Latest news with #HouseBill397
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Landry pushes change to allow Louisiana Racing Commission director to still own racehorses
Louisiana's Racing Commission hired an executive director that partially owns race horses. (Canva image) Gov. Jeff Landry is backing a law change that would allow an appointed director of the Louisiana Racing Commission to continue owning racehorses, even though the director oversees their licensing as part of his government job. The proposed exception is included in House Bill 397, a sweeping piece of legislation that would also make dozens of changes to Louisiana's ethics code for elected officials and public employees. Stephen Landry became the commission's top staffer in 2024 after the governor appointed new members to its board. At the time, Stephen Landry, who is not related to the governor, had a partial ownership stake in two racehorses. Stephen Landry did not return a call made to his office Thursday. The commission is responsible for regulating horse racing and betting in Louisiana. It issues licenses to racetracks, training centers, off-track betting operations and racehorse owners like Stephen Landry. Commissioners can also suspend and withdraw racehorse owners' licenses it previously granted. The Louisiana Board of Ethics told Stephen Landry last year in an advisory opinion that state law is 'silent' on whether he can own racehorses while serving as the commission's executive director. State employees are prohibited from doing business with the agencies where they work, however. Using that logic, the ethics board told Stephen Landry he would not be able to apply for a racehorse owner's license when he needs a renewal in 2026 if he still serves as the commission's executive director. The change the governor is pushing would remove that barrier for Stephen Landry. Landry proactively sought the ethics board's opinion about his horse ownership after the Paulick Report, a horse racing news outlet, raised concerns about him taking the commission director's job. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE 'How's he supposed to investigate and recommend to his commissioners potential changes to the state's breeders' incentive program objectively?' editor-in-chief Natalie Voss wrote about Stephen Landry in a 2024 commentary. 'What's he going to do if he's alerted [a co-owner of his horse] has a possible rule violation being investigated by the staff? How would he deal with an appeal of a disqualification coming from one of his active (or recent) ownership partners?' 'The Association of Racing Commissioners International model rules expressly prohibit this, both for employees of a commission (like the executive director) or for employees under the executive director,' Voss added. The racing commission's chairman, Ed Koehl, told Stephen Landry when he took the executive director position that he could own horses without any fear of conflict, Stephen Landry's attorney, Dane Ciolino, wrote in a letter to the ethics board. The commission, and not the executive director, votes on whether to grant or withdraw an ownership license, Ciolino said. Under a law approved last year, all 13 state racing commissioners who decide on ownership licensing can own racehorses that compete in Louisiana. Previously, only three of the 13 commissioners were allowed to own racehorses. This year's ethics bill, sponsored by Rep. Beau Beaullieu, R- New Iberia, reiterates that Louisiana Racing Commission members, in addition to the executive director, can own horses that race in Louisiana. Beaullieu's proposal cleared its first legislative hurdle Wednesday when it passed the Louisiana House and Governmental Affairs Committee. It's goes next before the full House of Representatives. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
While facing ethics charges, Landry pushes overhaul of ethics investigation process
Gov. Jeff Landry is pushing an overhaul of the Louisiana Board of Ethics' investigation process while also facing ethics charges brought by the board. (Photo credit: Wes Muller/Louisiana Illuminator) Gov. Jeff Landry is pushing for dramatic changes to the Louisiana Board of Ethics' investigation process that was used to charge him in 2023 with breaking the state ethics code. The changes Landry seeks would make it easier for subjects of an ethics complaint – like he is – to avoid charges or a probe into their alleged wrongdoing. The proposed modifications are part of a sweeping rewrite of the state ethics code for elected officials and public employees in House Bill 397, sponsored by Rep. Beau Beaullieu, R-New Iberia. Beyond making it harder to bring ethics charges, the legislation also loosens limits on elected officials and state employees' state travel, weakens restrictions on government contracts with public servants and their families, and reduces requirements for elected officials and political candidates' public disclosure of financial interests. The proposal cleared its first major hurdle Wednesday when the Louisiana House and Governmental Affairs Committee allowed it to go to the floor without any objection or amendments. Stephen Gelé, Landry's private lawyer who handles ethics and campaign finance concerns