Press Releases
RELEASE: Louisiana Progress Introduces Broad 2024 Legislative Agenda to Support Working People
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–March 25, 2024
Louisiana Progress continues to work toward a safer, cleaner, more prosperous Louisiana by supporting policies to reform public transit, decriminalize poverty, lower auto insurance rates, and more in the 2024 legislative session.
BATON ROUGE, LA | March 25, 2024—The 2024 Louisiana legislative session is already in full swing, but none of the 10 bills on Louisiana Progress’s policy agenda have had hearings yet. As is the case every year, our agenda is built around improving quality-of-life for the people in Louisiana who often get forgotten about in our state’s political process.
“We advocate on behalf of Louisiana’s lower income and working-class residents who don’t have the resources to hire people to represent their interests in the halls of power,” according to Peter Robins-Brown, executive director of Louisiana Progress. “This year we’re working to reform public transit in New Orleans, reduce gender and economic discrimination in auto insurance rates, keep people from going to jail for low level drug offenses, and protect the public from deceptive political ads.”
We’ve worked with our partners at the Louisiana AFL-CIO, the Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana, Invest in Louisiana, Step Up Louisiana, Real Reform Louisiana, and the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center to put together the following pieces of legislation:
Good Government Reforms
Reform the Orleans & Jefferson Regional Transit Authority based on recommendations from RTA union workers--HB544 by Rep. Delisha Boyd
Require transparency/disclosure when AI is used in political ads–HB154 by Rep. Mandie Landry
Improve Public Safety
Partially decriminalize marijuana paraphernalia (no jail, $100 fine)--HB165 by Rep. Delisha Boyd
Fair Chance Housing Act--HB333 by Rep. Matthew Willard
Provide incarcerated people with $1000 for every day they are incarcerated beyond the end of their sentence--HB590 by Rep. Edmond Jordan
Insurance Reform
Prohibit gender bias in auto insurance base rates--HB199 by Rep. Vanessa LaFleur
Prohibit the inclusion of advertising costs in auto insurance premiums--HB387 by Rep. Robby Carter
Require insurance companies to disclose when they are applying for rate changes that would result in a profit of more than 10%, and explain why they need that much profit--HB513 by Rep. Joseph Stagni
Prohibit the use of certain rating factors in insurance underwriting--HB671 by Rep. Edmond Jordan
Prohibits insurers' use of external consumer data and information sources if usage results in unfair discrimination--HB673 by Rep. Edmond Jordan
We’re also supporting HB683 by Rep. Chuck Owen. It accomplishes many of the goals we and our partners at the Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana have been working toward for years, including debt collection reform, making it easier for people to get their drivers’ licenses reinstated (600,00+ Louisianans currently have them suspended), and undertaking several other long overdue reforms at the Office of Motor Vehicle.
We are incredibly excited about what Rep. Owen and new OMV Commissioner Dan Casey are attempting to accomplish with this bill, and are optimistic about its prospects after it unanimously passed the House Transportation committee earlier this week.
Who: Louisiana Progress, Louisiana AFL-CIO, Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana, Invest in Louisiana, Step Up Louisiana, Real Reform Louisiana, Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center
What: Louisiana Progress policy agenda for the 2024 legislative session
When: March 25, 2023
Contact:
Peter Robins-Brown, Executive Director, Louisiana Progress, (504) 256-8196, peter@louisianaprogress.org
RELEASE: Louisiana Progress Hires Larensy Rogers as Communications & Operations Manager
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–November 29, 2023
Louisiana Progress, a nonprofit political advocacy organization that works toward building a safer, cleaner, more prosperous Louisiana, hires Larensy Rogers as its new Communications & Operations Manager.
BATON ROUGE, LA | November 29, 2023—Louisiana Progress, a nonprofit political advocacy organization that works toward building a safer, cleaner, more prosperous Louisiana is excited to announce the hiring of Larensy Rogers as our new Communications & Operations Manager.
Larensy L. Rogers is a native of Natchez, Mississippi. She graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a degree in public relations and advertising, is a member of the National Society of Leadership Success (NSLS), and previously served as Student President for the Mississippi Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind.
“I am truly passionate about Louisiana Progress’s work and how I can help further its mission,” said Larensy Rogers. “The communities and policies that Louisiana Progress supports are so important to me. I believe the magic of communications can open doors and close divides, which is why I have always tried to use my skills and experience to advocate for people and communities whose stories have traditionally been overlooked and unheard.”
“We are so excited to be adding Larensy to our team,” said Peter Robins-Brown, executive director of Louisiana Progress. “She is incredibly bright and talented, and will help us grow our ability to affect change in our state. Our goal as an organization is to identify real problems facing Louisianans and develop solutions to effectively tackle those problems. Larensy will be instrumental in helping us achieve that goal, further our overall mission, and ensure that everyone in our state has the opportunity to thrive.”
Who: Louisiana Progress
What: Louisiana Progress, a nonprofit political advocacy organization that works toward building a safer, cleaner, more prosperous Louisiana hires Larensy Rogers as its new Communications & Operations Manager
Where: 650 N. Sixth St., Baton Rouge, LA 70802
When: November 29, 2023
Contacts:
Peter Robins-Brown, Executive Director, Louisiana Progress, (504) 256-8196, peter@louisianaprogress.org
Larensy Rogers, Communications & Operations Manager, (601) 446-2285,larensy@louisianaprogress.org
RELEASE: Saturday Event to Help Provide Cheaper, Easier Expungements for Marijuana Possession Arrests
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–October 25, 2023
Saturday Event to Help Provide Cheaper, Easier Expungements for Marijuana Possession Arrests
This Saturday, October 28, at 10:00 a.m. at the Ashe͑ Power House Theater (1731 Baronne St. in Central City), elected officials & community organizations will host an event to put State Rep. Delisha Boyd’s House Bill 286, which makes it easier & cheaper to expunge first-time, simple marijuana convictions, into action.
NEW ORLEANS, LA | October 25, 2023—For too long in Louisiana, arrests for minor offenses like simple marijuana possession have held people back, making it more difficult for them to pursue employment, housing, and educational opportunities. But with the leadership of State Rep. Delisha Boyd in passing House Bill 286 during this year’s legislative session, it’s now easier and cheaper to remedy that injustice. This Saturday, elected officials and community and advocacy organizations will host an event to put Rep. Boyd’s bill into action.
New Orleans Councilmember Helena Moreno, who has been a leader on marijuana reform in the city, will co-host the event with Rep. Boyd and local community and advocacy organizations, including the Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana, Louisiana Progress, New Orleans Workers’ Center for Racial Justice, Last Prisoner Project, Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, and the Marijuana Policy Project, this Saturday, October 28, with sign-in beginning at 10 a.m. at the Ashe͑ Power House Theater, located at 1731 Baronne St. in Central City, to help people expunge arrests for first-time, simple marijuana possession from their records.
They will be joined in their effort by Clerk of Court Darren Lombard, District Attorney Jason Williams, and Sheriff Susan Hutson, who have all agreed to waive the portion of the expungement fee their offices receive for one week after the event to make those expungements even cheaper. During the week after the event, participants can expect to pay $50 for a first-time, simple marijuana expungement or $250 for another type of expungement, instead of the standard $300 for first-time, simple marijuana (lower rate due to Rep. Boyd’s bill) and $550 for all other expungements.
“While more than 20 other states have a legal, thriving adult-use marijuana industry, Louisiana continues to allow this type of minor conviction to be a significant obstacle in people’s lives,” according to Rep. Boyd. “This event is a great way to help people clear their records and tell the entire state about the opportunity for this type of relief.”
"I'm thrilled to partner with these tremendous organizations to help provide our community an opportunity for a new start through expungement,” said City Council Vice-President Helena Moreno. “Even after we pardoned tens of thousands of New Orleanians from cannabis charges and essentially decriminalized simple cannabis possession in New Orleans with my legislation in 2021, we knew there was more we needed to do to truly deliver justice and clear people’s names. This is just the beginning, and I look forward to more of these essential events in the future."
