Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the State Employment License Requirement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee advances bill to repeal license-and-registration requirement for high‑paid state employees
Summary
The Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee on March 25 advanced Senate Bill 161 to repeal Title 42, Statute 31, which requires state employees earning more than $100,000 to hold a Louisiana driver's license and register vehicles in Louisiana; supporters said the rule hinders recruitment near state borders and creates administrative burdens.
The Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee on March 25 voted to report Senate Bill 161 favorably, a measure that would repeal Title 42, Statute 31, a 2013 provision requiring state employees who earn more than $100,000 a year to obtain a Louisiana driver’s license and register vehicles in the state.
Sponsor Senator Seabaugh said the statute was originally a politically motivated response to a high‑profile case and now casts too wide a net. "There's a state saying bad facts make bad law," he told the committee, arguing the rule was passed as "a shot at her" in 2013 and is now counterproductive.
Clay Jones, chief human resource officer at LSU, testified that the $100,000 threshold has not been adjusted for inflation and therefore affects many more employees than intended. "It's just a it's a heavy administrative burden and we have to go through every single year and requalify every single person," Jones said, adding that the requirement complicates recruiting in border areas where potential hires live across state lines.
Jones told the committee he was aware of at least one termination that occurred before he joined LSU that was tied to the statute's enforcement. When asked whether the committee had seen current terminations under the law, Jones said, "There was actually a person that was terminated right before I came to LSU. I was not here at that time, but, I do know that person was terminated over this law." The committee did not develop additional evidence of ongoing terminations during the hearing.
Senators on both sides noted recruiting concerns for institutions such as LSU Medical Center in Shreveport and other agencies whose employees live near state borders. Several members expressed support for repeal; Senator Fessy moved to report the bill favorably and, seeing no objections, the chair announced the bill would be reported by the committee.
Next steps: The committee's favorable report sends SB 161 to the full Senate for further consideration.
