House rep loses committee post after latest debate

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It was more of the same in Baton Rouge last Wednesday: a legislator got demoted, an attempt by a Republican House member to expose teachers for potential disciplinary action failed, and new light was shed on the firing of an administration official by Jindal last week.


State Rep. Harold Ritchie (D-Bogalusa) got his comeuppance last Wednesday, one day after he voted against legislation pushed by Jindal. Ritchie, was stripped of his vice chairmanship on the House Committee on Insurance after voting no on a tax rebate for those who donate money for scholarships to private and parochial schools.


He is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee that approved the legislation, HB 969, last Tuesday. Ritchie, during the committee meeting, asked about mechanics of the bill, including how many children might take advantage of it and how many private and parochial schools could accommodate transfer students. He also posed questions about whether or not accountability standards would be required at the schools offer the scholarships created through the tax rebates.

HB 969 is one of the bills Jindal wants passed as a means of providing subsidized opportunities for children to attend private or parochial schools. Another bill would use taxpayer dollars for the same purpose.


Ritchie was removed the next day by House Speaker Chuck Kleckley (R-Lake Charles). In this case, Kleckley is the only one who could have demoted Ritchie.


Rep. Ledricka Thierry (D-Opelousas) was named by Kleckley to replace Ritchie.

That same day, State Rep. Nancy Landry (R-Lafayette), whose district includes Vermilion Parish, opened proceedings at the House Education Committee by introducing a new rule that has never existed in House committee hearings.


The committee was hearing testimony on HB 976 by committee Chairman Stephen Carter (R-Baton Rouge) that would impose sweeping changes, including providing student scholarships for Jindal’s Educational Excellence Program, allow for parent petitions for certain schools to be transferred to the Recovery School District (RSD) and charter school authorization criteria.


Before debate began on the bill, Landry said she had received calls from “concerned constituents” to the effect that some teachers from districts that did not close schools for the day had taken a sick day in order to attend a rally of teachers opposed to Jindal’s education reform.

She made a motion that in addition to the customary practice of witnesses providing their names, where they are from and whom they represent, they be required to state if they were appearing before the committee in a “professional capacity or if they were on annual or sick leave.”


Democrats on the committee were livid. John Bel Edwards (D-Amite) said he had never in his tenure in the House seen such a rule imposed on witnesses.

“This house (the Capitol) belongs to the people,” said Rep. Pat Smith (D-Baton Rouge) “and now we’re going to put them in a compromising position? This is an atrocity!”

Committee member Wesley Bishop (D-New Orleans) said, “I have one question: if we approve this motion and if a witness declines to provide that information, will that witness be prohibited from testifying?”

Carter, momentarily taken aback, held a hasty whispered conference before turning back to the microphone to say, “We cannot refuse anyone the opportunity to testify.”

That appeared to make Landry’s motion a moot point but she persisted and the committee ended up approving her motion by a 10-8 vote that was reflective of the 11-6 Republican-Democrat (with one Independent) makeup of the committee.

Edwards lost no time in getting in a parting shot on the passage of the new rule.

Gov. Bobby Jindal was the first to testify and upon completion of his testimony, Edwards observed that no one on the committee appeared overly concerned of whether or not the governor was on annual or sick leave.

Jindal, who had entered the committee room late and knew nothing of the debate and subsequent vote on Landry’s motion, bristled at Edwards, saying, “I’m here as governor.”

The committee, which convened around 9 a.m. Wednesday, was still considering Carter’s bill at 10 p.m.

Gov. Bobby Jindal makes his pitch to the Senate Education Committee in the State Capitol Building Thursday March 15, 2012, in Baton Rouge, La.. Watching, Steve Monaghan, president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, is at far right. (AP Photo/The Advocate, Bill Feig)

AP PHOTO