"My expungement has helped me with opportunities to get a job where it doesn't come up, or a person doesn't look at you differently when you're applying for work,” according to one Justice & Accountability Center client, who demonstrates just how important these expungements, and this type of event, are to people’s lives. “You know, because it's kind of hard if a person sees something, even if it was years ago, they still judge you from that."
“After working with State Representative Cedric Glover to help him pass his bill to decriminalize simple marijuana possession in 2021, we all recognized how absurd it was to continue to have that type of charge lingering on people’s records and serving as a roadblock in their lives,” said Peter Robins-Brown, executive director of Louisiana Progress. “Representative Boyd did an amazing job building on that framework to continue moving Louisiana in the right direction on this issue. Now we get to make it a reality for the people of New Orleans.”
The event is first come, first served. To be eligible, all participants will need to bring Orleans Parish documentation of their expungement packet from the Orleans Parish Criminal District Clerk of Court OR their case management and court minutes from Municipal Court. For more information call (504) 930-4013.
Who: State Representative Delisha Boyd, Councilmember Helena Moreno, Clerk of Court Darren Lombard, District Attorney Jason Williams, Sheriff Susan Hutson, Louisiana Progress, Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana, New Orleans Workers’ Center for Racial Justice, Last Prisoner Project, Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, Marijuana Policy Project
What: Event to expunge first-time simple marijuana convictions
Where: Ashe Power House Theater, 1731 Baronne St., New Orleans, LA 70113
When: October 25, 2023
Contacts:
Peter Robins-Brown, Executive Director, Louisiana Progress, (504) 256-8196, peter@louisianaprogress.org
RELEASE: Louisiana Progress Closes Out Another Successful Legislative Session
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–June 22, 2023
Louisiana Progress’s 2023 legislative policy agenda, which was built around decriminalizing poverty, found relative success amidst a session that saw “tough on crime” proponents largely control the debate.
BATON ROUGE, LA | June 22, 2023—During this year’s Louisiana legislative session, Louisiana Progress, a non-profit political advocacy group based in Baton Rouge, and its ally organizations, found success with initiatives that are intended to provide solutions to our state’s systemic problems with persistently high poverty and crime rates.
One of those victories was House Bill 89 (Act 217), by Rep. Denise Marcelle, which requires the Louisiana State Police to collect and publish traffic stop data. Once this data is made public, starting in 2024, we’ll gain greater transparency into police practices and find out if racial profiling is taking place, and whether law enforcement officers are disproportionately pulling over poor people for minor infractions. Our hope is that other law enforcement agencies will follow LSP's lead in the years to come.
Other successes include HB286 (Act 342) by Rep. Delisha Boyd, which will make it easier and cheaper for people to expunge an arrest for first-time simple marijuana possession from their criminal records, and HB477 (Act 87) by Rep. Vincent Pierre, which requires state and local agencies that refer uncollected debt to the state’s Office of Debt Recovery to provide more data and transparency on those debts.
“All three of these bills get to the heart of reforming Louisiana’s out-of-control, government-run debt creation and collection scheme by ensuring greater transparency and reducing the financial burden the state levies on its people,” said Peter Robins-Brown, executive director of Louisiana Progress. “This scheme primarily victimizes our poorest residents, but it also harms our state as a whole by trapping people in cycles of poverty and criminalization.”
Louisiana Progress also provided support on Senate Bill 111, by Sen. Royce Duplessis, which will significantly reform Louisiana’s expensive and burdensome criminal record expungement process and House Bill 568 (Act 377), by Rep. Tammy Phelps, which provides a five-day grace period the first time someone’s auto insurance lapses before they start being charged fines and fees.
Even some of the bills we worked on that didn’t make it through the process helped to create change. House Bill 422 by Rep. Denise Marcelle would have reduced the Office of Debt Recovery’s collection fee from 25% to 15%. It failed in committee, but the effort led Department of Revenue Secretary Kevin Richard to issue internal rules lowering that fee.
House Bill 620, by Rep. Barbara Freiberg, would’ve established a taxation framework in the event the legislature ever legalizes recreational marijuana, with some of the projected revenue being dedicated to early childhood care and education, as well as to create a judicial system funding program that would directly replace certain criminal fines and fees. It, too, failed to pass, but the healthy debate on the bill provided an opportunity to discuss these issues more deeply.
“None of this success would have been possible without our many partner organizations, including the Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana, the Louisiana Budget Project, and the Marijuana Policy Project, as well as our remarkable cohort of College Fellows,” according to Robins-Brown. “We believe all of these bills can help move our state forward by removing some of the burdens we place on Louisianans who are the least able to shoulder them.”
Who: Louisiana Progress, Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana, Louisiana Budget Project, Marijuana Policy Project
What: Recap of Louisiana Progress’s 2023 legislative agenda
When: June 22, 2023
Contact:
Peter Robins-Brown, Executive Director, Louisiana Progress, (504) 256-8196, peter@louisianaprogress.org
RELEASE: Louisiana Progress Wraps Up Successful 2022 Legislative Session
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–June 9, 2022
Louisiana Progress Wraps Up Successful 2022 Legislative Session
During the 2022 Louisiana legislative session, Louisiana Progress, a statewide political advocacy organization, led or played a lead role in successful campaigns to pass nine bills, supported passing three more, and worked with partners to kill five others.
BATON ROUGE, LA | June 9, 2022—On the heels of our success during the 2021 legislative session, which included advocacy to partially decriminalize marijuana possession, Louisiana Progress began building out a comprehensive policy agenda in preparation for the 2022 legislative session. Now, one year later, we’re able to look back on the outcome of that work and, overall, it seems to have been a resounding success.
Through hard work and good luck, we were able to get a lot done. We led or played a lead role in campaigns to pass nine bills, supported efforts to pass three others, and worked with partners to kill five more bills. But that’s not to say we were successful on everything. There were also 11 bills we worked on that didn’t make it all the way through the process. All 28 of those policies are laid out below.
“Our success this session is a testament to what can be accomplished when you work in strong coalitions,” said Peter Robins-Brown, executive director of Louisiana Progress. “Our partner organizations and the members of our College Fellows program sought out good ideas, regardless of where they fell on the political spectrum. Then they did the research, developed messaging, built relationships, and wore out their shoe leather to get those ideas across the finish line.”
Bills Passed
The list below includes the nine bills we helped pass as either the lead advocate or as a leader in a coalition of advocacy organizations, with shoutouts (S/O) to our partners in those efforts.
HB129 by Rep. Richard Nelson creates a 180-day grace period when someone misses a court date before the Office of Motor Vehicles can suspend their driver’s license, allowing them time to rectify their legal situation without automatically losing driving privileges. S/O: Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana, Louisiana Appleseed
HB188 (Act 39) by Rep. Debbie Villio requires that digital political ads adhere to the same disclosure and honesty rules as all other types of political ads.