for the governor, helped craft the legislation. He presented the bill alongside Beaullieu in the House committee. Gelé is also one of the attorneys defending Landry against ethics board's charges for not disclosing flights Landry took on a political donor's plane to and from Hawaii. The ethics board and Landry, through Gelé, are still in negotiations about the appropriate punishment for the governor's alleged violation. In an interview Wednesday, Gelé said the bill would not affect Landry's existing ethics case because its changes would only apply to future cases. Beaullieu said he brought the bill after hearing complaints about the ethics board's investigations being 'overly aggressive.' Gelé has previously accused the ethics board of bullying people who face complaints. If the legislation passes, the ethics board would have a far higher threshold to clear for launching an investigation into potential ethical misconduct. Under the bill, an elected official or public employee would be able to avoid an investigation into misconduct if they had 'already cured any potential violation' – a standard that critics said was vague and difficult to understand. The person facing the investigation could also ask a district court judge to limit or shut down an ethics board probe if the alleged target or a witness in the case might experience 'annoyance, embarrassment, oppression, undue burden or expense' as a result of the inquiry, according to the bill. The ethics board would also have to justify an investigation, making the case that the agency's 'limited resources' should be spent on a particular alleged misconduct claim over other cases. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Likewise, a district judge would only be able to seek relevant information for a case if it's deemed cost effective for the state, and 'the importance of the information sought outweighs the burden of producing the information.' Steven Procopio, president of the nonpartisan Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, called the proposed rewrite problematic. The changes would give too much leverage to the person facing misconduct allegations, he said. 'If someone has committed a violation of the ethics code, embarrassment is not a defense,' said Procopio, whose organization advocates for transparency and fairness in state government. Barry Erwin, policy director for the nonpartisan Leaders for a Better Louisiana, agreed with Procopio. He complained the proposed new process features too many obstacles before the ethics board could launch an investigation. Erwin and Procopio also expressed concerns about the two-thirds vote that would be needed from ethics board members multiple times before any single probe into misconduct could take place. Elected officials now have more control over the board than they have had in years. Landry pushed the legislature in 2024 to upend the makeup of the ethics board membership and give him more influence over it. The board used to consist of 11 positions, filled by the governor and legislators from lists of nominees provided by the state's private university and college leaders. The higher education administrators were involved to insulate the board from political pressure. Landry and lawmakers passed a law last year that eliminated the private college leaders' nominees. They also expanded the board to 15 seats, which the governor and legislators fill directly. The governor now picks nine members, and the Senate and House pick three members each. This means the governor could potentially block an ethics board investigation through his nine appointees under the new legislation. Only five members need to vote against an investigation for it to be killed. Another portion of Beaullieu's legislation targets the issue that got Landry in trouble with the ethics board – private plane travel. The bill would allow state officials to report trips on private planes as if they are the equivalent of purchasing a business class or coach airplane ticket on a commercial flight. Beaullieu's proposal also eases restrictions on legislators' travel for state business on private planes provided by political donors or outside organizations. Legislators were previously only allowed to accept flights on private planes for public speeches if they were traveling within the United States or Canada. If the bill is approved, they will be able to accept private plane travel for government business anywhere in North America or the U.S. territories, including locations in the Caribbean, as long as they are making a public speech, participating in a panel discussion or making a media appearance. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Election rule changes stalled before Georgia lawmakers adjourned and ensured for 2026 midterms
