The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice and our member organizations have developed this scorecard to help Louisianans better evaluate their elected officials and hold them accountable. We identified a set of 15 bills that were voted on during the past legislative term (2016-2019), which we believe are important to our organization’s core mission and values. Along with being important to us in terms of values, we looked at bills that went to a contested floor vote (bills that didn’t make it out of committee weren’t included, nor were bills that won or lost by a unanimous or near-unanimous vote on the floor), in order to make this a meaningful evaluation.
Voting Record Key: Good–Bad–Absent
N/A means the person wasn’t in the legislature when the bill went to a vote[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1569620009863{margin-bottom: 0px !important;padding-bottom: -20px !important;}”]The Legislators[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner row_inner_height_percent=”0″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ css=”.vc_custom_1569608212945{margin-top: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Ken Brass
Jerome Zeringue[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row unlock_row_content=”yes” row_height_percent=”0″ override_padding=”yes” h_padding=”0″ top_padding=”0″ bottom_padding=”0″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″][vc_column column_width_percent=”100″ back_color=”lightyellow” overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ width=”1/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1569610141555{padding-right: 50px !important;padding-left: 50px !important;}”][vc_column_text]THE BILLS
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Workers
HB18 (2018)
The Earned Income Tax Credit lets low-income workers with children keep more of what they earn. This bill expanded the credit, giving larger tax refunds to working families. Support.
HB422 (2019)
Louisiana state law prevents cities and parishes from raising the minimum wage on their own. This bill would have allowed cities and parishes to raise the minimum wage on their own. However, a procedural maneuver on this bill was made to keep the prohibition in place. Oppose because of procedural maneuver.
HB3 (2018)
Medicaid provides health insurance coverage for low-income adults so they can see a doctor when they get sick. This bill would have taken away coverage from people who couldn’t prove they work at least 20 hours per week. Oppose.
Children
HB284 (2018)
This bill would have forbidden local school districts from “shaming” students whose parents had overdue school lunch bills by giving them low-quality alternative meals or taking away privileges. Support.
SB172 (2019)
Bars children under 16 from getting married, and prohibits 16- and 17-year-olds from marrying if there is an age difference of more than three years. Support.
HB64 (2019)
This bill tried to loosen child labor laws. It would have allowed companies to require child workers to go eight hours without a break period. Oppose.
Communities
HB10 (2018)
A compromise tax bill that temporarily renewed .45 of a 1-cent sales tax. It allowed the state to avoid cuts to health care services and higher education. Support.
SB462 (2018)
Would have prevented local governments from adopting affordable housing policies known as “inclusionary zoning.” It was was vetoed by the Governor. Oppose the bill. Support the Governor’s veto.
HB615 (2019)
Would have reduced state environmental regulations on corporate polluters by giving them the right to “self-report” violations of state anti-pollution laws. Oppose.
Equity
HB89 (2018)
People who are incarcerated would be counted as living at their last known address, instead of the place where they’re currently incarcerated, when the Legislature redraws political districts. Support.
HB265 (2018)
Restored the right to vote for people previously convicted of a felony if they are still on parole or probation, provided at least five years have passed since the end of their sentence. Support.
HB249 (2017)
Requires courts to take into account a defendant’s ability to pay any fines or fees imposed as part of a felony conviction. Also limits the ability of courts to suspend a person’s driver’s license for failure to pay. Support.
Justice
HB518 (2019)
Reduced the length of sentences for some non-violent crimes by making it harder for prosecutors to label people as “habitual offenders” because of prior convictions. Support.
HB258 (2019)
This bill would have made it easier for the state to hide the source of the drugs it uses to carry out the death penalty. Oppose.
SB243 (2018)
Added a constitutional amendment to the 2018 ballot that required unanimous jury verdicts for most felony convictions. The amendment passed by popular vote. For the previous 138 years, people in Louisiana were able to be convicted by non-unanimous juries. Support.
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In Partnership With
[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=”2514″ media_width_percent=”81″ alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_row_inner row_inner_height_percent=”0″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”4″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″][vc_column_inner column_width_percent=”100″ gutter_size=”3″ back_color=”color-xsdn” overlay_alpha=”50″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1569612637400{padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 30px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1569969259887{margin-top: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”]
Ken Brass
House District 58
Running for Re-Election
Voting Record: 12–1–1
 |
HB18 (2018) |
| Absent | HB422 (2019) |
 |
HB3 (2018) |
|
HB284 (2018) |
|
SB172 (2019) |
|
HB64 (2019) |
|
HB10 (2018) |
|
SB462 (2018) |
 |
HB615 (2019) |
|
HB89 (2018) |
|
HB265 (2018) |
| N/A | HB249 (2017) |
|
HB518 (2019) |
|
HB258 (2019) |
|
SB243 (2018) |
Chad Brown
House District 60
Automatically Re-Elected
Voting Record: 9–4–2
|
HB18 (2018) |
|
HB422 (2019) |
|
HB3 (2018) |
|
HB284 (2018) |
|
SB172 (2019) |
|
HB64 (2019) |
|
HB10 (2018) |
|
SB462 (2018) |
| Absent | HB615 (2019) |
 |
HB89 (2018) |
|
HB265 (2018) |
|
HB249 (2017) |
| Absent | HB518 (2019) |
|
HB258 (2019) |
|
SB243 (2018) |
Jerry Gisclair
House District 54
Candidate for Senate District 20
Voting Record: 8–4–3
|
HB18 (2018) |
| Absent | HB422 (2019) |
|
HB3 (2018) |
|
HB284 (2018) |
| Absent | SB172 (2019) |
|
HB64 (2019) |
|
HB10 (2018) |
|
SB462 (2018) |
|
HB615 (2019) |
|
HB89 (2018) |
|
HB265 (2018) |
| N/A | HB249 (2017) |
|
HB518 (2019) |
|
HB258 (2019) |
|
SB243 (2018) |
Tanner Magee
House District 53
Automatically Re-Elected
Voting Record: 9–4–2
|
HB18 (2018) |
| Absent | HB422 (2019) |
|
HB3 (2018) |
|
HB284 (2018) |
|
SB172 (2019) |
|
HB64 (2019) |
|
HB10 (2018) |
|
SB462 (2018) |
| Absent | HB615 (2019) |
|
HB89 (2018) |
|
HB265 (2018) |
|
HB249 (2017) |
|
HB518 (2019) |
|
HB258 (2019) |
|
SB243 (2018) |
Jerome Zeringue
House District 52
Automatically Re-Elected
Voting Record: 8–6–1
|
HB18 (2018) |
| Absent | HB422 (2019) |
|
HB3 (2018) |
|
HB284 (2018) |
|
SB172 (2019) |
|
HB64 (2019) |
|
HB10 (2018) |
|
SB462 (2018) |
|
HB615 (2019) |
|
HB89 (2018) |
|
HB265 (2018) |
|
HB249 (2017) |
|
HB518 (2019) |
|
HB258 (2019) |
|
SB243 (2018) |