HB629 by Rep. Marcus Bryant, bars law enforcement from using marijuana odor as a pretext for searching someone’s home without a warrant. S/O: Marijuana Policy Project
HB639 by Rep. Thomas Pressly allows people with criminal records to ask an occupational licensing board if their record disqualifies them from obtaining a license before they begin their educational and/or licensure process, provides for individual consideration of applicants, and sets up a framework that licensing boards can use to determine if a person’s conviction is related to the profession in which they are seeking a license. S/O: Right on Crime, Pelican Institute, Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana, Louisiana Budget Project, Americans for Prosperity–Louisiana
HB726 by Rep. Rodney Lyons outlaws debt-based incarceration, aka debtors’ prisons, in Louisiana. S/O: Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana, Southern Poverty Law Center
HB729 by Rep. Royce Duplessis limits when media outlets can publish mugshots and requires them to include a disclaimer that people are innocent until proven guilty when they do publish those mugshots. It also gives people who haven’t been convicted of a crime, but who’s mugshots have been published by extortive publications that often publish mugshots for sensationalism and ad revenue, the right to request that their mugshot be removed, and provides them with a cause of action to sue if those publications don’t comply with the request. S/O: Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana
HB746 by Rep. Royce Duplessis sets common-sense limits on the amount of time juveniles can be put in solitary confinement while in the custody of Louisiana’s Office of Juvenile Justice. S/O: Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights, Voice of the Experienced, Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana
HB775 by Rep. Cedric Glover legalizes marijuana paraphernalia for medical marijuana patients. S/O: Marijuana Policy Project
HB988 by Rep. Mandie Landry establishes workplace protections for certain state workers who have medical marijuana recommendations. S/O: Marijuana Policy Project
We played a supporting role in helping to pass three more bills:
HB137 by Rep. Joseph Marino to decriminalize marijuana possession for out-of-state medical marijuana patients who are visiting Louisiana. S/O: Marijuana Policy Project
HB248 by Rep. Matthew Willard to remove Robert E. Lee Day and Confederate Memorial Day from the list of state holidays. S/O: Southern Poverty Law Center
HB553 by Rep. Scott McKnight to reduce barriers people with criminal records face when trying to find work in the medical marijuana industry. S/O: Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana, Voice of the Experienced
Bills Killed
There were another five bills we partnered with other advocacy organizations to help kill, including:
SB189 by Sen. Bodi White, which sought to carve certain neighborhoods out of the Central School District in East Baton Rouge Parish. S/O: Together Baton Rouge, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice
SB318 by Sen. Steward Cathey, which would have repealed the Raise the Age Act, clearing the way for more juveniles to be incarcerated in adult prisons. S/O: Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights, Voice of the Experienced
SB381 by Sen. Rick Ward was vetoed by the Governor, and would have created a new predatory lending product. S/O: Louisiana Budget Project
HB700 by Rep. Larry Bagley would have criminalized juveniles more harshly than adults for possessing 14 grams or less of marijuana. S/O: Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights
HB837 by Rep. Dodie Horton was the Louisiana version of the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill. S/O: Forum for Equality, Louisiana Trans Advocates
Bills Failed
Eleven bills we worked on didn’t make it all the way through the process, including five bills that took different approaches to raising Louisiana’s minimum wage. However, some of these “losses” helped move the conversation forward on the issues we were trying to address, and we’ll be back next year to continue that work.
HB246 by Rep. Tammy Phelps would have created a five-day grace period after a first-time lapse in auto insurance before the Office of Motor Vehicles charges a fine. S/O: Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana
HB485 by Rep. Denise Marcelle sought to reduce the collection fee the Louisiana Office of Debt Recovery charges from 25% to 10%. S/O: Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana
HB707 by Rep. Royce Duplessis attempted to expedite the process for expunging criminal records and significantly reduce fees for those expungements. S/O: Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana, Voice of the Experienced
HB774 by Rep. Cedric Glover would have reduced the waiting period for record expungements for convictions for possession of 14 grams or less of marijuana from five years to 180 days. S/O: Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana, Marijuana Policy Project
HB1028 by Rep. Cedric Glover would have partially decriminalized marijuana paraphernalia (no possibility for jail time, $50 fine). S/O: Marijuana Policy Project
HB1063 by Rep. Matthew Willard tried to provide more transparency for renters with criminal records before they pay a housing rental application fee. S/O: Step Up Louisiana, Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center, Voice of the Experienced
Minimum wage increases. S/O: Louisiana Budget Project, Step Up Louisiana, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, United Way of Southeast Louisiana
SB269 by Sen. Regina Barrow tried to create a constitutional amendment that would have went to the voters to raise the minimum wage to $10.25 p/hr in 2023, then indexed it to inflation going forward.
HB229 by Rep. Kyle Green was the House version of Sen. Barrow’s bill.
HB311 by Rep. Denise Marcelle would have set the state minimum wage at $10 p/hr in 2023, with incremental increases in years to follow.
HB472 by Rep. Tammy Phelps would have doubled the current tipped minimum wage from $2.13 p/hr to $4.26 p/hr.
HB1013 by Rep. Malinda White sought to increase the minimum wage for state workers from the current federal rate of $7.25 p/hr to $9 p/hr.
Who: Louisiana Progress, Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana, Louisiana Appleseed, Marijuana Policy Project, Right on Crime, Pelican Institute, Louisiana Budget Project, Americans for Prosperity–Louisiana, Southern Poverty Law Center, Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights, Voice of the Experienced, Together Baton Rouge, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, Forum for Equality, Louisiana Trans Advocates, United Way of Southeast Louisiana
What: Louisiana Progress recap of the 2022 legislative session
When: June 9, 2022
Contact:
Peter Robins-Brown, Executive Director, Louisiana Progress, (504) 256-8196, peter@louisianaprogress.org
RELEASE: Louisiana Progress to Advocate for Legislation to Decriminalize Poverty
Bills to reform traffic enforcement, lower fines and fees, and reign in government debt collection practices highlight Louisiana Progress’s agenda for the 2023 Louisiana legislative session.
BATON ROUGE, LA | April 11, 2023—”Louisiana is not a ‘poor state’, as you might often hear it labeled,” according to Peter Robins-Brown, executive director of Louisiana Progress, a nonprofit political advocacy organization based in Baton Rouge. “We’re actually a rich state with a horrifically high poverty rate. In Louisiana, it’s often expensive, and sometimes criminal, to be poor. By allowing that dynamic to continue we trap our people in cycles of poverty and criminalization. It’s a failed approach that also contributes to our state’s crime problem.”
In this year’s legislative session, Louisiana Progress is working with several legislators and advocacy partners to address various aspects of the system that perpetuate those cycles.
On the front-end, we’re looking at how people get swept up into the criminal justice system through aggressive traffic enforcement, with bills like HB 89, by Rep. Denise Marcelle, which would require law enforcement agencies to provide more transparency around traffic stop data, and HB322 (which is scheduled to be heard in the House Transportation Committee on Wednesday, April 12, at 10:00 a.m.), by Rep. Matthew Willard, which would move certain traffic violations to secondary offenses.
“One of the problems my constituents most often cite is the feeling that they’re being preyed upon by law enforcement when they’re on the road,” said Representative Denise Marcelle. “But we don’t have the data to support or refute their feelings. House Bill 89 would simply provide us with the transparency we need to understand how our traffic laws are being enforced.”
Once people are swept up into the system, they can get trapped there through excessive fines and fees that they can’t afford to pay. To address that, we’re trying to reduce some of those fines with bills like HB168, by Rep. Mandie Landry, and HB568, by Rep. Tammy Phelps.
Then, on the back-end of the system, we exacerbate the problem further through a combination of a government-run debt collection scheme, expensive and onerous criminal record expungement practices, and by making it hard for people with criminal records to find housing.
We’re working with partner organizations like the Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana, the Louisiana Budget Project, the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center, the Marijuana Policy Project, the Power Coalition for Equity & Justice, Step Up Louisiana, and Voice of the Experienced (VOTE) to deal with many of those problems through several bills, including:
SB111 by Sen. Royce Duplessis: Automate certain criminal record expungements and lower the fees for expunging those records
HB180 by Rep. Matthew Willard: Require more transparency about criminal background checks on rental applications
HB286 by Rep. Delisha Boyd: Make it easier to expunge records for convictions of simple marijuana possession
HB422 by Rep. Denise Marcelle: Reduce the Office of Debt Recovery’ (ODR) collection fee from 25% to 15% (scheduled to be heard in the House Ways & Means Committee on Thursday, April 13, at 9:00 a.m.)
HB477 by Rep. Vincent Pierre: Require agencies that refer debt to ODR to provide more data and transparency (scheduled to be heard in the House Ways & Means Committee on Thursday, April 13, at 9:00 a.m.)
“Ensuring that people with criminal records can secure good jobs and stable housing is critical to reducing recidivism in Louisiana,” said Representative Matthew Willard. “House Bill 180 will make it easier for people with records to obtain stable housing by embedding more transparency into the rental application process.”
Each of these measures on their own, and certainly all of them combined, can help make a measurable dent in Louisiana’s sky-high poverty rates. Hopefully, our state legislators will recognize that as well.
