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Friday, June 23, 2006
Ind. Gov't. - Louisiana Governor Blanco vetoes bill giving lifetime health and life insurance benefits to lawmakers
Baton Rouge's paper, The Advocate, reports today:
After a firestorm of criticism, Gov. Kathleen Blanco vetoed a bill Thursday that would have given lifetime health and life insurance benefits to lawmakers forced out of office by term limits.Hm. I wonder where the Louisiana legislators got the idea ...“It doesn’t make sound public policy,” Blanco said in a prepared statement that announced the veto.
The measure, House Bill 1028, won final approval Sunday, the day before the nearly three-month session ended. It got little notice for most of the gathering but, once the details reached the public, critics quickly mounted a campaign urging Blanco to veto it.
The Governor’s Office received about 900 telephone calls and 350 e-mails on the bill in the past few days, said Roderick Hawkins, a spokesman for the governor.
Blanco alluded to the critics in her announcement.
“I heard them loud and clear,” she said. “This bill had a very short life- span, and I’m pleased to have pulled the plug.” * * *
Under the measure, lawmakers with at least 10 years of experience and already taking part in the state insurance system would have 75 percent of their health and life insurance premiums paid for by taxpayers. * * *
Sen. Jody Amedee, D-Gonzales, who was one of the two “no” votes in the Senate, said he was pleased by the veto.
“I don’t think it is fair that legislators can work a part-time job for 10 years and then get … health insurance for the rest of their lives,” Amedee said. “I didn’t like the bill.”
Posted by Marcia Oddi on June 23, 2006 09:58 AM
Posted to Indiana Government | Legislative Benefits