See Healthcare costs by state.

READ THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ARTICLE LOUISIANA'S -BEER LOBBY
go here for the article more on Louisiana

NEED In Louisiana
Only 8% of Louisiana adult residents finding recovery support (Treatment) even less for youth, where

4.5% of Juveniles who need treatment for alcohol and other drugs find available services.

A mere 32 medical detox beds are available for 4.4 million residents,

Clean up costs for the lack of treatment and prevention costs Louisiana more than $8 Billion annually in direct and indirect costs according to CASA.

CADA's 2003 Public Opinion Report in New Orleans area--Public Desire to Treat and Prevent, Close the Loopholes.

Died and Reborn all in one Hearing....for SB 679 while
HB 549 was PASSED for a full vote on the House floor.

Yesterday we attended the House Committee on Administration and
Criminal Justice (HCACJ) After SB 679 had been debated with HB 549--
and those for and opposed to each bill Basically those who wanted to end treatment DA's MADD and those who wanted to expand Treatment- HopeNetworks, Recovering peoples, District Court Judges, Lobby for Defense Attorney's, OAD provided info on success of the current law and treatment for last two years(See the OAD study) the committee then

Voted on SB 679-Chaissson and HB 549-Baldone

We were grateful when SB 679 FAILED to gain enough votes to go to the full house-
This bill by Senator Chaisson made it out of the Senate Committee he chairs, and passed the full Senate. It was very important that we kill this legislation and we believed that we had accomplished this with all of the support shown from across Louisiana, and incredible data and public opinion polls supporting our efforts. You can see some of the information given to the committee members, not to mention all the calls-e-mails from members etc!

(CADA-2004 Report on Public Opinion)
People in Louisiana
Want Treatment and Education for DWI offenders-they want what is in place and working!

Which is exactly what Rep Baldone's HB 549 will do- This bill was successful in passing the committee and is currently going to the full House for a vote.
HB 549 authored Rep Baldone and supported by Rep Odinet- as it expands the law he passed in 2001 that has been reducing recidivism for impaired drivers---and that MADD has tried to kill for two years now despite the 70% success shown in maintaining recovery for persons by law mandated to treatment for 3rd and 4th offenders.

MADD (Louisiana Mother's Against Drunk Driving) and the DA's -- took steps yesterday after SB 679 was defeated to end Treatment ---these dirty tricks reminded us of other "addictive" industry's dirty legislative tricks. The newspaper didn't report this!

Once everyone had left believing that of course this bill was dead, and the Committee had moved on to the "Cloning Bill" and the chair instructed those their for the "cloning" bill to set up their power point presentation, we felt comfortable leaving the capital. That is when Rep Bruce, announced she would like to "revote" on the SB 679 originally voted down (dead bill).

Needless to say there was not anyone there at that point other those supporting this deceptive procedure, and the bill was then "brought back to life" and passed for the full House to debate.

This is deceptive tactic we would not expect, but apparently should be prepared for in the future. Addictive Industries have taken "like" action in the past, and now it appears that we have others who stand to gain some monetary or political favor are willing to do the same!

WATCH THIS ONLINE WITH REAL PLAYER
http://house.louisiana.gov/rmarchive/Ram/RamMay04/CJmay05.ram

See related info from 2003 -Screen Treat Monitor Fact Sheet

Take Action- We need help to stop this legislation, and those proponents that clearly have another agenda- as reducing impaired driving is not their objective with the Louisiana Chapter of MADD- otherwise they would not try to remove laws that are actually working and doing this at present.
Write ALL members of the HOUSE here.