July 2016  
Second Special Session Report
July 2016
 
Louisiana's second special session of 2016 adjourned sine die Thursday, June 23rd at 11:37 pm wrapping up a record-long 19 weeks of session.
 
Gov. John Bel Edwards called the special session with demands of raising $600 million in new revenue to patch a forecasted shortfall for the 2017 Fiscal Year, which begins July 1. Much to Gov. Edwards's chagrin legislators only raised slightly more than $260 million in new taxes in the second special session. This newly raised $260 million is on top of the roughly $1.2 billion generated during this year's first special session.
 
Approximately $90 million in second special session revenue comes directly from businesses . Much of the remaining $170 million in new revenue was generated through an agreed-upon license tax with HMOs for Medicaid match. Continue reading
State Government Network
July 11 - 13, 2016
 
Lynn Robertson attended the State Government Network in Washington D.C.  July 11th-13th. Issues discussed were changes at NCARB, Encroachment, Procurement, Next Generation Energy Efficiency, Code Development, Building Advocacy at all levels and the future of SGN.

SpeakUp
July 13-15-, 2016
Executive Director Lynn Robertson meets with Congressman Garret Graves (R) Sixth District-LA

Lynn Robertson, Ron Martinez, AIA and Rex Cabaniss, AIA, attended the inaugural SpeakUp in Washington D.C. July 13th-15th.   The event was composed of intense group workshops on developing legislative strategy.  Our delegation visited Congressmen Garret Graves and Cedric Richmond and Senator Bill Cassidy to discuss Historic Preservation credits and Section 179 deductions which will expire in December of 2016.

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