The Urban League of Louisiana’s 2024 Legislative Policy Agenda is a nonpartisan account of proposed legislation within the 2024 Louisiana Legislature Regular Session. ULLA’s Legislative Agenda is informed by its constituents residing within the League’s seven target cities – Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, New Orleans, Monroe, and Shreveport – via its 2023 policy cycle. This includes featuring a statewide listening tour, policy conference, and policy work groups; Wake Up Geaux Vote; the production of education equity reports; health equity initiatives; criminal justice reform efforts; and a legislative agenda during the Louisiana legislative session.
Urban League of Louisiana’s Policy and Social Justice team have worked with legislators, advocates and stakeholders to draft constituency focused policy prescriptions into filed legislation. These proposed laws aim to impact – Food Deserts; Community Policing & De-Escalation Training; Law Enforcement Reporting & Transparency; Minimum Wage; and Gun Safety Warning Labels. In addition to filed legislation, ULLA is examining the impact and utilization of current law. ULLA is working with agencies to provide updates concerning the Louisiana Apprenticeship Tax Credit and Government Procurement laws.
POLICY PRIORITIES
The Urban League of Louisiana’s Policy Priorities aim to profoundly affect Black and Brown communities within the League’s seven target cities and Louisianans as a whole. ULLA continues to develop and implement a multifaceted approach of impacting the following Policy Priorities – Criminal Justice Reform, where we’re addressing structural and historic issues within the criminal justice systems; Closing the Racial Wealth Gap, via the SEE Change Collective which is a catalyst focusing on Blacks, Hispanics, and Latinos; Education Equity, focusing on student access to fair learning environments and teacher resources; Health Equity, through work to ensure that underserved communities have access to quality healthcare; Safety, programs protecting citizens from causes of danger, risk, or injury; Voting Rights, combating disenfranchisement and promoting uninhibited, informed participation in our democracy; and Workforce & Economic Development, strengthening minority businesses and Louisiana’s economy through increase access to capital and the expansion of apprenticeship programs that lead to careers.
ACT NOW: HOW WE CAN ALL ADVOCATE
Urban League of Louisiana implores all residents to engage in the legislative process by contacting their legislators and bill committee members. Residents are encouraged to submit five public comments in support of House Bills: 431, 624, 820, and 894 as well as Senate Bills: 287 and 173, via the instructions below.
How can I submit a public comment?
Members of the public can appear in person to make a public statement during committee meetings. You will be asked to complete a color-coded witness card to indicate your support for an item (green) or opposition (red). You can submit a statement in advance by emailing members of a committee in advance. You can check the posted agenda for a meeting to find the exact deadline to submit a prepared statement in advance. Comments are typically due the day prior to the committee meeting in order to be distributed to the committee members in advance. To learn more about contacting your representatives click here.
How can I see what bills are scheduled for a particular committee?
Click here to see the upcoming meetings schedule and click on the meeting to see the agenda that will include the bills that will be heard.
How can I see who serves on a committee and find their contact information?
Click here to see what legislators are on each committee. It lists the members and links to their individual pages and also includes their contact information.
How can I advocate alongside the Urban League of Louisiana at the State Legislature?
Join our coalition here.
Social Media Action
Post about your support or opposition to a bill on your social media accounts, tagging the appropriate legislators. You can also write a Letter to the Editor or submit an op ed to your local newspaper.
Additional Questions?
Click here to visit the official LA Legislative FAQ page.