Archive for April, 2008

Louisiana on the National Stage

April 28th, 2008 | Posted by admin

Dear Friends,

Louisiana on the National Stage

I will have the opportunity in the coming days to tell the nation that there is a New Louisiana that is open for business. I will be appearing on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno this evening. I am very excited for this opportunity to showcase before a national audience everything that we have been doing to improve Louisiana, and I hope you will all be able to tune in tonight on your local NBC station beginning at 10:35 p.m.

 

I will also be speaking to the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. this Friday, and will be discussing our highly successful reform agenda. In four months we have accomplished a great deal, but still have more work in order to ensure that our children have more opportunities to realize their dreams right here in Louisiana.

 

Garnering Support for Louisiana’s Rebuilding
Governor Jindal and Senator McCain speak after touring the Lower 9th Ward.

Last week I was able to spend the day with Presidential Candidate John McCain in New Orleans and show him the progress Louisiana has made following the 2005 hurricanes, but also the work that still needs to be done. The Senator’s presence in New Orleans, following the North American Leader’s Summit just days earlier, allows us to remind the nation and world that Louisiana has made great strides in our recovery and is open for business, but still has ongoing hurricane recovery needs.

We must continue to pursue aggressive reforms in order to show the American people that their trust is well-placed, and it was great to hear the support for our recovery from all the leaders who recently visited.

 

“McCain Pledges Faster Disaster Response,” USA Today

“McCain Visits,” Baton Rouge Advocate

 

Putting Discipline Back in the Classroom

One of the most important ways to ensure our children get a high quality education is to put a good teacher in every classroom. Sadly, about half of our new teachers are not in Louisiana’s public schools within five years of graduating, and one of the top reasons they list for leaving is the lack of discipline in the classroom.

 

That is reaffirmed with a survey showing Louisiana ranks 39th out of 40 states reviewed for discipline in classroom. That is why action taken by the Legislature last week is a great first step in giving teachers back the classroom.

 

Last week the House overwhelmingly passed with a vote of 98-0 legislation that provides teachers with a bill of rights. This legislation will give our teachers the confidence that we will stand behind them when they do their jobs.

 

This follows legislation passed earlier this month that doubles the penalty against anyone who assaults a teacher in the classroom. Schools should be safe-havens for students - and places of learning and growth. Both bills are now before the Senate.

 

First 100 Days

Last Tuesday marked my 100th day in office, and I am very pleased with how much we have accomplished thus far. Our special session on ethics reform gave Louisiana the strongest legislative disclosure laws in the nation, and eliminated many conflicts of interest. Our second session cut burdensome taxes that harmed Louisiana’s economy and our families, and invested more than a billion dollars in our state’s infrastructure, education, health care, and hurricane protection systems.

 

Now, I look forward to continuing to push reform of our workforce development system, sex offender laws, and many other aspects critical to moving our state forward. I want to thank you all for your support through my first 100 days, and I can ensure you that this is just the beginning.

 

“Jindal keeps his promises,” The New Star

“State is moving in the right direction,” Houma Courier

“First 100 Days in Office, Highlights of Accomplishments by the Numbers”

 

Sincerely,

 Bobby Jindal

Governor Bobby Jindal

Posted in website |

Welcoming International Leaders to Louisiana

April 23rd, 2008 | Posted by admin

Governor Jindal and the First Lady of Louisiana greet President Bush as he arrives in New Orleans.

Dear Friends,

 

Welcoming International Leaders to Louisiana

I was honored this week to welcome President Bush, Mexican President Felipe Calderón, and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to New Orleans for the opening of the Mexican Consulate and the North American Leader’s Summit. New Orleans has long been an international city, and it speaks loudly towards the direction the city is taking that it was chosen to host this important summit.

 

With the widening of the Panama Canal expected to be complete by 2014, larger cargo ships will be able to enter the Gulf. With Louisiana being home to five of the nation’s largest ports, we must take advantage of this opportunity. With our recent investment in our ports, Louisiana will be poised to play an even greater role in the global economy.

 

The Summit put Louisiana again on the world stage to show the progress that we have made after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the help that is still needed to help us fully recover. It was great to hear the support of Presidents Bush and Calderón and Prime Minister Harper for New Orleans and the rest of our state.

