No More ‘Busy Work’ [OPINION]

The Louisiana Legislature is in session and those hard working employees of ours are just cranking out those bills. Unfortunately many of our legislators don't have a clue about their jobs. Even though this is not a budget session just keep in mind that we have a $25 billion state budget and instead of working on issues that really matter they continue to waste time on frivolous things.

I'm not talking about bills to name a state bird, song, cookie or boudin. What I'm talking about is two bills in particular that deal with cigarettes. Not the banning of cigarettes but smoking them only in designated areas and disposing of the butts.

Who does he think will monitor these activities? Will the school have to hire smoking wardens? I bet this law if passed will have as much effect as the 'drug free' and 'gun free' signs.

One Senator, David Heitmeier from New Orleans has decided the most important thing to work on this session was a bill that would make it illegal to smoke within 200 feet of school exits, entrances and outdoor areas. This bill was debated in committee and actually will make it to the floor for a vote. Heitmeier says his bill will curb smoking among school officials and will reduce smoking rates among children. Is this guy on a permanent trip to 'never never land'? 200 feet of restriction will have as much effect as 25 or 50 feet. Entrances and exits are well defined but what the heck are 'outdoor areas'? Is he talking about football stadiums, soccer fields, parking lots, front yards or the area where Lafayette Senior High employees huddle to smoke on the edge of the parking lot near Marie Antoinette? Who does he think will monitor these activities? Will the school have to hire smoking wardens? I bet this law if passed will have as much effect as the 'drug free' and 'gun free' signs.

If we can't find and fine people who dump couches, refrigerators, stoves and other appliances on our roads how does Connick think we're going to keep people from flicking their butts out the window?

Enough about schools and cigarettes. Marrero Representative Patrick Connick has a bill that calls for a fine if somebody throws a cigarette butt out of a car. Connick's bill will be heard by the House Natural Resources and Environment committee. Don't we already have littering laws? If we can't find and fine people who dump couches, refrigerators, stoves and other appliances on our roads how does Connick think we're going to keep people from flicking their butts out the window?

Why is the Legislature wasting time to debate and pass laws that are duplications of things we can't enforce? It's time we have at least one adult in each chamber who will give a thumbs up or down on any bill up for consideration. If the bill duplicates something or it is totally useless it gets a 'thumbs down' and they move on.

Maybe the voters in Marrero and New Orleans should throw their butts out of office...I mean Heitmeier and Connick.