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Louisiana legislators on Wednesday started again on an effort to encourage high-speed internet access in rural areas.
Sen. Beth Mizell, who authored a bill with the same goal that lawmakers approved during the regular session, said Gov. John Bel Edwards intends to veto that measure because it could lead to lawsuits against the state.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has established the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund to distribute $20.4 billion over 10 years to places with limited or no broadband access, and state officials hope to bring some of that money to Louisiana. Senate Bill 406 allowed rural electricity co-ops to partner with broadband providers and use their existing infrastructure to deliver internet service.
But a provision added to Senate Bill 406 limited its scope to areas that are entirely unserved by broadband.
That restriction of competition violates the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and could lead to litigation, according to Association of Louisiana Electric Cooperatives CEO Jeff Arnold
Senate Bill 10 of the current special session includes the main provisions of Senate Bill 406 but allows co-ops to get into the internet business in areas currently both served and unserved.
That change allows the state’s co-ops to get on board, Arnold said.
“Ingredients get thrown in the sausage as we’re making it,” he said, referring to the legislative process. “This wasn’t Best Stop boudin when it came out. It might have been the corner store boudin. Sometimes it’s good, but not as good as Best Stop.”
Sausage-making metaphors aside, the new legislation still faces opposition. Cheryl McCormick, CEO of the Louisiana Internet and Television Association, said the legislation should remain focused on unserved areas since that’s the intent of the federal program. She also said a reporting provision in the bill, which Mizell said is meant to identify unserved areas, “raises severe antitrust considerations” by asking for specific information some companies would prefer not be made public.
AT&T and the Louisiana Farm Bureau also turned in red cards indicating opposition but did not testify Wednesday.
“The Governor met with Senator Mizell and expressed his concerns with SB 406 as it was finally passed,” Edwards spokeswoman Christina Stephens said by email. “She worked with us on the language that was adopted in committee today and the governor is fully supportive of the approach she is taking.”
The special session began right after the regular session ended June 1 and may last until the end of the month.

DEAR ABBY: I have been married for seven years and have two beautiful children. My husband and I both work full-time, yet I do almost all of the household chores. I have asked him repeatedly to help ease my workload and stress by dividing the chores more equitably, but my requests are met minimally and temporarily. This has caused arguments, tension and resentment.
He says, “You and I value different things,” or, “This isn’t what I want to focus on at home,” or, “Your standards are too high and have negatively impacted your relationship with our kids.” I do ask our kids to clean up routinely because I want them to be active members of this household, and this is how I was raised.
It’s putting a strain on my marriage and affecting my feelings toward my husband. Do I need to let this go? Or are my priorities misplaced?
OUT OF BALANCE IN RHODE ISLAND

DEAR OUT OF BALANCE: From your husband’s perspective, why should he have to help with the housework if he can jawbone you into doing the lion’s share? Perhaps you should offer him a choice — participate more or someone will have to be hired to take some of the burden off your shoulders.
As to your children, please stick to your guns. It is important they master basic housekeeping skills so that when they become adults, they will be able to take care of themselves. Few children relish the idea of doing housework, but many of them do it anyway as a way to earn an allowance.

DEAR ABBY: I was happily married to the same woman for 51 years. “Jane” was married 42 years to the same man. We were both widowed. We hooked up and were enjoying our time together, but after about three years it all changed.
Do you believe in split personalities, the Jekyll and Hyde thing? Jane started falsely accusing me of having affairs with other women. The last two women she accused me of being involved with I don’t even know. The accusations have been coming more frequently. One day she’s fine; the next day she is accusing me.
Jane doesn’t like vulgar language, and normally she doesn’t use it. But when she’s accusing me of communicating with these women, she uses words that would make a sailor blush! A researcher’s first guess was the early stages of Alzheimer’s. I know she is paranoid, but why?
HATES THE CHANGE IN NORTH CAROLINA

DEAR HATES: A personality change such as you have described can be a symptom of Alzheimer’s disease, but it can also be caused by small strokes and other dementias. Jane’s paranoia could also be a symptom of a physical illness. If she has family, it is very important that you inform them about what’s happening so they — and you — can encourage her to be evaluated physically and neurologically. If you do, it might save not only her life but also your sanity.

DEAR ABBY: When I was 21, my grandparents told me, “It’s better to be loved than to be right.” Fifty years later, I’m still trying to follow that advice because it’s so true. Sometimes it is very hard to practice, but I will never forget those words.
KEN IN SHERMAN OAKS, CALIF.

DEAR KEN: Anything that encourages folks to get along better is good advice in my book. People sometimes place too much importance on trying to be right. Now, allow me to share an adage with you that I learned from MY grandfather: “I never learned anything while I was talking.”
***
Good advice for everyone — teens to seniors — is in “The Anger in All of Us and How to Deal With It.” To order, send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 to: Dear Abby, Anger Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447.