 

Visiting With Fellow Governors

 

Last week I met with governors from around the country and I heard many encouraging words regarding our ethics and tax reform packages from them. That same excitement was seen in a recent LSU study that showed 51 percent of Louisianians were optimistic about the future of our state - an 18 percent increase from just a year ago.

 

The theme of the governors’ forum was energy, an issue that is obviously very important to us here in Louisiana. We have long been a key link in the nation’s energy chain, given our offshore production in the Gulf of Mexico. Louisiana will remain a significant player in our nation’s energy policy for years to come, and it was great to discuss our nation’s energy needs and plans with my fellow Governors.

 

“Survey: Education, not hurricanes, now top concern,” Associated Press

 

Tapping Louisiana’s Workforce Potential

 

I was pleased to visit Lake Charles, Alexandria and Shreveport during the past week, and it was great to hear such widespread support for our workforce development goals. Also, this past week, the Baton Rouge Area Chamber endorsed our workforce legislation, saying that the plan will create an integrated workforce delivery structure that is more effective at meeting the needs of the business community. Our state has a vast potential that has been untapped for decades, and we can no longer wait to improve the way our state trains its workforce.

 

We must improve training for our students, starting not just in college or technical school, but in high schools and middle schools. We must improve our state’s ability to respond to inquires for economic expansion, as we have missed out on too many opportunities in the past. And finally, we must update the goals and mission of the Department of Labor to fit a 21st century workforce, not those of 20 or 50 years ago.

 

“Chamber Backs Workforce Package,” Baton Rouge Advocate

“Legislation Trying to Connect Jobs and Workers,” Shreveport Times

“Editorial: Workforce Plan Off to a Good Start,” Shreveport Times

 

Geaux Hornets!

 

Following the resurgence of the Saints and LSU’s National Championship, Hornets fever is now sweeping across the state. Following the Hornet’s victories over the Dallas Mavericks in games one and two of their playoff series, it is shaping up to be a very exciting playoff run for the team.

 

I hope you will all join me in cheering the Hornets in game three Friday night and throughout the rest of the playoffs.

 

Sincerely,

 Bobby Jindal

Governor Bobby Jindal

Posted in Uncategorized, website |

Keeping the Budget on Track

April 15th, 2008 | Posted by admin

Dear Friends,

 

Keeping the Budget on Track

One of the key components to moving our state forward is getting the budget process under control. For too long reckless, runaway spending has hindered the state’s ability to respond to the needs of the people. That has got to end. Our hard earned money is not an open checkbook for government to spend at will. That is why I announced last week that we must instead focus our investments on only those projects that are in line with our state’s priorities; indeed, I presented the Legislature with a capital outlay bill with no new projects to allow the state to reduce the backlog of unfunded projects from previous years.

 

We cannot continue the practices of the past and commit to projects that the state cannot afford for years to come. The need to reform how the state spends our hard earned money is very clear, and I will continue working with the Legislature to make certain that the state is not committing money we do not have.

 

Additionally, the hiring freeze implemented in January for state jobs has already saved the state millions of dollars, while still recognizing the needs of agencies statewide. I am very pleased with the results thus far, and have included a few links below regarding both the success of the hiring freeze and my plans for the capital outlay budget.

 

“Hiring freeze allows study, evaluation,” Lafayette Daily Advertiser

“Jindal proposes more limited construction budget for next year,” New Orleans Times-Picayune

 

Opening the Spillway

Friday was an historic day in South Louisiana, as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened gates throughout the Bonnet Carré Spillway structure in order to divert rising water from the Mississippi River.

 

It was great to be joined by other Louisianians who came to Norco to watch the structure’s opening. This was only the ninth time since 1937 that the Spillway has been used, and pending the status of the river it will stay open for two to four weeks. I want to encourage all of those residing in areas around the river and in low-lying areas to remain vigilant, as conditions can change at any time.

 

Also along these lines, last week I sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer requesting aid for those farmers in the Morganza Spillway whose crops have been affected by the rising waters. You can read the letter here.

