The state Senate at first rejected, then approved legislation late Tuesday that would change how members on the CATS Board of Commissioners are chosen.
The Senate first voted 18-18 on House Bill 865 on Capital Area Transit System, called CATS, short of the majority needed for passage.
State Sen. Sharon Weston Broome, D-Baton Rouge, who was handling the House-passed legislation, asked for reconsideration and her colleagues agreed.
When the Senate voted again, HB865 won on a vote of 20 for and 15 against. The measure must return to the House for consideration of Senate changes.
State Sens. Page Cortez, R-Lafayette; Ronnie Jones, R-Lake Charles; and Jonathan Perry, R-Kaplan; changed their votes. Sen. J.P. Morrell, D-New Orleans, was absent for the first ballot and voted for the legislation on the second go around.
HB865 would condition some commission memberships to passage of the transit tax in local jurisdictions. Mayors of Baton Rouge, Zachary and Baker would only be able to appoint members if the tax passed in their areas. In April, voters in Baton Rouge and Baker approved the transit tax while Zachary voters rejected it.
Under the legislation, other members would be appointed from nominees submitted by the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, Together Baton Rouge, the Center for Planning Excellence, the Louisiana state office of the AARP, The Louisiana Hospital Association, the chancellors of LSU, Southern University and Baton Rouge Community College, the Arc of Baton Rouge, the Louisiana Bankers Association and Visit Baton Rouge.
State Sen. Dan Claitor, R-Baton Rouge, said a study found that the bus system in Baton Rouge was not good because it did not have enough money and its system of routing buses was problematic. A third reason was the way the commission, which oversees the administration of CATS, was put together.
The money and structure issue were dealt with by a vote in April to raises taxes to pay for a better bus system, Claitor said. Revamping the commission is not addressed properly in HB865, he said.
“The commission has no accountability. There is a disagreement among the locals of the appropriate way to address this issue,” Claitor said.
Broome said the plan had been properly vetted.
Voting FOR changing the CATS board (20): President Alario and state Sens. Broome, Brown, Chabert, Cortez, Dorsey-Colomb, Gallot, Heitmeier, Johns, Martiny, Mills, Morrell, Murray, Nevers, Perry, Peterson, G. Smith, Tarver, Thompson and Ward.
Voting AGAINST HB865 (15): State Sen. Adley, Allain, Appel, Buffington, Claitor, Crowe, Donahue, Erdey, Kostelka, Long, Morrish, Riser, J. Smith, Walsworth and White.
Not Voting (4): Sens. Amedee, Guillory, LaFleur and Peacock.
EARLIER POST
The state Senate rejected late Tuesday legislation that that would change how members on the CATS Board of Commissioners are chosen.
The Senate voted 18-18 on House Bill 865 on Capital Area Transit System, called CATS.
Because of the vote, supporters can ask for another vote of the measure. State Sen. Sharon Weston Broome, D-Baton Rouge, who was handling the House-passed legislation, gave notice that she would ask for another vote.
House Bill 865 would condition some commission memberships to passage of the transit tax in local jurisdictions. Mayors of Baton Rouge, Zachary and Baker would only be able to appoint members if the tax passed in their areas.
Under the legislation, other members would be appointed from nominees submitted by the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, Together Baton Rouge, the Center for Planning Excellence, the Louisiana state office of the AARP, The Louisiana Hospital Association, the chancellors of LSU, Southern University and Baton Rouge Community College, the Arc of Baton Rouge, the Louisiana Bankers Association and Visit Baton Rouge.
State Sen. Dan Claitor, D-Baton Rouge, said the legislation sets up a commission that lacks accountability.
Voting FOR changing the CATS board (18): President Alario and Sens Amedee, Broome, Brown, Chabert, Dorsey-Colomb, Gallot, Heitmeier, LaFleur, Martiny, Mills, Murray, Nevers, Peterson, G. Smith, Tarver, Thompson and Ward.
Voting AGAINST HB865 (18): Sens Adley, Allain, Appel, Buffington, Claitor, Cortez, Crowe, Erdey, Johns, Kostelka, Long, Morrish, Peacock, Perry, Riser, J. Smith, Walsworth and White.
Not Voting (3): Sens. Donahue, Guillory and Morrell.