BERWICK — Tropical Storm Cristobal provided the town government with a real-life hurricane drill. And at Tuesday’s Town Council meeting, officials said they were happy with the way things turned out.
Also Tuesday, with social distancing precautions in place, the council approved some of the last payments for the street improvements in the area near Berwick Elementary and introduced an ordinance that will set the town’s property tax rates for 2020.
Cristobal approached the Louisiana coast last week amid predictions for a landfall near the Atchafalaya River with the potential for flash flooding, a storm surge that would push the Atchafalaya over 9 feet and enough wind to test the power grid.
Instead, the storm came ashore Sunday near Grand Isle. No widespread power outages were reported in St. Mary. About 1.3 inches of rain were reported Sunday at Harry P. Williams Airport near Patterson, and another 1.9 inches fell Monday.
The Atchafalaya rose no higher than 6.5 feet, or half a foot over the stage that causes minor flooding between the flood walls in Berwick and Morgan City.
Mayor Duval Arthur thanked the police and public works departments for their work with storm preparations.
Officials were also happy that workers were able to connect electrical generators to the flood-control pumps on Utah and Gilmore streets and the intake for the town water plant. That offered protection from power outages.
The Berwick Civic Center was also ready to serve as an emergency shelter.
“We had a good kind of training for hurricane season …,” Arthur said. “The only scare part we have is that this is the third storm and it’s only June 9.”
Also Tuesday:
—The council approved payments of $5,201 to Miller Engineers & Associates and $149,365 and $3,915 to Lege Construction for the street improvements on Fourth, Fifth, Texas, Ehrlich, Kyle and Francis streets. The town government secured a grant that financed paving and reconstruction on those streets.
Consulting engineer Reid Miller said the work is nearly complete.
—The council heard the re-introduction of an ordinance setting the town government’s property tax rates for 2020.
The rates are 12.88 mills for general purposes and 6.38 mills for public improvements.
A mill is 1/10th cent of tax applied to each $1 of assessed valuation, which for residential property is set at 10% of the property’s market value. Louisiana’s homestead exemption does not apply to municipal taxes.
—The council passed an ordinance that prohibits the operation of golf carts on state highways inside the town and on these streets: Thorguson, Robison, Bowman, Utah, Bellvue-Front, Gilmore, Gus and Sandra.
Their use is limited to licensed drivers. The ordinance makes parent liable for damage caused by children driving golf carts.
The restrictions apply to golf carts powered by electricity and gasoline.
—The mayor said Berwick’s 2020 Census participation rate is 59.2%, exceeding the state average of 55%.
The follow-up contacts for people who haven’t responded have been delayed by COVID-19 restrictions. Arthur said two Census representatives will be in Berwick soon. One speaks Spanish, and the other speaks Vietnamese.
Census Bureau and local officials have urged residents to take part in the once-a-decade count of U.S. residents. The numbers are important for uses such as redrawing the maps of political districts and determining how much aid governments and individuals receive from federal and state programs.
Berwick has another reason to hope for good results. The town is near the 5,000 population threshold for becoming a city under Louisiana law. Estimates differ on whether Berwick is above or below the 5,000-resident standard.
—The Town Market will be back June 20.
—The council approved the appointment of Karen Lopez to the Berwick Housing Authority board. She will replace Frances Daugherty, who died May 14.
—The city’s youth baseball and softball programs reported good participation and thanked the town government for its commitment to keeping the programs going despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
—The council approved a permit for a protest walk Wednesday afternoon by Bronwyn Colbert.
Police Chief David Leonard said a Friday afternoon protest event near the town welcome sign and the A.J. Dohmann auto dealership went off peacefully. The participants even picked up trash after the event, Leonard said.

Republicans who have buyer’s remorse about changes they just approved to the state’s legal system began their do-over Tuesday, while also advancing some backup bills in case the one they already approved gets vetoed.
Senate Bill 418 by River Ridge Republican Sen. Kirk Talbot was the top priority not related to COVID-19 for many Republicans and business lobbyists. It made several changes to the state’s legal system that supporters argued would lead to fewer frivolous lawsuits after car crashes, reducing costs for insurers and ultimately leading to lower auto insurance rates.
But the author admitted the bill did not guarantee lower rates. Skeptics argued the bill would tilt the scales of justice in favor of big insurance companies at the expense of average plaintiffs.
One of the bill’s goals was to limit the amount of money plaintiffs could receive to what they actually paid in medical bills, rather than the “sticker price” of the procedure. Lawmakers approved a last-minute addition to allow plaintiffs to also collect health insurance premiums paid before the accident, which was described as a way to ensure plaintiffs are truly made whole and not penalized for having insurance.
But that provision was mistakenly worded in a way that could lead to large settlements for very minor injuries, lawmakers said. So on Tuesday, the House Civil Law and Procedure Committee advanced measures that would strip out that language if the bill becomes law. Gov. John Bel Edwards has not said whether he will sign or veto Senate Bill 418.
The committee also advanced House Bill 44 by Chalmette Republican Rep. Ray Garofalo, which replicates what was in Senate Bill 418 before it went through the legislative process. It also allows for six-person juries rather than 12-person juries for civil trials, which would reduce the potential time and expense.
As he has in prior discussions, Judge Bob Morrison testified that reducing the amount of money at stake that guarantees the right to a jury trial will lead to an increased burden on the court system. Supporters of the changes, noting the state’s jury trial threshold is the highest in the nation by far, say there is no evidence the courts will be overburdened.
“My study is based on my time on the bench,” Morrison said.
Legislators also advanced measures with similar goals to Talbot’s bill but with different details. House Bill 57 by House Speaker Clay Schexnayder would set the jury trial threshold at $10,000, rather than $5,000 as in Talbot’s original bill and Garofalo’s current one.
Louisiana legislators began a special session immediately after their pandemic-shortened regular session ended June 1 without a state budget. Lawmakers are constitutionally required to approve spending bills before the next fiscal year begins July 1.