Governor Bobby Jindal Announces Call for Second Special Session

Press Release

Governor Bobby Jindal Announces Call for Second Special Session

Governor's Second Session Focuses on Reducing Business Taxes, Investing in State Priorities

Today, Governor Bobby Jindal announced the call for the second special session and highlighted his priorities for investments in roads, levees, coastal restoration, ports, and other priorities critical to the recovery and the needs of the entire state.

Jindal said, "Now that we have made a huge step forward in transforming our state's image nationally and sending a signal that who you know is not more important than what you know when it comes to doing business in Louisiana, we are ready to tackle the business taxes too often deterring investment in our state and strengthen the investments in our state's priorities.

"The initiatives in this second special session, including accelerating the elimination of those taxes on business investments in equipment, the tax on business debt, eliminating the tax on business utilities, and providing individual income tax deductions for tuition, are vital initiatives to creating a positive business climate and strengthening economic development in Louisiana. Additionally, in the second special session we must seize on the critical opportunity to invest in our state's priorities including investments in levees, coastal restoration, ports and roads.

"We must focus on our most fundamental priority - to make Louisiana a place of opportunity for our children so they don't have to leave the state to find a job, make a great career, and pursue their dreams. We need to create more jobs, and not just any jobs; but jobs that will allow every Louisianian to not only work, but to succeed, to advance and to get ahead in life.

"It is time for those that have left to pursue greener economic pastures to return home to find prosperity back here in Louisiana. This can only happen if we make the reforms needed to improve our economy across the state. Spurring greater business investment and economic growth expands our tax base and reduces unemployment, enabling the state to invest in our coastal wetlands, our roads, ports and infrastructure, and in improving our schools.

"This second session is another crucial part of our effort to make Louisiana become all it can be. We will be the greatest place in the world to raise a family and pursue opportunity, but we must stop exporting our greatest asset - our children, and instead give them the opportunities they need right here at home."

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