 

“Bonnet Carré opened,” Baton Rouge Advocate

 

Punishing Those Who Harm Our Children

As the father of three young children, I understand how vitally important it is that we keep them safe from violent criminals and sexual predators. I am pleased that the Senate last week passed 3 important bills that will strengthen our state’s laws against sex offenders, ensuring that those who seek to harm our children will pay a deep price.

 

By passing this legislation, we will send a message loud and clear – if you harm a child, you will suffer the consequences not just for 15 years as current law provides, but forever. The victims of these terrible crimes must live with the memories for the rest of their life, and perpetrators should not face a lesser sentence.

 

“Senate supports 3 bills targeting sex offenses,” Baton Rouge Advocate

 

I was also pleased that last week the Senate Labor Committee passed a bill critical to the revamping of our state’s workforce. Senate Bill 612 will help better coordinate our state’s workforce efforts and help workers obtain the 21st century skills needed to compete for today’s jobs and fill the 100,000 jobs currently available in our state.

 

“Senate committee approves Jindal’s hallmark work force bill,” New Orleans Times-Picayune

 

Sincerely,

 Bobby Jindal

Governor Bobby Jindal

Posted in website |

Protecting Flood Prone Areas

April 7th, 2008 | Posted by admin

Dear Friends,

Protecting Flood Prone Areas

As the Mississippi River continues to rise throughout Louisiana, we are taking all of the necessary precautions and steps in order to ensure the safety of Louisiana families. I have been in close contact with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP), the Louisiana National Guard and State Police, and departments and agencies throughout the state, and our federal partners like the Corps of Engineers and the Coast Guard.

 

I have visited the levees in the Lake Providence and the Morganza areas, and was pleased at the actions taken by local and state authorities there in preparing for rising waters. Already throughout the state, more than 169,000 sandbags have been delivered to the nine parishes that have declared emergencies, and we are continuing to work day and night in order to ensure that the residents of these areas are safe.

 

I urge those of you in the nine parishes who have already declared an emergency - St. Martin, Pointe Coupee, Concordia, Vernon, Tensas, Sabine, Madison, East Carroll and Catahoula – to stay alert, and keep abreast of the ever changing conditions. Preparedness is the critical first step to staying safe.

 

Every possible resource will be made available to those in need in the affected areas, and I have directed GOHSEP Director Mark Cooper to continue to give updates on this situation on a daily basis to keep the public informed. I encourage you to visit GOHSEP’s website - http://www.ohsep.louisiana.gov/ - for updated information throughout the week. I have also included some news articles regarding the situation.

 

“Officials monitoring river levels; don’t expect it to overflow its banks,” New Orleans Times Picayune

“Levee Surveillance Increased,” Baton Rouge Advocate

“High crests close levees across state,” Monroe News-Star

“Flooding Still a Threat,” Lafayette Daily Advertiser

 

Honoring Our WWII Veterans

I was honored to be a guest at the groundbreaking of the National World War II Museum Expansion in New Orleans on Monday. I was joined by leaders and public officials from across our nation as we work to make certain that the memories and history of World War II are never forgotten.

 

Louisiana is proud to be home to a national museum that honors the Greatest Generation. Louisiana was a major player in World War II - one of the main reasons that this museum was placed in New Orleans. We had more than 280,000 of our brave citizens who served - the 4th largest representation of service men and women in the country per capita.

 

New Orleans serves our nation as the only destination where the public can gain a comprehensive view of not only D-Day, but with this expansion, all of the theaters of World War II. It has become a place where students can learn specific historical facts, families can mourn the loss of loved ones, and the men and women who served can share their stories with others.

 

This museum is not only important for our city and our state, but for all of America, and for the Greatest Generation of Americans. We must continue to honor those who selflessly defend our country so that you and I might enjoy our daily freedoms, and we continue to honor our armed forces as they follow in the footsteps of the Greatest Generation in defending our freedom. It is imperative that we do not forget the sacrifices that our veterans, servicemen and women, and their families have made in order to defend the freedoms that we hold so dear.

 

Continuing a Tradition

 

I was also pleased to attend the 44th Annual Governor’s Prayer Breakfast last week. One of the most amazing things I get to hear from people on a daily basis is that we are praying for you as Governor. Prayer is something that unites us all, be you a Republican, Democrat, Independent, and it was a wonderful experience to be joined by so many at the Prayer Breakfast.