Georgia Republican lawmakers will be on the clock next year to pass election legislation ahead of a busy 2026 election cycle.(file) For the first time since the post-2020 presidential election, Georgia Republican state lawmakers did not pass a bill during this year's session that included controversial changes to the way votes are cast or tallied. When Lt. Gov. Burt Jones sent senators home a little after 9 p.m. on April 4, it not only seemed to catch many senators off guard, but it also briefly left the House in disarray. The abrupt ending likely killed the main election bill's chances in 2025, raising questions about what new rules could be in place in time for the 2026 election year highlighted by races for governor, U.S. Senate, attorney general and all 236 state legislative races. The most significant GOP election bill for the session was among the dozens of bills left in limbo. It will still be active when lawmakers return for the second half of the two-year legislative cycle next January. The House adjourned before legislators were presented with a substitute version of House Bill 397 that cleared the Senate after the addition of several proposals such as expanding State Election Board powers and banning Georgia from participation in a multi-state voter rolls data sharing partnership. Instead, the House passed a resolution on the last day of the 2025 Legislature creating a study committee that will examine election rules later this year. The 2026 legislative session will begin with the House retaining control over SB 397 and Senate Bill 214, which would give voters the option of filling out ballots with pencils or pens instead of using electronic voting machine touchscreens when they cast votes at polling stations. The possibility of a switch to hand-marked paper ballots will be a topic later this year after House legislators created a study committee to review Georgia's Dominion Voting System's touchscreen system. The Coalition for Good Governance is warning legislators they shouldn't take further action to remove QR codes from being used in paper ballot tabulation. 'County election officials are now trapped,' coalition executive director Marilyn Marks said. 'They are legally prohibited from using QR codes after July 1, 2026 — but given no money or direction from the state on how to comply — a tab that could be more than $70 million according to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Any attempt to install new hardware and software would need to begin in early 2026, and funding and acquisition of equipment would be required this year.' Sylvania Republican Sen. Max Burns led the Republican members of the committee to defer any consideration of hand-marked paper ballots until 2029. Burns has said the study committee this fall will begin planning out the transition to human readable text for paper ballots. The transition has been deferred from QR codes to human readable text for paper ballots. The possibility of a switch to hand-marked paper ballots will be a topic later this year after House legislators created a study committee to review Georgia's Dominion Voting System's touchscreen system. Sylvania Republican Sen. Max Burns sponsored SB 214, which would allow voters to request ballots similar to absentee ballots when they visit a polling place during early voting or on an Election Day. Leading up to Sine Die, the Coalition for Good Governance warned legislators against not taking further action to remove QR codes from being used in paper ballot tabulation. 'County election officials are now trapped,' coalition executive director Marilyn Marks wrote in a newsletter email. 'They are legally prohibited from using QR codes after July 1, 2026 — but given no money or direction from the state on how to comply — a tab that could be more than $70 million according to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Any attempt to install new hardware and software would need to begin in early 2026, and funding and acquisition of equipment would be required this year.' Raffensperger has asked for legislators to implement a much less expensive software update instead of removing QR codes from ballots. The Georgia Republican Party and right-wing election watchdog groups like VoterGa have pushed for state election changes that will give the controversial State Election Board more autonomy over election rulemaking and administrative independence from the secretary of state's office. Three of the five board members are staunchly loyal to President Donald Trump. Democratic lawmakers have objected to HB 397's provision banning voters from dropping off absentee ballots on the final weekend before Election Day. Critics have also raised concerns about expanded election board rulemaking powers despite the bill proposing to prohibit rulemaking within 60 days of an election. Another contested section of the bill is over the plan for the state to transition from participating in the Electronic Registration Information Center, an organization that currently provides two dozen states a database to help maintain accurate voter rolls. 'They claim the rolls are littered with the names of people who have moved from the addresses on their registrations and are no longer eligible to vote, but ignore that the evidence they point to is often insufficient under our laws to trigger removal of voters from rolls,' Atlanta Democratic Rep. Saira Draper wrote as the legislative session was down. There will be a condensed window for next year for legislators passing new election rules that could be implemented in the time for a 2026 election cycle that begins with primaries in May. Draper has been outspoken about her being dismayed by the recent majority GOP legislature passing election legislation to 'assuage election denier concerns. 'We must always push back on narratives based on misinformation and fear-mongering,' she said. The State Election Board is set to meet Monday to hire a new executive director SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Axios