Who: Louisiana Progress, Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana, Louisiana Budget Project, Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center, Marijuana Policy Project, Power Coalition for Equity & Justice, Step Up Louisiana, and Voice of the Experienced (VOTE)
What: Louisiana Progress agenda for the 2023 legislative session
When: April 11, 2023
Contact:
Peter Robins-Brown, Executive Director, Louisiana Progress, (504) 256-8196, peter@louisianaprogress.org
RELEASE: New Laws Go Into Effect in Louisiana to Protect People’s Constitutional Rights
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–August 1, 2022
Among the numerous new laws that go into effect in Louisiana today are Acts 391 and 473, which rely on U.S. constitutional jurisprudence to protect people from unreasonable incarceration and searches of their home.
BATON ROUGE, LA | August 1, 2022—Most new laws passed by Louisiana legislators during the annual legislative session go into effect on August 1. Included among the numerous laws that will become official today are Act 391, which upholds fundamental rights to freedom under the 14 Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and Act 473, which upholds 4th Amendment protections against unreasonable searches.
Act 391 (House Bill 726) by Rep. Rodney Lyons (D–Harvey) outlaws debt-based incarceration, aka debtors’ prisons, in Louisiana. While the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that debt-based incarceration is a violation of the 14th Amendment in the 1983 Bearden v. Georgia case, it still occurs in Louisiana and elsewhere around the country. And because it continues to persist, there has been a national movement in recent years to officially outlaw it at the state level by passing laws in state legislatures and through rulings by state supreme courts. Now Louisiana has joined that movement.
“With Act 391, we have made it clear that no one should end up in jail in Louisiana because they can’t afford to pay debts to the state,” said Rep. Lyons. “Incarceration only makes the problem worse–along with violating people’s freedoms, it costs the state money to keep someone locked up and, obviously, they aren’t able to earn money to pay debts while in jail. There are plenty of more productive options available, including community service and realistic debt payment plans.”
Act 473 (House Bill 629) by Rep. Marcus Bryant (D–New Iberia) bars law enforcement from using marijuana odor as a pretext for searching someone’s home without a warrant. The 4th Amendment provides, “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
“Searching someone’s home without a warrant because you claim to smell marijuana is the definition of an ‘unreasonable search’ and a clear violation of the 4th Amendment” according to Rep. Bryant. “Hopefully this law will bring peace of mind to medical marijuana patients, especially our military veterans, who will now know they are safer from police intrusions into their homes.”
“At Louisiana Progress, we are dedicated to protecting people from being victimized by the state,” said Peter Robins-Brown, executive director of Louisiana Progress. “That’s why we worked closely with Representatives Lyons and Bryant on these two bills. Along with their direct impact on how laws are enforced, we think these Acts will provide comfort to Louisianans who may have worried that their use of a legal medicine or lack of financial resources could result in arrest and imprisonment.”
Acts 391 and 473 were just two of more than 20 bills that Louisiana Progress worked on during the 2022 Louisiana legislative session. You can find a full rundown of all of those bills, as well as a general overview of the entire session, in our recently released 2022 Legislative Session Report.
Who: Rep. Marcus Bryant, Rep. Rodney Lyons, Louisiana Progress, Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana, Southern Poverty Law Center
What: New laws go into effect in Luisiana to protect people’s constitutional rights
When: August 1, 2022
Contact: Peter Robins-Brown, Executive Director, Louisiana Progress, (504) 256-8196, peter@louisianaprogress.org
RELEASE: Louisiana Progress Action launches new state level advocacy network to engage 10,000 Women Louisiana.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–March 16, 2022
BATON ROUGE, LA—Over the last few months, Louisiana Progress Action has convened women leaders from around the state to develop 10,000 Women Louisiana to connect women who want to solve problems at the state and local levels.
By strengthening statewide and regional networks of informed and engaged women leaders and attracting new women to advocacy, the debate at the Legislature can be focused on issues of long-term significance to Louisiana—improving education and healthcare, reducing poverty and addressing the critical needs of children as well as other social justice issues.
Melissa Flournoy, Louisiana Progress Action, chair, said, “we believe that 10,000 Women can be a powerful force in the future direction of the state when women are informed, engaged, and mobilized to solve Louisiana’s problems and not just fight culture wars.”
The Co-chairs for 10,000 Women are Lori Callais, a community leader from Livingston Parish and former candidate for the Legislature in 2019 and Alfreda Tillman Bester, former Secretary of Labor and general counsel of the NAACP. Lori Callais said she was involved in planning 10,000 Women because, “So many of our children have moved out of Louisiana and we need to fix our problems so our children and grandchildren will stay in Louisiana.”
Alfreda Tillman Bester said, “I am elated at this purposeful movement of women. We recognize the importance of diverse voices in addressing the social, cultural and political challenges that impact the health and safety of our citizens. We are mobilizing an army of women to assist our policymakers in moving our state forward.”
10,0000 Women will provide advocacy trainings, Women on Wednesdays at the Capitol cosponsored by Lift Louisiana during the Legislative Session, and weekly zoom calls to motivate and mobilize the power of women. Additional training resources and opportunities to get informed are available at www.10000womenla.org including weekly emails on advocacy priorities, a bill tracker of important legislation, quick easy to follow podcasts on advocacy, how to testify at a committee, how to contact your legislators, and short comprehensible policy updates so women can know what is really going on at the capitol.
Who: Louisiana Progress Action
What: Launch of 10,000 Women Louisiana
When: March 16, 2022
Contact: Melissa Flournoy, Board Chair, Louisiana Progress, (225) 936.7200 m1flournoy@gmail.com
Connect at www.10000womenla.org. Join our Facebook Page 10,000 Women Louisiana and follow us on Twitter @10000WomenLA.
RELEASE:Gov. Edwards Vetoes Congressional Maps & Allows State Legislative Maps, Even Though They All Violate the Same Legal & Moral Standards
By vetoing the congressional maps passed by the Louisiana Legislature, Gov. Edwards stood on the side of fairness and equity. But by allowing the state legislative maps to go into effect, he ignored those same principles.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–March 9, 2022
BATON ROUGE, LA | March 9, 2022—Despite the fact that the 2020 U.S. Census showed an increase in Louisiana’s Black population and a decrease in its white population, the Louisiana Legislature passed new maps during the recent redistricting special session that didn’t increase Black political representation.
This evening, Gov. Edwards provided a mixed response to that inequitable outcome by vetoing the congressional map, but allowing the state Senate and House maps to go into effect without his signature, and signing into law maps for the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) and the Public Service Commission.
“We applaud Governor Edwards’s decision to veto the congressional map, but we are deeply disappointed that he allowed the state legislative maps to go into effect,” said Peter Robins-Brown, executive director of Louisiana Progress. “The same reasons the Governor cited for vetoing the congressional plan also applied to the state legislative plans. For the sake of intellectual, legal, and moral consistency, he should have vetoed them too.”
Throughout Louisiana’s history, Black communities have been significantly underrepresented in the state’s political bodies, including in its U.S. congressional delegation and state legislature. The congressional and state legislative maps that have been in effect for the past decade are perfect examples of that underrepresentation.
According to the 2010 U.S. Census, more than 30 percent of the state’s population was Black, yet only 16.6 percent of our congressional districts are majority-minority and approximately 25 percent of the state legislative districts are majority-minority.
This year, the legislature had a chance to remedy that underrepresentation. Instead, a majority of the body opted to maintain the status quo. Their decisions violated the federal Voting Rights Act.
“The problems with the congressional and legislative maps went beyond racial inequality,” Robins-Brown added. “The new maps–and the current ones, for that matter–are also almost entirely non-competitive. They lock in ‘safe’ seats, where it will be very difficult for voters to hold incumbents or political parties accountable. That lack of competition leads to increasingly polarized, stagnant politics, which only benefits the wealthy elites who have traditionally dominated Louisiana’s political system.”
Louisiana Progress urges the legislature to do the right thing by passing a more equitable congressional map during the upcoming regular legislative session. We also hope to see the courts remedy the inequitable legislative maps by siding with plaintiffs who will file lawsuits, and then drawing new maps that increase the number of majority-minority districts and competitive districts.
Who: Louisiana Progress
What: Louisiana Progress statement on Governor Edwards’s actions on political maps
When: March 9, 2022
Contact:
Peter Robins-Brown, Executive Director, Louisiana Progress, (504) 256-8196, peter@louisianaprogress.org
RELEASE: New Redistricting Poll Finds Most Louisianans Want Equitable and Competitive Political Maps
What do Louisianans want to see prioritized in their new political maps? A poll commissioned by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, ACLU of Louisiana, Fair Districts Louisiana, and Louisiana Progress finds equitable racial representation and more competition are top priorities.
