GREAT NEWS!

House Bill 780 has taken the next step toward becoming law. After unanimously passing through the Health and Welfare Committee last week, today the bill went in front of the full House of Representatives and was passed easily, with 94 in favor just two votes in opposition.

Again: That's 94-2! Wow!

HB 780, proposed by Rep. Rick Nowlin (R - Natchitoches), offered a basic safeguard to state taxpayers and local residents of the Lower Mid-City footprint threatened by land seizures to make way for the proposed LSU/VA medical complex. By prohibiting land purchases and expropriation until a viable financing plan is approved by the Legislature, the bill protects against the scourge of abandoned unfinished development projects. The bill has attracted broad support across traditional party and geographic lines.

It will now head to the Senate. When it gets there, we'll need you to again be advocates for this common sense bill. Each and every letter and phone call has made a big difference. We've got to keep up the good work!

Only Representatives Karen Carter Peterson (D - New Orleans) and Michael Jackson (I - Baton Rouge) voted against the bill. We've reported extensively (see here and here) on Rep. Karen Carter Peterson's work on behalf of the Greater New Orleans Biomedical Development District, a major stakeholder in the LSU/VA deal. But the nature of her opposition to HB 780 is unknown at this time.

Everyone else seems to be coming to the realization that a project of this magnitude must be financially viable and that LSU has some credibility issues. Last week, LSU President Lombardi aledged that their business plan for their medical complex "has been validated by every smart consultant in the western world." Today, Louisiana representatives showed they are not so sure. It's heartening to see our elected representatives taking some responsibility and giving this medical complex boondoggle another look.