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Sine Die 2025: What passed, what failed
On a Friday night filled with drama, the Georgia General Assembly approved dozens of pieces of legislation about advanced voting, President Trump's legal bills and car booting on the final day of the legislative session. Why it matters: The marathon Sine Die meeting of the state Senate and House of Representatives marks the final day legislation can pass both chambers to possibly become law — until next year, of course. The intrigue: Senators this year broke from long-standing tradition and adjourned at 9:11pm — well before the usual midnight close. Without a chamber to send legislation, the House followed suit an hour or so later. Dozens of measures must wait until next year for consideration. "We feel like everything we wanted to get finished today has been completed," Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega) told reporters after the upper chamber called it quits. Fun fact: Georgia lawmakers serve part-time and meet at the Capitol for only 40 days early in the year. That's a holdover from the days when rural representatives and senators could get away from their crops in the winter. What passed 💰 Budget: State lawmakers approved Georgia's roughly $38 billion operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year — actually the one thing they're required to do every year — on the morning of the final day. 🙏 Religious freedom: Earlier Friday, Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law a controversial — and long-sought — measure aimed at protecting Georgians' religious beliefs, which opponents said would give people a license to discriminate. 👶 Child care: A measure creating a $250 tax credit to pay for child care expenses and an expanded existing tax credit cleared both chambers and awaits the governor's pen. 🚗 Car booting: Legislation regulating Georgia booting companies cleared both chambers and awaits Kemp's signature. 🍲 State symbols: Cornbread would become Georgia's official state bread and Brunswick Stew the official soup under legislation that became a vessel for language prohibiting state agencies to conduct business with foreign adversaries — mainly China. 🧾 Trump legal fees: President Trump and other defendants in the Fulton County election interference case could recoup legal fees under a measure approved by the House and Senate. What didn't pass 🏎️ School zone cameras: The Senate's surprise decision to end their work early left legislation cracking down on cameras in school zones — some state lawmakers say cities use them to generate revenue — in limbo until next year. 🗳️ Elections: House Bill 397, which requires poll workers to hand count ballots, allows counties to opt out of Saturday advanced voting, and forces Georgia to leave a multi-state voter integrity group, did not receive House approval. 🔎 Transparency: A controversial provision that would have shielded lawmakers' communications with state agencies from Open Records requests was stripped from related legislation approved Friday. 🏳️⚧️ Transgender care: A bill prohibiting transgender minors from receiving puberty-blocking medications was deemed a low Sine Die priority for Speaker Jon Burns (R-Newington) but remains active when the General Assembly convenes in January.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia Senate passes bill that will change state's election laws. What to know about HB 397
Georgia Senate amended multiple laws to House Bill 397 that would allow for significant changes to the state's election laws. The bill was amended Wednesday with a 33-23 vote, largely along party lines. Here is what we know about the bill. House Bill 397, sponsored by Republican Rep. Tim Fleming, proposes increasing paper ballot options, expanding the State Election Board's power, and removing Georgia from the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC). The bill removes the State Election Board from the oversight of the Secretary of State, granting the board control over investigative reports and communications. This bill also prohibits dropping off absentee ballots after the advance voting period. Republicans argue that these changes protect election integrity, citing last year's high voter turnout. "This protects the integrity of our elections," said Republican Sen. Max Burns. Democrats contend that the bill suppresses voter turnout and creates unnecessary barriers to voting. One Democrat, Sen. Jason Esteves, called the bill a "Frankenstein whack-a-mole," highlighting its numerous provisions affecting various aspects of the election process. Now, the bill is sent back to the House for final passage. Vanessa Countryman is the Trending Topics Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team Georgia. Email her at Vcountryman@ This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Georgia elections could drastically change thanks to HB 397