BATON ROUGE, LA | January 18, 2022—According to a new poll (https://louisianaprogress.org/redistrictingpoll), a majority of Louisianans have some very clear priorities they want to see state legislators focus on during the upcoming redistricting special session, which begins February 1. Those priorities include more equitable racial representation and more political competition, with much less consideration given to protecting incumbent elected officials.
Specifically, 58 percent of respondents think it’s important that Louisiana’s political maps reflect the state’s racial diversity, while 78 percent believe it’s important to prioritize more politically competitive districts. And 59 percent of people surveyed don’t think it’s important to protect incumbent elected officials.
The poll was conducted by Public Policy Polling, and commissioned by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, ACLU of Louisiana, Fair Districts Louisiana, and Louisiana Progress. Along with gauging Louisianans’ opinions on several redistricting principles, the 17-question poll asked respondents how aware they are of the redistricting special session and where they’d gotten their redistricting news and information. You can find all of the questions and results, with crosstabs, at https://louisianaprogress.org/redistrictingpoll.
“It is clear that Louisianans will not tolerate discriminatory redistricting that results in severe underrepresentation of Black voters,” said Michael Pernick, Redistricting Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense Fund. “The Legislature should heed the results of this survey and ensure that in all new district maps, Black voters are afforded an equal opportunity to participate in the political process and elect candidates of their choice.”
“Politics in Louisiana and across the U.S. has become far too polarized and acrimonious,” said Stephen Kearny, Co-Founder, Fair District Louisiana. “With more competitive districts, our elected officials will be incentivized to find common ground with one another and listen to a wider diversity of constituents.”
“It’s clear that Louisianans want lawmakers to focus on fairness and racial equity in redistricting, not political self-interest. Over and over during the legislature’s statewide ‘road show,’ members of the public said they wanted their government to better reflect the state’s changing racial demographics. This poll affirms that,” said Chris Kaiser, Advocacy Director with the ACLU of Louisiana.
“Few, if any, polls like this have been conducted anywhere else,” according to Peter Robins-Brown, who is the Policy & Advocacy Director at Louisiana Progress. “These results give us unique insight into what the people of Louisiana, and maybe even people around the country, care about in redistricting.”
With just two weeks remaining before the state legislature begins its redistricting special session, and local government bodies across Louisiana already redrawing their own districts, these poll results can serve as a guide for elected officials to make sure they include the will of the people in their work.
Who: NAACP Legal Defense Fund, ACLU of Louisiana, Fair Districts Louisiana, Louisiana Progress
What: New redistricting poll (https://louisianaprogress.org/redistrictingpoll) sheds light on what Louisianans want their legislators to prioritize when redrawing political maps
When: January 18, 2022
Contact:
Peter Robins-Brown, Policy & Advocacy Director, Louisiana Progress, (504) 256-8196, peter@louisianaprogress.org
Juan Martinez, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, (212) 965-2200, media@naacpldf.org
RELEASE: New Redistricting Website Could be a Game-Changer in Louisiana
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–December 8, 2021
New Redistricting Website Could be a Game-Changer in Louisiana
Louisiana Progress and the Center for Urban Research at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY) announce the launch of the “Louisiana--Redistricting & You” website, a tool that makes it easy for citizens and elected officials to compare current political maps with proposed maps.
BATON ROUGE, LA | December 8, 2021—There are just two months left before the Louisiana legislature takes up redistricting, a process that will shape our state’s politics for the next decade. In preparation, Louisiana Progress and the Center for Urban Research at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY) are launching a new redistricting website--Louisiana--Redistricting & You (louisiana.redistrictingandyou.org)--that makes it easy to compare current political maps with proposed maps.
“Louisiana Redistricting and You adds real clarity to the redistricting process by making it easy for anyone to view and analyze proposed maps in detail,” said Peter Robins-Brown, Policy & Advocacy Director for Louisiana Progress. “You can basically become a redistricting expert within a few minutes.”
“The unique slider tool on the Redistricting & You website is the simplest way for people to engage with these maps to see how redistricting will impact their communities,” according to Steven Romalewski, Director of Mapping Services at the CUNY Graduate Center. “The website will also help make the redistricting process more transparent: we’ll be adding maps proposed by citizens and legislators so everyone can see exactly how the current districts would change.”
We’re launching Redistricting & You with the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund’s publicly available seven proposed Louisiana congressional maps. In the coming weeks, we ask the public to submit maps to us for Congress, the state legislature, and other statewide political bodies by emailing info@louisianaprogress.org. During the redistricting special session, we will upload proposals that are moving through the legislature in as close to real-time as possible.
Building on this launch, Louisiana Progress has revamped the Redistricting page on our website. It now includes an embedded version of ‘Redistricting & You’ and our complete Redistricting Guide, which is also broken out into its constituent parts.
Part 1 covers Redistricting 101, Part 2 is a Redistricting Glossary, Part 3 goes in-depth on Louisiana Redistricting, and Part 4 is a guide to Redistricting Advocacy. You can also delve into our local redistricting analysis for Jefferson Parish and East Baton Rouge Parish.
Louisiana Progress is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to informing, engaging, and mobilizing grassroots organizations, advocates, and activists to enact progressive public policy in Louisiana.
Who: Louisiana Progress, Center for Urban Research at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY)
What: New redistricting website--Louisiana--Redistricting & You--makes it easy to compare current political maps with proposed maps.
When: December 8, 2021
Contact: Peter Robins-Brown, Policy & Advocacy Director, Louisiana Progress, (504) 256-8196, peter@louisianaprogress.org
RELEASE: In Advance of Redistricting Webinar with Southern University Law Center, Louisiana Progress Releases First Two Parts of Redistricting Guide
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–October 12, 2021
Thursday, October 14th, from 12:00 - 1:30 p.m., the Southern University Law Center, Louisiana Progress, and the National Association of Social Workers-Louisiana Chapter will present the final installment of our four-part webinar series on the Louisiana legislature. Our panel of state legislators and advocates will look ahead to 2022, with a focus on redistricting. In advance of the webinar, Louisiana Progress is releasing the first two parts of our four-part Redistricting Guide.
BATON ROUGE, LA | October 12, 2021—This Thursday, October 14th, from 12:00 - 1:30 p.m., the Southern University Law Center (SULC) will partner with Louisiana Progress and the National Association of Social Workers--Louisiana Chapter to present the final installment of our four-part webinar series on the 2021 Louisiana Legislative Session.
This time around, our panelists will look ahead to 2022, focusing on redistricting and the regular session. In previous installments, our rotating group of panelists explored some of the most consequential issues from the 2021 legislative session, including police reform, voting rights, anti-Trans legislation, education and healthcare issues, and more.
The webinar will be moderated by SULC’s Alfreda Tillman Bester, Esq., and panelists will include:
Rep. Randall Gaines, House District 57
Rep. Royce Duplessis, House District 93
Alanah Odoms, Executive Director of the ACLU of Louisiana
Ashley Shelton, Founder, President, and CEO of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice
Stephen Kearny, Co-Founder of Fair Districts Louisiana
Michael Pernick, Redistricting Counsel with the NAACP Legal Defense & Education Fund
Terry Landry, Jr., Louisiana Policy Director with the Southern Poverty Law Center, and
Peter Robins-Brown, Policy & Advocacy Director at Louisiana Progress
Continuing legal education credits (CLEs) for lawyers and continuing education units (CEUs) for social workers will be available. Register to attend at https://www.sulc.edu/form/632.
In advance of the webinar, Louisiana Progress is also releasing the first two parts of our four-part Redistricting Guide. Part 1 is Redistricting 101, which serves as an introduction for people who might be new to the issue. In Part 2, our Glossary, we dive deeper into key redistricting terms and ideas.
Parts 3 and 4 will follow over the next week. Part 3 will focus on Louisiana Redistricting and Part 4 will be a Redistricting Advocacy Guide. Then, over the following weeks and months, we will release redistricting presentations and analyses for the state legislature and for parishes, starting with East Baton Rouge and Jefferson Parishes.
