Louisiana JIndal Unveils Major Legislative Agenda Items

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal is putting together his general legislative agenda and so far, he certainly has a plan or two. However, the most important piece of the legislative session is “workforce development”.

Today, with his Economic Development Secretary behind him among republicans, democrats business, labor, higher education and community college leaders in full support, Jindal, Steve Moret and others outlined the big agenda item for the session. Again, it is workforce development. If I mention workforce development three times in this column, that is to show how emphatic our Governor has made this part of his upcoming legislative agenda.

The focus is to educate wisely to fill the jobs that are wanting and not just to educate the masses. In more simple terms, Louisiana needs skilled workers who possess two and four year degrees from technology and community colleges, not pointed-head “smarties” who are too wise in the world to be a welder, a driver, a shipbuilder or construction worker.

After the press conference, I heard from Administration leaders and others phrases such as “sea change”.

And, in effect, a parting of the waters it will be for this new modern day Louisiana Moses who sees the “Promise Land” and is willing to change directions to make certain that Louisiana gets the most out of our natural resources, out of our needs and finds a place tfor us o hang our respective hats.

In a theoretical sense, the average parent no longer will be compelled to tell our sons and daughters that if they study hard, they will be a doctor, an attorney, or some other professional. For now as we assess the Louisiana waterfront, although we absolutely do need doctors and nurses in the post-Katrina economy, the Jindal administration is emphasizing the need for other basic skills where the jobs are situated and has fashioned legislation to promote his roadmap.

Which is strange for a Yale graduate who could have gone to Harvard law school or medical school to be preaching skilled workers, but, that is our new Louisiana reality. Moreover, the skilled politician that Bobby Jindal is-—he is showing his own wares by cobbling together a very broad coalition of supporters from various competing factions who agree with him and see the light.

By contrast, on Monday, the head of the Department of Health and Hospitals, Alan Levine, and Jindal promoted a different need which is not as legislatively pressing as “workforce” but involves a package of legislation designed to deal with mental healthcare in the New Orleans area.

The concepts for the mental healthcare projects are to establish the gold standard on this issue. Without doubt, mental healthcare is sorely needed in the ravaged areas of New Orleans and Jindal and Levine are right to pull out all of the stops, be creative, use the best in technology and ultimately fix the problems.

Too many of us know or have known individuals, both before Katrina and afterwards, who have suffered some sort of mental meltdown. The Governor envisions a law which will set into motion a procedure where a person who is not being compliant with his or her medical treatment and could be a risk to himself, herself or to others--to face the law to ensure compliance.

Among other provisions, the Governor wants to use telemedicine for mental health purposes and to set up more depots for patients who are in need.

Without doubt, some of these provisions are controversial. Patient rights individuals do not want to be hauled before a judge to set rules for their compliance. Telemedicine has the chance of running the risk of interfacing with criminal statutes, Miranda rights and other issues.

There are a number of kinks that need to be worked out with the legislation package but it is bold, if not yet beautiful. More than anything else, it is caring for the public for the individuals involved. It needs to be vetted within the hearing process and could be tested in the courts on certain points. Still, we know that Bobby Jindal recognizes that there are serious health care needs in South Louisiana and that we must fix the safety net that was broken even prior to Katrina.

With administration focus on workforce and mental health, we are seeing a Governor deftly move from one issue to another proposing major changes in the way we handle our lives. We might not be seeing a Jindal revolution, but, we are definitely experiencing energized leadership building upon the past winning performances but moving us onward, faster and perhaps smarter.

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