected by secret ballot. We don’t make voters elect us by voice vote. This ensures we select the best possible person for the job.”
The resolution passed 34-4 and will take affect following the fall elections.
This historic change in the role of the legislature brings back balance to the three tiered system of government. Louisiana taxpayers and voters should welcome it.