With the 2021 regular legislative session set to begin on April 12, 2021 (and with this year’s legislative session slated to last just slightly over two months), the Bossier Press-Tribune staff has reached out to all Bossier Parish state legislators in order to ask what their plans are for the upcoming legislative session. And, what bills do they plan to file leading up to the regular legislative session? For the next few weeks, the Bossier Press-Tribune will publish our legislators’ answers to this question, as well as their additional comments, as part of our series on the upcoming legislative session.
Following District 9 State Representative Dodie Horton remarks from last week. This week we hear from District 6 State Representative Thomas Pressly.
The Bossier Press-Tribune asked what his plans are for this year’s legislative session, and what bills he plans to file?
Representative Pressly began his comments with, “Springtime is a time of new growth each year. I find the longer sunlight hours lead to more optimism and hope in every area of life. The annual Louisiana legislative session also creates a yearly opportunity for renewal in our great state. While the challenges that face Louisiana are as vast as they are real, I am confident that our best days are ahead. To ensure that our state’s best days are before us, the Louisiana legislature is putting forth fresh ideas and a meaningful agenda to create opportunities, enhance growth, and increase competition throughout the state.”
Pressly also said, “To this end, I will be bringing a series of tax bills that will work to streamline our tax code. Overall, Louisiana’s tax burden is on par with many of our neighboring states. The challenge is that businesses looking to relocate often must hire a team of lawyers and accountants to determine their liabilities. Most individuals and businesses do not have the ability or desire to go through that effort and end up choosing another state in which to do business. By lowering rates and cutting deductions, Louisiana will improve our ranking against other states regarding our tax structure and as a result be more competitive.”
Pressly went on to say, “I am also introducing legislation with Senator Barrow Peacock at the request of the Port of Caddo-Bossier. Of operations The Caddo-Bossier Port has been an important economic development engine for Caddo and Bossier parishes. It has a diversified portfolio of operations, which fall within the categories of maritime and rail operations. The Port Commission’s maritime and commercial rail activities facilitate the transportation of commodities internationally, nationally, and locally. Literally, hundreds of millions of dollars of commodities, including but not limited to, steel, agricultural products, aggregate, paper and petrochemical products are imported and exported from the Port Commission’s industrial complex annually. The intrastate, interstate ,and foreign commerce generated by the Port Commission not only affects and supports the economic interests of the state government, but also the private industry in this state and in sister states. The proposed legislation further enhances the Port Commission’s ability to facilitate investment and job growth for new and existing companies. It also supports key economic initiatives including: industrial asset management, strategic research tools, entrepreneurial development funding, and business development services.”
As he continued, Representative Pressly also wants his constituents to know: “At the request of the Louisiana Law Institute, an advisory board which the legislature relies upon to suggest changes in the law, I am authoring legislation regarding the prescription for certain causes of action.”
Representative Pressly concluded by saying, “I am in the process of finalizing other legislation which will be focused on making Louisiana competitive. Follow my Facebook page at State Representative Thomas Pressly for more information and updates throughout the legislative session.”
