quote:
Legislation to allow local governments conceal public records for economic development reasons advanced Thursday from the Louisiana House of Representatives.

House Bill 461, sponsored by Rep. Steven Jackson, D-Shreveport, passed in a 79-18 vote and will head to the Senate for consideration.

The bill would allow a city mayor, parish president or local government executive to declare any records confidential if they determine their public release “would have a detrimental effect” on an active business negotiation. It would also allow the company or person negotiating with the government to request confidentiality.

LINK /

Can anyone claim we have small-government conservative leadership with a straight face?

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Posted by ksayetiger

Centenary Gents

Member since Jul 2007

68313 posts

Posted on 4/14/24 at 5:35 am to 4cubbies

This is insane.

All government should have 100% transparency

When it doesn't, corruption will flourish.

See fbi and FOIA requests- they don't show a damn thing.

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Posted by iron banks

Destrehan

Member since Jul 2014

3752 posts

Posted on 4/14/24 at 6:35 am to ksayetiger

Just trust your government

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Posted by 19557LSU

Member since Jan 2018

340 posts

Posted on 4/14/24 at 6:35 am to 4cubbies

NO!

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Posted by Bourre

Da Parish

Member since Nov 2012

20276 posts

Posted on 4/14/24 at 6:38 am to 4cubbies

The quicker you realize that most “republicans” iin Louisiana are really former democrats who changed parties so they can get elected, the quicker you understand why bills like this get passed

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Posted by 4cubbies

Member since Sep 2008

50164 posts

Posted on 4/14/24 at 7:34 am to 4cubbies

No incumbents that voted for this should be re-elected.

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Posted by PUB

New Orleans

Member since Sep 2017

18230 posts

Posted on 4/14/24 at 7:51 am to 4cubbies

NO INCUMBENTS should be reelected at any level of government. NONE.
The system is 100% corrupt, broken and the same thieves that did it over the last 25 - 40 years keep being reelected. And not they suddenly have solutions to the crap they caused?

This post was edited on 4/14/24 at 8:04 am

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Posted by boudinman

Member since Nov 2019

5047 posts

Posted on 4/14/24 at 8:09 am to 4cubbies

Every that knows Jeff Landry knew this was coming. As AG, he personally sued a reporter that requested public documents per state law. The AG violated state law by not producing the records, until the judge hearing the case ordered Landry to produce them.

Just another sleazy politician that wants to serve the public but be exempt from the public records law. What is he wanting to hide and why?

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Posted by Bard

Definitely NOT an admin

Member since Oct 2008

51628 posts

Posted on 4/14/24 at 8:47 am to 4cubbies

quote:
Legislation to allow local governments conceal public records

They wouldn't really be "public" records if they're concealed. Kind of defeats the whole point of calling them "public records".

quote:
for economic development reasons

Da fuq?

quote:
The bill would allow a city mayor, parish president or local government executive to declare any records confidential if they determine their public release “would have a detrimental effect” on an active business negotiation. It would also allow the company or person negotiating with the government to request confidentiality.

So much for a government of the people.

There's strong voices on both sides of the "carbon capture" business proposed up on NELA. This just feels like it's being proposed (at least in part) to shut down the naysayers so players up there can get in on the Green grift.

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Posted by Slevin7

Member since Sep 2015

1965 posts

Posted on 4/14/24 at 8:52 am to Bard

The opportunities for abuse seem limitless.

What would a legitimate example of this look like?

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Posted by Bourre

Da Parish

Member since Nov 2012

20276 posts

Posted on 4/14/24 at 9:01 am to Slevin7

quote:
The opportunities for abuse seem limitless.

What would a legitimate example of this look like?

This was in the article. Looks like we already have examples of abuse by the port commissions

quote:
About five years ago, the Legislature enacted a similar bill that allows port commissions to keep their records for economic development reasons out of the public’s reach. Since then, it has become very difficult to get any records from the ports because they now claim everything is related to economic development, Sternberg said. He expects local governments will simply follow suit if Jackson’s bill becomes law.