 

Also attending the breakfast were recipients of the Truman and Goldwater Scholarships who attend LSU. Only 65 Truman Scholarships are awarded nationwide, and only 300 Goldwater Scholarships as well. These students are a great example of how Louisiana can be number one. Our young people can achieve their dreams right here in Louisiana, be it achieving a prestigious scholarship, finding the job of their dreams, or attending a top-notch academic institution. I have included some links below so you can read about these outstanding Louisiana students.

 

“LSU Junior Claire Kendig Receives Prestigious Truman Scholarship”
“A First: Four Awarded Goldwater Scholarships at LSU”

 

Fighting for a Better Louisiana

 

We have now completed the first week of the Legislature’s Regular Session, and we are continuing our work to ensure that our state has a world-class, highly trained and educated workforce.

 

My administration is working to partner our high schools with technical schools and community colleges so that our students have access to training classes earlier. We must offer businesses a guarantee that our workers will be ready to go on day one, or we will retrain them for free. We must work closer with industry itself in order to ensure that our training and educational systems are providing the preparation they require for their employees.

 

I am looking forward to working with the Legislature to create a properly trained, incredibly agile and focused workforce in our state. We have jobs – we have workers – we must make them sync up for the good of our economy and the good of our people.

 

“A Transition to New Jobs,” Baton Rouge Advocate

 

Sincerely,

 Bobby Jindal

Governor Bobby Jindal

Posted in website |

Building a Better Workforce

April 1st, 2008 | Posted by admin

Dear Friends,

 

Building a Better Workforce

In three short months we have made a great start toward a New Louisiana. We have dramatically transformed the reputation of our state by passing some of the strongest ethics reforms in the country. We came back with another special session and reduced and eliminated taxes that have been in place for far too long and have deterred investment in our state.

 

We have sent a clear signal to the nation that Louisiana is not only open for business, but we are serious about long-ranging, far-reaching reform. We cannot rest though until we have created a New Louisiana where every young person has an opportunity to get a high-paying job, start a great career, get a quality education, access the best health care, and raise a family in a safe community.

 

After our recent successes in ethics reform and tax reform, we must take the next step toward a New Louisiana in the regular legislative session that began yesterday with an overhaul of our workforce development system. Just as we did with ethics reform, we must set our bar high. We cannot be satisfied until our workforce is the most skilled and desired in the world.

 

Today, there are nearly 100,000 job opportunities across our state, many in the growing industries of transportation, healthcare, manufacturing, and construction.  

 

However, Louisiana employers are struggling to fill these positions. While our state’s unemployment rate is at its lowest point in 30 years, tens of thousands of Louisianians continue to leave the state every year to pursue their dreams elsewhere.

 

To help alleviate this problem, we must partner with the business community, high schools, technical schools, and local communities to be as effective as possible in training our workers. While we should encourage all of our students wanting to attend a university, we must understand that not all students will choose to attend one. Strengthening our technical and community colleges will help ensure that those students not attending university will still have excellent opportunities to obtain further job training.

 

We must also guarantee to Louisiana employers that if you hire someone with a degree or certificate from one of our technical colleges, they will be ready to work for you on Day One. Additionally, we need to change our higher education funding formula to reward high-demand, high-cost programs. It makes no sense for technical colleges to make money training nail technicians, while losing money training the nurses and welders that are so desperately needed by their communities.

 

We must also establish the “Louisiana Fast Start Program” so we can quickly respond to workforce opportunities and challenges in the state. The Fast Start Program will make sure that Louisiana is better and faster at getting new, or expanding, employers off the ground than any other state or province in North America.

 

Third, we must maximize the role of business in our workforce training programs and tear down the current structure to build a re-designed, well-coordinated system geared toward a 21st century workforce.  It’s time to put businesses and workers – not government bureaucrats - in the driver’s seat.

 

Fourth, we must expand the career options of high school students by allowing them early participation in community and technical college programs. We must provide a path to opportunity for these students through dual enrollment programs beginning when they are still in high school.

