Voting largely along party lines, Republicans in the Louisiana House Appropriations committee Monday advanced legislation that could cost local governments state dollars if police budgets are reduced.
But passage came at a political price for House Bill 38’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Lance Harris, of Alexandria.
One opponent, Democratic Rep. Gary Carter, of New Orleans, called the measure a “political stunt” and demanded Harris return his campaign contribution.
Harris is running for the 5th District Congressional seat that is being vacated by U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham, R-Alto.
“The idea to defund police has become popular in some respects over the last several months,” Harris said. “There needs to be some discussion as to why.”
His Louisiana Police Funding Protection Act would require universities, parishes, and municipalities to notify the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, in writing, of any reductions in law enforcement funding and to appear before the panel if the funding drops 10% or greater. If the legislative committee, comprised of members of both the House Appropriations and Senate Finance committees, finds that the budget cuts have a “significant and harmful” effect on public safety, then the university or local government would lose it's money for construction projects and it's appropriations from sales tax dedications.
“Law and order and the safety of our citizens is the underpinning of our free enterprise system,” Harris said.
Harris pointed to a student protest at Tulane University, but acknowledged that neither the private New Orleans school nor any local government in Louisiana has supported taking money from the police.
Democrats voiced concerns that universities routinely have their state appropriations reduced and often have to resort to across the board cuts. Some police departments, wanting to increase salaries, reduce other programs.
Harris countered that the members of the joint legislative committee are reasonable people who would take such circumstances into consideration.