This post was edited on 4/14/24 at 9:02 am

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Posted by BigJim

Baton Rouge

Member since Jan 2010

14496 posts

Posted on 4/14/24 at 9:22 am to Slevin7

quote:
What would a legitimate example of this look like?

Proprietary business information. The business's overall assets or business model.

ANYTHING related to the specific project (amount spent, local investment, jobs created, needed permits, footprint, etc) should be public.

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Posted by Tarps99

Lafourche Parish

Member since Apr 2017

7429 posts

Posted on 4/14/24 at 9:23 am to Bourre

quote:
Looks like we already have examples of abuse by the port commissions

Louisiana’s public hospital boards enjoy the some of the same luxuries.

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Posted by FightinTigersDammit

Louisiana North

Member since Mar 2006

34674 posts

Posted on 4/14/24 at 9:26 am to 4cubbies

If it's concealed, it isn't a public record

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Posted by Damone

FoCo

Member since Aug 2016

32785 posts

Posted on 4/14/24 at 9:30 am to 4cubbies

Louisiana is a punchline

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Posted by Marciano1

Marksville, LA

Member since Jun 2009

18432 posts

Posted on 4/14/24 at 9:53 am to Damone

Here's how our legislature voted:

LINK

ROLL CALL

The roll was called with the following result:

YEAS
Mr. Speaker
Adams
Bacala
Bamburg
Bayham
Beaullieu
Berault
Billings
Bourriaque
Boyd
Boyer
Brass
Braud
Brown
Bryant
Butler
Carpenter
Carrier
Carter, R.
Carter, W.
Carver
Chassion
Chenevert
Cox
Davis
Deshotel
Dewitt
Dickerson
Domangue
Echols
Farnum
Firment
Fisher
Fontenot
Freeman
Freiberg
Gadberry
Geymann
Glorioso
Green
Henry
Hilferty
Hughes
Jackson
Johnson, M.
Johnson, T.
Jordan
Kerner
Knox
LaCombe
LaFleur
Landry, J.
Landry, M.
Larvadain
Lyons
Mack
Marcelle
McFarland
McMahen
McMakin
Melerine
Mena
Moore
Muscarello
Myers
Newell
Orgeron
Romero
Selders
St. Blanc
Taylor
Thomas
Turner
Villio
Wiley
Wright
Wyble
Young
Zeringue
Total -- 79

NAYS
Amedee
Carlson
Crews
Edmonston
Egan
Emerson
Galle
Horton
McCormick
Owen
Riser
Schamerhorn
Schlegel
Stagni
Tarver
Thompson
Ventrella
Wilder
Total -- 18

ABSENT
Bagley
Coates
Hebert
Illg
Miller
Phelps
Walters
Willard
Total -- 8

This post was edited on 4/14/24 at 9:56 am

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Posted by 4cubbies

Member since Sep 2008

50164 posts

Posted on 4/14/24 at 3:54 pm to Slevin7

quote:
What would a legitimate example of this look like?

A legitimate example doesn’t exist.

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Posted by LSURussian

Member since Feb 2005

126962 posts

Posted on 4/14/24 at 4:15 pm to 4cubbies

quote:
conceal public records for economic development reasons

I can see how this could be needed.

A manufacturer or other commercial developer considering buying a large piece of property to build a facility on could approach the local government to test the water on possible grants, tax abatement opportunities, infrastructure improvements, permit processes, etc.

If word got out about the possible new industrial development, real estate prices in the affected area could skyrocket from real estate speculators and the developer might say screw it, I'm out of here.

I'd like to know how other states handle such confidentiality before I condemn it.

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Posted by 4cubbies

Member since Sep 2008

50164 posts

Posted on 4/14/24 at 5:54 pm to LSURussian