[StBernard] BLANCO TRACK: Session Update for May 10, 2007

[Westley Annis]

BLANCO TRACK: Session Update for May 10, 2007
Today's progress on Governor Blanco's agenda to strengthen Louisiana's future

BATON ROUGE - Just one day before German steel manufacturer ThyssenKrupp is expected to decide where to build its new plant, members of the Louisiana Legislature sent one final message of unanimous support for the project by voting to approve two of Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco's key bills aimed at recruiting the project to Louisiana. The following bills in the Governor's legislative package were approved today:

House Bill 772- Supplemental capital outlay appropriations 

*	Sponsored by Representative John A. Alario, Jr., Chairman, Appropriations Committee 
*	This bill appropriates $400 million in infrastructure needs to help Louisiana land the ThyssenKrupp steel mill. 
*	Approved by the House of Representatives by a vote of 101-0, heads next to the Senate for committee referral. 

House Bill 464- Tax/Sales-Use exempt for utilities 

*	Sponsored by Representative T. Taylor Townsend, Chairman, House Ways and Means Committee. 
*	This bill extends the current sales and use of tax exemption for utilities used by steel manufacturers that is set to expire this June. This helps our existing steel manufacturer, Bayou Steel, and is another incentive to help Louisiana recruit the ThyssenKrupp steel mill. 
*	Approved by the House of Representatives by a vote of 97-0, heads next to the Senate for committee referral. 

Senate Concurrent Resolutions 11 and 12 - CPRA Comprehensive Master Plan for Coastal Protection 

*	Sponsored by Senator Reggie Dupre. 
*	SCR 11 approves the annual Coastal Protection Plan for Fiscal Year 2007-2008 to protect, conserve and restore Louisiana's coastal areas through the construction and management of hurricane protection and coastal restoration projects and programs. 
*	SCR 12 approves the Comprehensive Master Plan for Coastal Protection adopted by the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. The master plan addresses both short-term and long-term coastal restoration and hurricane protection efforts. 
*	Approved by the Senate Natural Resources Committee today, heads next to the full Senate for further consideration. 

Click here for more on the legislative session. <http://www.gov.state.la.us/index.cfm?md=pagebuilder&tmp=home&navID=50&cpID=169&cfmID=0&catID=0>  

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