Ready or not, it's legislation time!

NOTE ON CHOOSING BILLS TO SUPPORT/OPPOSE

When a legislator was asked about why several bills are filed all on one issue, and sometimes by the same legislator, the response was:

Several similar bills are filed in hopes that one of them may appeal more to the legislators than another and thereby increase its chances for passage.

For example: HB 101, HB 108 and SB 39 are all about Cockfighting but may tend to confuse us because of their similarity. They differ only slightly. Example:

HB 101 (Mike Strain(R) makes it a crime with punishment to become effective immediately upon passage.

HB 108 (Harold Ritchie (D), Mike Strain (R), Karen St.Germain (D) Makes it a crime with punishment but to be effective beginning August 15, 2010; allowing a phasing out.

SB 39 Art Lentini (R) Effective August 15, 2007 and has much the same language as the two above in making it a crime and punishable by law. However, SB 39 expands the definition to include the sale or transport of said foul and uses further terminology to define the crime.

Cockfighting stands an excellent chance for passage and you may want to determine in advance which bill best suits you.

ON LFRW RESOLUTIONS
Argiro Morgan

We have very good news to report on the legislative front regarding LFRW resolutions:

RESOLUTION 2:
It urges the Legislature to freeze the home assessment on the principal residence of all seniors regardless of income.

We are happy to say that Senator Tom Schedler has introduced SB 99 that proposes a constitutional amendment which excluded owners 65 or older, or those owners' surviving spouses who are 55 or older or who have minor children, from the provision that prohibits them for the "special assessment level" because of income. Thank you, Senator Schedler! Let's get more on board!

RESOLUTIONS 3 and 4:
These are called for a reconsideration of personal income tax brackets and a limitation of the growth of the state budget by the annual percent increase in population plus as adjustment by the Consumer Price Index. While no bill has been introduced with the specific wording of these resolutions, we want to applaud the following legislators who have introduced bills to reduce the tax burden on our citizens:

Kay Katz has introduced HB 131 and 132. Thanks, Kay.
The former, HB 131 would totally exempt senior citizens from state income tax.
The latter HB 132 would reduce the income tax if the former failed.

Dale Erdey's HB 183 would exempt the investment income of senior citizens from taxation. Investment income includes income from certificate of deposits, mutual funds, stocks and bonds, mortgages and notes receivables.
Great job, Representative Erdey.

There have been a large number of bills which seek to restore the excess federal itemized deductions and/or the tax brackets that our citizens had prior to the Stelly plan. Let's thank the following legislators and follow their bills.

Steve Scalise - HB 54; Jane H. Smith - HB 39;
Jim Tucker - HB 418 and 419; Pete Schneider - HB 23;
James David Cain - SB 10 and 11; Ken Hollis - SB 20;
Mike Michot - SB 13; Tim Burns - HB 445 and 448;
Hunter Greene - HB 30; Mike Walsworth - HB 17;
William Daniel HB 803.

And more might be added! Call the Representatives or Senators from your area and thank them. Ask them to notify you when these bills will be coming before Committee.