CALL TO ACTION: DEADLINE 4/26 BY 9:00 AM
1. EMAIL WAYS & MEANS AND TELL THEM YES ON HB 7, HB 299, HB 659, HB 660 AND NO ON HB 61. They will be heard Monday morning at 9 am
EMAILS:
bishops@legis.la.gov, hse048@legis.la.gov, hse047@legis.la.gov, hse096@legis.la.gov, hse038@legis.la.gov, devillierp@legis.la.gov, hse033@legis.la.gov, hse100@legis.la.gov, iveyb@legis.la.gov, hse018@legis.la.gov, mcmahenw@legis.la.gov, hse071@legis.la.gov, hse054@legis.la.gov, hse003@legis.la.gov, risern@legis.la.gov, whitema@legis.la.gov, hse097@legis.la.gov, wrightm@legis.la.gov
**PERSONALIZE YOUR MESSAGE-IT WILL HAVE MORE OF A CHANCE OF BEING READ THAT WAY. BUT HERE ARE THE MAIN POINTS BELOW
Dear Members of the Ways & Means Committee,
Please support HB 7, HB 299, HB 659, and HB 660. These are all important bills that will have a lasting impact on families in need.
Please oppose HB 61—it is unnecessary due to the fact that undocumented individuals are already barred from receiving the EITC and it has unintended consequences that will hurt citizens working abroad or have children studying abroad.
Sincerely,
Name, address
HB 7 by Rep. Aimee Freeman:would make permanent an exemption from the sales tax on diapers and hygiene products such as pads and tampons. All essential items (food, viagra, etc.) are exempt from the sales tax and it was JUST LAST YEAR that the Legislature temporarily decided to make diapers and tampons essential, too. HB 7 would make that exemption permanent. This is a bill that has tried and failed for years and years. This is our moment. Apply pressure.
HB 299 by Rep. Ted James: This would increase the state EITC from 5% to 10% which would give families who claim it an additional $144 back on their state tax returns. Louisiana's current 5% is one of the lowest EITC matches in the nation. The EITC is an incredibly effective tool that lifts millions of families out of poverty across the nation every year. Here is a two-pager on the EITC if you need some resources and quick data.
HB 659 by Rep. Matthew Willard: This would create Louisiana's first Child Tax Credit - which we are calling the Strong Families Tax Credit. The bill would allow any family with an income of $100,000 or less to qualify for a credit of $200-$500/per child depending on their income and the age of their children. 888,000 kids would be impacted by this credit. Here is a two-pager on the Strong Families Tax Credit
HB 660 by Rep. Jason Hughes: This would expand the EITC even further for childless workers. Right now, the EITC is mostly targeted to families with children. If you are a low-wage worker with kids who are 18+ or just don't have kids at all, you receive way less of a benefit. We know that during the pandemic, so many of these childless workers kept food on our table, kept our prescriptions filled, and kept our lights on. This bill would increase their federal match to a meaningful amount (50% of the federal credit, and at the max a childless worker can only get $538 back on their federal credit - so a 50% match would give them ~$270 back from the state as opposed to ~$26).
HB 61 by Rep. Valarie Hodges: Every year, Hodges brings trash, anti-immigrant bills and this year is no exception. It would require anyone claiming the EITC to prove their dependents have been in the country for at least 180 days of the taxable year. It’s blatantly anti-immigrant and redundant because undocumented immigrants already do not qualify for the EITC. She’s just trying to stoke that anti-immigrant fire, y’all. Don’t let her.
2. EMAIL YOUR STATE SENATOR AND TELL THEM TO OPPOSE SB 118, WHICH WOULD ALLOW PERMITLESS CARRY OF A FIREARM. SB 118 will be voted on Monday afternoon at 3 pm.
How to find your State Senator:
go to legis.la.gov
click “Who are my Legislators?”
Enter your info
Click on “Louisiana Senate District __” That is your State Senator
Message (REMEMBER TO PERSONALIZE):
Dear Senator _________,
Please oppose SB 118. This bill would have a huge negative impact on public safety and would enable irresponsible and untrained gun owners. I am your constituent and I am against this bill. I hope that you will vote against it.
Sincerely,
Name, address (your address is very important especially if you are their constituent)
3. EMAIL COMMERCE COMMITTEE AND ASK THEM TO SUPPORT HB 374. It will be heard Monday at 9 am
HB 374 by Rep. Royce Duplessis: would help families who've faced eviction get back to work and into new homes by reforming our eviction and credit reporting systems
EMAILS:
davisp@legis.la.gov, hilfertys@legis.la.gov, coxk@legis.la.gov, duplessisr@legis.la.gov, hse055@legis.la.gov, hse035@legis.la.gov, hse031@legis.la.gov, hse083@legis.la.gov, hollisp@legis.la.gov, jordane@legis.la.gov, hse001@legis.la.gov, hse068@legis.la.gov, hse099@legis.la.gov, hse050@legis.la.gov, hse036@legis.la.gov, thomaspj@legis.la.gov, hse079@legis.la.gov, h-com@legis.la.gov
MESSAGE (please personalize):
Dear Members of the Commerce Committee:
I am writing to ask you to please support HB 374. After such a difficult year, families deserve the opportunity to start fresh and get back to the work.
Sincerely,
Name, address
ADDITIONAL TALKING POINTS:
Eviction records and rent debt during a pandemic shouldn't follow you for the rest of your life, ruin your credit, and make it impossible to find another home or job.
In far too many cases, the multinational corporations that aggregate these records and sell access to large landlords don’t bother to ensure their accuracy and they are used to deny people homes even when cases did not result in an eviction.
Please support HB 374 to allow families to offer context about evictions related to the pandemic or hurricanes and to improve accuracy in credit reporting for renters and landlords.
**Thank you to Louisiana Budget Project and the Louisiana Fair Housing Association for providing this information/talking points