Who: Southern University Law Center, Louisiana Progress & National Association of Social Workers- Louisiana Chapter
What:
Webinar on redistricting and the 2022 regular legislative session
Louisiana Progress release first two parts of its four-part Redistricting Guide
When: October 14, 2021, from 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
Contact:
Peter Robins-Brown, Policy & Advocacy Director, Louisiana Progress, (504) 256-8196, peter@louisianaprogress.org
Jasmine Hunter, External Affairs Director, Southern University Law Center, JHunter@sulc.edu
RELEASE: Louisiana Progress to Launch Statewide Redistricting Campaign
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–September 16, 2021
With the legislature’s Joint Governmental Affairs Committee set to meet tomorrow, redistricting season is about to officially start in Louisiana, and Louisiana Progress will be working with partners across the state to advocate for fair and equitable maps.
BATON ROUGE, LA | September 16, 2021—When the state legislature’s Joint Governmental Affairs committee meets tomorrow morning to discuss redistricting, it will semi-officially kickoff redistricting season in Louisiana. The committee is expected to discuss the Census data that was released last month and their upcoming roadshow, where they will hold a series of public hearings across Louisiana, ahead of a special redistricting session in February 2022. Local redistricting will also take place along a similar timeline.
Louisiana Progress, along with partner organizations like the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Fair Districts Louisiana, Together Louisiana, the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, ACLU of Louisiana, and others will participate in a redistricting webinar with the Southern University Law Center on October 14th from 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. to educate our fellow Louisianans about redistricting and to advocate for fair and equitable political maps at all levels of government--federal, state, and local (register here).
One important question that we hope to answer for people is, “What does it mean to have ‘fair’ and ‘equitable’ maps?” We define those ideas in several ways, but the two most important principles we advocate for are Equal Representation (racial proportionality) and Competitiveness
“Unfortunately, Louisiana’s current political maps at the federal, state and local level fall woefully short of being either fair or equitable,” according to Peter Robins-Brown, director of policy & advocacy at Louisiana Progress. “Racial proportionality is inequitably skewed so that communities of color lack equal representation. For example, Louisiana’s population is roughly 32 percent African-American, but only one of our six congressional seats, or about 17%, is majority-minority. Our maps also lack competitiveness, with none of those six congressional seats being competitive between political parties.”
While our congressional districts are perfect examples of racial disproportionality and lack of competitiveness, they are hardly the only districts in our state where that is the case. The same can be said of our state legislative districts, the Louisiana State Supreme Court (LSSC), the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), and the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC), as are many parish councils and school boards.
That lack of equal representation and competitiveness has immense ramifications for our politics, communities, economy, and society as a whole. It helps drive political and social division, since politicians are incentivized to play to the extremes of their base instead of working toward productive, helpful compromises. People start to think their votes don’t matter, which leads them to become disengaged from the political process. And many communities, especially communities of color, feel their voices are being unfairly diminished or even silenced, which further exacerbates already heightened tensions.
“In 2022, the Louisiana legislature and our state’s local governments will have a chance to fix some of these systemic problems,” said Melissa Flournoy, board chair of Louisiana Progress. “We hope they take advantage of the opportunity, and we will be there to advocate for equal representation and competitiveness every step of the way.”
Who: Louisiana Progress
What: On the eve of the Louisiana legislature’s Joint Governmental Affairs Committee redistricting hearing, Louisiana Progress announces that we will be joining other statewide advocates to fight for fair and equitable political maps in Louisiana.
When: September 16, 2021 & October 14, 2021
Contact:
Peter Robins-Brown, Policy & Advocacy Director, Louisiana Progress, (504) 256-8196, peter@louisianaprogress.org
ADVISORY: Southern University Law Center, Louisiana Progress, and the National Association of Social Workers-Louisiana to Present Second in Series of Webinars on the Louisiana Legislature
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–August 25, 2021
Tomorrow, August 26, from 12:00 - 1:30 p.m., the Southern University Law Center, Louisiana Progress, and the National Association of Social Workers-Louisiana Chapter will team up to present the second installment of a four-part webinar series on the Louisiana legislature, featuring state legislators and advocates. The discussion will focus on Civil Rights issues from the 2021 regular legislative sessions, including Police Reforms, Criminal Justice Reform, and Voting Rights. Register at https://www.sulc.edu/form/632.
BATON ROUGE, LA | August 25, 2021—Tomorrow, August 12, from 12:00 - 1:30 p.m., the Southern University Law Center (SULC) will partner with Louisiana Progress and the National Association of Social Workers--Louisiana Chapter to present the second installment in a four-part webinar series on the 2021 Louisiana Legislative Session. Register at https://www.sulc.edu/form/632.
The second webinar will be moderated by SULC’s Alfreda Tillman Bester, Esq. Panelists will include:
State Representative Ted James
State Representative Marcus Bryant
Reverend Alexis Anderson, Executive Director of PREACH
Michael Cahoon, Co-Lead Organizer Policy Advocate at the Promise of Justice Initiative
Will Harrell, Senior Policy Council for Voice of the Experienced (VOTE0
Peter Robins-Brown, Policy & Advocacy Director at Louisiana Progress.
This second session will focus on civil rights issues from the 2021 regular legislative session, including police reform, criminal justice reform, and voting rights. Every webinar session is free to the public, and will count for 1.5 hours of continuing legal education (CLE) credits or 1.5 hours of social worker CEUs.
“Too often, policies in Louisiana ignore our state’s most vulnerable populations,” according to Alfreda Tillman Bester, Special Counsel for Human Services at SULC, and leader of the law school’s Vulnerable Communities & Peoples Initiative (VCPI). “We hope that by providing education opportunities like these we can demystify the legislative process and help empower people to advocate for policies that center people over profits.”
“Far too few people in Louisiana are well informed about what is happening in our state’s capital,” said Melissa Flournoy, Board Chair of Louisiana Progress. “At Louisiana Progress we want to take citizens behind the curtain of power and show them what the issues are and how we can fix them. We are excited to bring together legislators, advocates, and citizens to focus on solutions to Louisiana’s problems.”
The schedule of webinars is as follows:
August 26: Civil Rights--Criminal Justice and Police Reform, and Voting Rights
September 9: Healthy Families--Women & Children, Workers’ Rights, Education
September 23: Looking Ahead to 2022: Redistricting Session & Regular Session
Who: Southern University Law Center, Louisiana Progress & National Association of Social Workers- Louisiana Chapter
What: Southern University Law Center, Louisiana Progress and the National Association of Social Workers--Louisiana Chapter partner to present a four-part webinar series on the Louisiana legislature, with panels featuring state legislators and advocates
When: August 26, 2021
Contact:
Peter Robins-Brown, Policy & Advocacy Director, Louisiana Progress, (504) 256-8196, peter@louisianaprogress.org
Jasmine Hunter, External Affairs Director, Southern University Law Center, JHunter@sulc.edu
ADVISORY: Southern University Law Center, Louisiana Progress, and the National Association of Social Workers-Louisiana to Present First in Series of Webinars on the Louisiana Legislature
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–August 9, 2021
This Thursday, August 12, from 12:00 - 1:30 p.m., the Southern University Law Center, Louisiana Progress, and the National Association of Social Workers-Louisiana Chapter will team up to present the first installment of a four-part webinar series on the Louisiana legislature, featuring state legislators and advocates. The first webinar will be a broad overview of the 2021 regular and veto-override sessions, followed every two weeks (same day, same time) by deeper dives into specific issue areas. Register at https://www.sulc.edu/form/632.
BATON ROUGE, LA | August 9, 2021—This Thursday, August 12, from 12:00 - 1:30 p.m., the Southern University Law Center (SULC) will partner with Louisiana Progress to present the first installment in a four-part webinar series on the 2021 Louisiana Legislative Session. The following three webinars will occur every two weeks, on Thursdays at noon. Anyone who is interested in attending can register at https://www.sulc.edu/form/632.