 

Fifth and finally, we must recruit and train new workers to fill the vacant jobs we have today. We must reach out to those Louisianians currently outside of our workforce who can match the demands of our businesses but may lack the exact skills they need or are unaware of the many opportunities for their employment.

 

I have included some articles from around the state detailing our workforce plan that I thought you would enjoy.

“Support Governor Jindal’s Workforce Plan,” Bossier Press Tribune

“Jindal proposal excites college administration,” Bogalusa Daily News

“Governor unveils workforce plan,” Houma Courier

“Jindal pushes workforce plan,” Baton Rouge Advocate

 

Tackling our Education and Health Care Systems

In addition to overhauling our workforce development programs, we must also tackle many of the other challenges facing our state. We must work towards making Louisiana a place where every child has access to a high-quality education and every Louisianian has access to affordable health care.

 

It is critically important that we continue to support early childhood education, LA4, to prepare our children for a lifetime of success and we must also help our teachers.

 

Sadly, about half of our new teachers are not in Louisiana’s public schools within five years of graduating, and one of the top reasons they list for leaving is the environment in the classroom. Louisiana currently ranks 39th out of 40 states reviewed when it comes to discipline in the classroom.

 

Despite the existing laws on the books, too many of our teachers do not feel protected in the classroom. They need the support of principals, superintendents, school board officials, and most importantly, the parents. We must pass a Teachers Bill of Rights - to reaffirm the rights of our teachers to teach and to discipline.

 

As for our health care system, Louisiana currently ranks 10th best in the nation for providing health insurance for low-income children. My budget will also provide $10 million in funding to allow more Louisiana children to receive health insurance through the Louisiana Children’s Health Insurance Program.

 

Studies show that up to 100,000 Americans die every year from avoidable medical errors, and that nurses spend an hour filling out paperwork for every hour they provide in care, in many hospital settings. We are providing more than $18 million to assist physicians and rural hospitals with the implementation of electronic medical records.

 

And we are beginning an initiative called “E-Prescribing” that allows secure electronic access and use of a patient’s medical records to prevent errors and help physicians make more informed decisions. The development of the Louisiana Health Information Exchange will provide a seamless flow of patient data from hospitals, insurance companies, and physicians across the state to ensure the highest level of patient care.

 

Also, too many people with mental health issues today are slipping through the cracks and ending up in our emergency rooms and in our criminal justice system. The broken pieces of our mental healthcare system affect every Louisianian. Last week, I announced “Nicola’s Law,” named after New Orleans officer Nicola Cotton, who was shot and killed by a mentally ill patient in New Orleans just months ago. Nicola’s Law will require a patient to receive the help they need even when they themselves will not do so voluntarily.

 

“Jindal targets state’s mental-health crisis,” The Daily Advertiser

 

Protecting Our Children

Finally, as the father of three young children, I cannot overstate the importance of making every effort to keep our children safe from violent criminals and sexual predators. I know some folks think it is great that you can go online today and see where these monsters live, block by block – but I look forward to the day when you can go online and see that they all live in one place – in Angola – far away from our kids.

 

In this session, we must increase the penalties for sexual predators that prey on our kids. We must double and triple the sentences for those who harm our children – especially for those sex offenders that prey on our kids through the internet. And, once someone is convicted of a sex crime, we should require them to register as a sex offender for the duration of their life – not just 15 years – but their entire life. Victims have to live their entire lives with the memory of what happened to them; perpetrators should not face a lesser sentence.

 

Louisiana will be known for our strict laws against this vile behavior, and those thinking of harming our state’s children will now know the consequences they will face. Louisiana is the greatest place in the world to raise a family, and these changes will make our state safer for all our families.

 

Below is an article detailing our plans to increase penalties for sexual predators.

“Jindal seeks crackdown on sex crimes,” Baton Rouge Advocate

 

I have also included below some stories on the upcoming session, as well as my speech to the Legislature.

“Governor Bobby Jindal’s regular session opening speech,” The News Star

“Jindal pushes training,” Baton Rouge Advocate

“Jindal pushes lawmakers to pass ‘work force development’ changes,” Associated Press

“Governor Jindal remains on a roll,” New Orleans CityBusiness

 Sincerely,

 Bobby Jindal

Governor Bobby Jindal

 

Posted in Uncategorized, website |