Beginning Monday, April 12, the Louisiana legislative session will convene at noon in Baton Rouge, and State Representative. R. Dewith Carrier (R), District 32, is ready to begin working on several bills to benefit his constituents.
Carrier has his fingers and toes in everything these days – stating he is trying to reach all areas of his district and serve those constituents.
This is an odd year, so the legislature will meet 60 days or two months ending at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 10. Carrier said in even years, they meet for 90 days. He also believes there will be a special meeting called this fall for redistricting purposes which worries him. His district is composed of lots of rural areas and with two hurricanes, a pandemic and a cold weather event, he is hoping residents completed the Census. This is a tool the government uses for redistricting.
Carrier has been busy preparing for this upcoming session. He said he’s also working on capital outlay money for the Town of Merryville as well as other things for communities in Dequincy and Allen Parish.
He’s working on bills to deal with domestic abuse (which he is cosponsoring), Crohn’s disease and election rules, as well as local bills like changing qualifications for the police chief in Oakdale and changing those on the parish’s capital improvement board to include members, who are all elected to office.
Carrier explained he didn’t know how Crohn’s disease and other intestinal diseases affect people. He said there are 19 states who allow persons associated with these diseases to use bathrooms in public places where no bathrooms exist. He is hoping Louisiana will be the 20th state.
Changing appointments to the parish’s capital improvement board will allow those who serve the public to divide monies collected through the hotel/motel tax. He said the tourist commission was sitting on the board along with the sheriff, police jury, etc. He would like the board to be all elected public officials and all five board members decided how to divide the money and where it needs to go.
He’s working on securing more funding for his constituents from the state. He believes this area is not getting its fair share from money being released by the state.
“I ran to serve,” he said. “It’s what I want to do for the rest of my life. I like it.”
He would like to see insurance rates lowered. He believes there will be some pro-gun legislation. Carrier said the governor has stated he will give a $400 raise to teachers and $200 to support staff. (In February, Governor John Bel Edwards announced his budget proposal of over $36 billion will include an annual pay raise of $400 for teachers, etc.)
He said he’s working well with two great senators – Mike Reese from Beauregard and Heather Cloud from Evangeline parishes.
“We all work well together.” Carrier said it’s very humbling to him to be one of 105 out of 4.4 million in the state to represent his district.
“One hundred five of us – we represent our people and state very humbly.”