The first webinar will be moderated by SULC’s Alfreda Tillman Bester, Esq. Panelists will include State Representatives Jason Hughes and Matthew Willard; Davante Lewis, Director of Public Affairs and Outreach for the Louisiana Budget Project; Susan East Nelson, Executive Director of the Louisiana Partnership for Children & Families; Ashley Shelton, Founder, President, and CEO of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice; Stephanie L. Willis, Esq., Policy Strategist at the ACLU of Louisiana; and Peter Robins-Brown, Policy & Advocacy Director at Louisiana Progress. This first session will provide a broad overview of the 2021 regular legislative and veto-override sessions, including discussion of the tax reform issues that will be on the October 3rd ballot and several controversial topics that dominated the political headlines in our state this year.
Subsequent sessions will focus on voting rights, criminal justice reform, education, women’s and workers’ rights, and more. The final webinar in the series is scheduled for Thursday, September 23, and will look ahead to the 2022 redistricting special session that will likely take place in February.
Every webinar session is free to the public, and will count for 1.5 hours of continuing legal education (CLE) credits or 1.5 hours of social worker CEUs.
“Too often, policies in Louisiana ignore our state’s most vulnerable populations,” according to Alfreda Tillman Bester, Special Counsel for Human Services at SULC, and leader of the law school’s Vulnerable Communities & Peoples Initiative (VCPI). “We hope that by providing education opportunities like these we can demystify the legislative process and help empower people to advocate for policies that center people over profits.”
“Far too few people in Louisiana are well informed about what is happening in our state’s capital,” said Melissa Flournoy, Board Chair of Louisiana Progress. “At Louisiana Progress we want to take citizens behind the curtain of power and show them what the issues are and how we can fix them. We are excited to bring together legislators, advocates, and citizens to focus on solutions to Louisiana’s problems.”
The full schedule of webinars is as follows:
August 12: 2021 Louisiana Legislative Overview
August 26: Civil Rights--Criminal Justice and Police Reform, and Voting Rights
September 9: Healthy Families--Women & Children, Workers’ Rights, Education
September 23: Looking Ahead to 2022: Redistricting Session & Regular Session
Who: Southern University Law Center, Louisiana Progress & National Association of Social Workers- Louisiana Chapter
What: Southern University Law Center, Louisiana Progress and the National Association of Social Workers- Louisiana Chapter partner to present a four-part webinar series on the Louisiana legislature, with panels featuring state legislators and advocates
When: August 12, 2021
Contact:
Peter Robins-Brown, Policy & Advocacy Director, Louisiana Progress, (504) 256-8196, peter@louisianaprogress.org
Jasmine Hunter, External Affairs Director, Southern University Law Center, JHunter@sulc.edu
RELEASE: What Would a Legal Marijuana Industry Look Like in Louisiana?
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–June 29, 2023
This Saturday, July 1, Maryland will become the 21st state in the U.S. to offer legal marijuana sales. What would it look like in Louisiana if we followed suit?
BATON ROUGE, LA | June 29, 2023—During this year’s Louisiana legislative session, Louisiana Progress, a non-profit political advocacy group based in Baton Rouge, and the Marijuana Policy Project, a national advocacy organization, worked with State Rep. Barbara Freiberg to write, file, and support House Bill 620. The bill would’ve established a taxation framework in the event the legislature ever legalizes recreational marijuana sales.
HB620 failed to pass out of the House Ways & Means committee, which handles tax measures, by a 6-8 vote (you can watch the debate here, starting at the 21-minute mark). However, the hearing provided Rep. Freiberg and advocates with the opportunity to describe what a legal marijuana industry could look like in Louisiana, as well as make the case for where the state’s portion of any eventual marijuana sales tax revenue should be directed. If the bill had passed, 50% of any eventual tax revenue would have gone to the state general fund, 30% would have been used to create a program to directly fund the state’s judicial system and lessen its reliance on criminal fines and fees, and 20% would have gone to fund early childhood care and education.
“By introducing House Bill 620, I wanted the legislature to seriously consider what we could do with any tax revenue from a potential future legal marijuana industry, not to consider legalization itself,” said Rep. Freiberg. “In particular, I think we should use a significant portion of that revenue to invest in our state’s children and families, which is one of the most important investments we can make as a state, if not the most important. I also hope to see us use some of that money to alleviate financial instability in our criminal justice system.”
“Maryland is about to join 20 other states in collecting tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars in annual tax revenue from legal marijuana sales,” according to Peter Robins-Brown, executive director of Louisiana Progress. “Creating that industry in Louisiana would generate more than $1 billion in total annual economic activity, including thousands of new jobs, in a state that desperately needs economic opportunity, especially in lower income communities.”
“To support HB620, we worked with Andrew Livingston, the Director of Economics & Research at the Vicente Law Firm, who is a nationally recognized expert on the economics of the cannabis industry, to create projections for what that industry could look like in Louisiana if it came online starting in 2027,” said Kevin Caldwell, the southeast legislative manager at the Marijuana Policy Project. “I think his findings should be incredibly eye-opening for every current and future state legislator, and help all Louisianans better understand the potentially transformative nature of this industry.”
Some of the topline results from Andrew’s research include (see chart below for more details):
More than $1 billion in total annual economic activity within four years of legalization (projection includes the marijuana industry itself and other tangential economic activity, including in industries like agriculture, horticulture, and construction)
More than $200 million in annual tax revenue for Louisiana within 18 months of legalization
Thousands of new jobs and dozens, or even hundreds, of new businesses in Louisiana
Who: Louisiana Progress, Marijuana Policy Project
What: What would the recreational marijuana market look like in Louisiana?
When: June 29, 2023
Contacts:
Peter Robins-Brown, Executive Director, Louisiana Progress, (504) 256-8196, peter@louisianaprogress.org
Kevin Caldwell, Southeast Legislative Manager, Marijuana Policy Project, (504) 208-2488, kcaldwell@mpp.org
RELEASE: Louisiana Progress Releases 2021 Legislative Report & Statement Opposing Next Week’s Veto-Override Session
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–July 16, 2021
Contact: Peter Robins-Brown, Policy & Advocacy Director, Louisiana Progress, (504) 256-8196, peter@louisianaprogress.org
With the Louisiana legislature officially on the brink of a historic veto-override session, Louisiana Progress releases its statement on the session, along with its full report on the 2021 regular legislative session.
BATON ROUGE, LA | July 16, 2021—This morning it was officially announced that the Louisiana legislature will enter into a historic veto-override session. Among legislators who supported the override session, the primary focus is on overturning Gov. Edwards’s vetoes of Senate Bill 156, which would ban Transgender youth from partiipating in school sports, and Senate Bill 118, which would allow Louisiana residents to carry concealed weapons without a permit or any required training.
These bills do nothing to solve any real problems in Louisiana. There aren’t any cases of Transgender youth trying to play school sports in our state, and law enforcement officers have officially come out in opposition to overriding the SB 118 veto.
“Louisiana Progress strongly opposes a veto-override session under these circumstances,” said Peter Robins-Brown, Policy & Advocacy Director at Louisiana Progress. “Instead of focusing on the many very real problems facing our state, lawmakers will waste hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars fighting over culture-war issues that are driven by national media narratives.”
“Given the unprecedented nature of this veto-override session, we’re also very concerned about transparency and process,” said Melissa Flournoy, Board Chair of Louisiana Progress. “How will the session operate? What is the process? Will there be public hearings? Will the bills have to be reintroduced and passed by committees? These are questions that all interested citizens are asking, and the answers are nowhere in sight.”
To help provide even more context for this veto-override session, Louisiana Progress has released our comprehensive two-part report on the 2021 Regular Louisiana Legislative Session. In Part One, we covered progressive victories during the session and some of the most notable controversies, as well as highlighting the work of legislators and advocates who fought for those victories. In Part Two, we focused on important bills that didn’t make it through the process this year, but that we hope will be top priorities in 2022.
Louisiana Progress is a resource for progressive research, policy, and advocacy. Visit our website to learn more.
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RELEASE: Louisiana Will Make History When Its New Marijuana Decriminalization Law Goes Into Effect on Sunday, August 1
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–July 30, 2021
Peter Robins-Brown, Policy & Advocacy Director, Louisiana Progress, (504) 256-8196, peter@louisianaprogress.org
Louisiana is on the verge of making history by decriminalizing possession of personal-use marijuana. Louisiana Progress and State Rep. Cedric Glover, who sponsored the bill to decriminalize marijuana in the legislature, are teaming up to promote an FAQ on the new law and to launch an awareness campaign to help Louisianans know their new rights.
BATON ROUGE, LA | July 30, 2021—On Sunday, August 1, Louisiana will finally join the ranks of U.S. states that have reformed their marijuana laws when Act 247 (House Bill 652) goes into effect. On that date, possession of 14 grams or less of marijuana will be punishable by a fine of up to $100 or a court summons, without the possibility for jail or prison time, no matter how many times someone is arrested for possessing that amount.
Nearly 20 states have legalized marijuana, and another dozen have decriminalized its possession to some extent. But few of those states are in the South, especially the Deep South. By passing House Bill 652, which was sponsored by State Representative Cedric Glover, the Louisiana legislature acknowledged that the time has come to rethink how (or, indeed, whether) we punish people for using marijuana.
“When I saw two city council members in my hometown of Shreveport--one conservative and one progressive--come together to decriminalize personal-use marijuana possession there, I knew it was time to take this reform to the state level,” said Rep. Glover. “Criminalizing marijuana possession is harmful to the people of Louisiana in so many ways, but it’s been particularly harmful for Black and Brown communities, lower-income folks, and young people. My fervent hope is that this new law will finally bring some relief and a feeling of freedom to those communities.”
“Marijuana decriminalization will truly make a difference in the lives of the people of our state,” according to Peter Robins-Brown, policy & advocacy director at Louisiana Progress. “It’s an important first step in modernizing marijuana policy in Louisiana, and it’s another milestone in the ongoing effort to address our incarceration crisis, which has trapped so many people in a cycle of poverty and prison. Now it’s time to make sure that everyone knows their rights under this new law, and that law enforcement officers understand how to properly implement it.”
With those goals in mind, Rep. Glover and Louisiana Progress worked together to answer some FAQs (frequently asked questions). You can find that FAQ sheet here.
We will also be launching an awareness campaign to promote the new law, which will include a social media push, more informational materials, outreach to law enforcement agencies and local elected officials and, eventually, depending on the current Covid outbreak, in-person events.
Who: Louisiana Progress, State Representative Cedric Glover
What: Louisiana will make history when the state’s new marijuana decriminalization law goes into effect on Sunday, August 1. Louisiana Progress and Rep. Glover worked together to develop an FAQ and will be launching an awareness campaign for the new law.
When: August 1, 2021
Contact:
Peter Robins-Brown, Policy & Advocacy Director, Louisiana Progress, (504) 256-8196, peter@louisianaprogress.org
RELEASE: Gov. Edwards Signs House Bill 652 Into Law, Making Louisiana the First State in the Deep South to Significantly Reform Its Marijuana Laws
On Tuesday, June 15, Gov. Edwards signed House Bill 652, by Rep. Cedric Glover, into law. The bill removes incarceration as a punishment for possessing 14 grams or less of marijuana and makes the new maximum penalty a $100 fine or a summons.
BATON ROUGE, LA | June 15, 2021—Louisiana Progress was proud to join Rep. Cedric Glover in his effort to pass House Bill 652, which will eliminate jail or prison time as a punishment for possession of 14 grams of marijuana or less. It will also reduce the fine for that offense to a maximum of $100 or a court summons.
House Bill 652 will go into effect on August 1, 2021, and will make Louisiana the first state in the Deep South, and only the second state in all of the South, to significantly reform its criminal laws regarding marijuana.
"In a period during our country’s history when consensus evades us on so many important issues, the Louisiana Legislature found common ground this year around the belief that the possession of small amounts of marijuana should no longer lead to either jail time or becoming a felon,” said State Rep. Cedric Glover, who went on to add that, “This consensus would not have been possible without the leadership of Reps. C. Denise Marcelle, Alan Seabaugh, Candace Newell, Richard Nelson, Sen. Jay Luneau, Louisiana Progress, all of my colleagues who voted in favor of HB652, and the legions of Louisiana citizens who reached out and encouraged them to do so. Going forward I hope that we can build upon the common ground we have found and move even closer to the more just and equitable Louisiana that we all deserve."
“This is a huge step forward in the movement to reform our criminal legal system,” according to Peter Robins-Brown, Policy & Advocacy Director at Louisiana Progress. “No one, and no part of our society, benefits from criminalizing people for possessing small amounts of marijuana. The current system of punishment has had a particularly negative effect on younger, poorer, and Blacker and browner folks, who represent the groups most likely to be targeted for harsh punishments for marijuana possession.”
This reform has been a long time coming. Legislators like Rep. Ted James and former Sen. Tony Giarusco have been filing similar bills for years and even decades. Advocates, including Common Sense NOLA and the Cannabis Council of Louisiana, have been fighting for just as long to make it a reality. This is truly a collective victory for the people of Louisiana and those who have fought for so long for a more just and equitable approach to drug policy in our state.
Louisiana Progress is a resource for progressive research, policy, and advocacy in Louisiana. We work with partner organizations, advocates, and state and local legislators to build a state that uplifts all of its people.
Who: Louisiana Progress, Rep. Cedric Glover
What: Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards signs HB652 into law, making Louisiana the first state in the Deep South to significantly reform its marijuana laws.
When: June 15, 2021
Contact:
Peter Robins-Brown, Policy & Advocacy Director, Louisiana Progress, (504) 256-8196, peter@louisianaprogress.org
RELEASE: Rep. Cedric Glover, Sen. Jay Luneau & Louisiana Progress Join Forces to Partially Decriminalize Marijuana Possession in Louisiana
On Monday, June 7, the Louisiana State Senate passed House Bill 652, by Rep. Cedric Glover, by a vote of 20-17. The bill removes incarceration as a punishment option for possessing 14 grams or less of marijuana. The new maximum penalty is a $100 fine or a court summons. The bill now heads to Gov. Edwards's desk.
BATON ROUGE, LA | June 7, 2021—Today, Louisiana moved one step closer to becoming the first state in the Deep South to partially decriminalize marijuana possession when the state Senate voted in favor of House Bill 652, by Rep. Cedric Glover. With a slim margin of 20 yeses, 17 nos, and one abstention, the Senate sent the bill to Gov. John Bel Edawrds’s desk for his signature.
House Bill 652 would make possession of less than 14 grams (half-ounce) of marijuana punishable by a summons or a fine of up to $100. There would be no option for jail time, and penalties would not increase to felony-level with subsequent arrests.
“Early in the 2021 legislative session, Louisiana Progress began working with Rep. Cedric Glover to support this bill, which we saw as a common sense reform to our state’s draconian drug laws,” according to Peter Robins-Brown, Policy & Advocacy Director for Louisiana Progress.
“After a long road through the legislative process, where Rep. Glover and Louisiana Progress worked closely together, that reform is on the cusp of becoming reality. This measure will help reduce mass incarceration, bring us more in line with the way most other states approach this issue, and improve police-community relations by no longer requiring law enforcement officers to enforce a deeply unpopular law.”
After Rep. Glover shepherded the bill through the House side and a Senate committee hearing, Senator Jay Luneau took to the Senate floor to present the bill. There, he argued that Louisiana’s current marijuana prohibition laws are a waste of police, court, and jail resources and that it’s time to make this common-sense change.
The Senate agreed with him, albeit barely, by a 20-17 vote--the bare minimum of votes needed to pass the chamber. That approval means the bill will go to Gov. Edwards’s desk for final approval.
Louisiana Progress is a resource for progressive research, policy, and advocacy in Louisiana. We work with partner organizations, advocates, and state and local legislators to build a state that uplifts all of its people.
Who: Louisiana Progress, Rep. Cedric Glover, Sen Jay Luneau
What: Louisiana State Senate votes to decriminalize marijuana possession
When: June 7, 2021
Contact:
Peter Robins-Brown, Policy & Advocacy Director, Louisiana Progress, (504) 256-8196, peter@louisianaprogress.org