HB 971: A bill restricting where LA athletic programs can travel...unless you're LSU

[Dawgpix]

Wannabe lawmaker must have Gulf States Conference envy:

Louisiana Tech University	Bulldogs	1948	1971	C-USA
McNeese State University	Cowboys	1952	1971	Southland
Northeast Louisiana University (currently the University of Louisiana at Monroe)	Indians	1953	1971	Sun Belt
Northwestern State University	Demons	1948	1971	Southland
Southeastern Louisiana University	Lions	1948	1971	Southland
University of Southwestern Louisiana (currently the University of Louisiana at Lafayette)	Bulldogs	1948	1971	Sun Belt

Other members[edit]

Centenary College of Louisiana	Gentlemen	1948	1954	SCAC (NCAA Division III)
Louisiana College	Wildcats	1948	1956	American Southwest (NCAA Division III)
Loyola University New Orleans	Wolfpack	1948	1952	Southern States (SSAC) (NAIA)
Mississippi Southern College (currently the University of Southern Mississippi)	Southerners	1948	1952	C-USA
Spring Hill College	Badgers	1948	1954	Southern States (SIAC) (NCAA Division II)

[Built4Speed]

Ah, yes.. the old "Look everyone, I suggested something, so please re-elect me" routine from a "legislator". This guy is an idiot.

[PawDawg]

Wannabe lawmaker must have Gulf States Conference envy:

Louisiana Tech University	Bulldogs	1948	1971	C-USA
McNeese State University	Cowboys	1952	1971	Southland
Northeast Louisiana University (currently the University of Louisiana at Monroe)	Indians	1953	1971	Sun Belt
Northwestern State University	Demons	1948	1971	Southland
Southeastern Louisiana University	Lions	1948	1971	Southland
University of Southwestern Louisiana (currently the University of Louisiana at Lafayette)	Bulldogs	1948	1971	Sun Belt

Other members[edit]

Centenary College of Louisiana	Gentlemen	1948	1954	SCAC (NCAA Division III)
Louisiana College	Wildcats	1948	1956	American Southwest (NCAA Division III)
Loyola University New Orleans	Wolfpack	1948	1952	Southern States (SSAC) (NAIA)
Mississippi Southern College (currently the University of Southern Mississippi)	Southerners	1948	1952	C-USA
Spring Hill College	Badgers	1948	1954	Southern States (SIAC) (NCAA Division II)

Exactly! Most of us all know Tech grads, many who were Tech athletes, who wear lsu crap and think of Tech from a 60s and 70s perspective. Those people lack character and sicken me. Those, like the author of this bill, who blindly support lsu as "the big school" are just ignorant.

[OLDBLUE]

The representative needs a big punch in the dick.

Simple call or "E-mail" oughta do ....FROM ABOUT 1,000 people!

carters@legis.la.gov

[qng001]

What needs to be done,

1) Throw this bill in the trash
2) Remove Rep Steve Carter
3) Punch him in the face for wasting tax payers money

[Woof!]

What needs to be done,

1) Throw this bill in the trash
2) Remove Rep Steve Carter
3) Punch him in the face for wasting tax payers money

That's what I say, but I think all will be forgotten/forgiven in any future elections.

[DONW]

Why is an idiot like this wasting tax payer money? No wonder Louisiana is broke. I hope he doesn't run for governor.

[mikedog]

Steve Carter is term limited, so he'll be out of office come the next election cycle. Still, I felt obligated to send him a strongly worded email this morning expressing my disappointment, particularly since he is my representative (I live in his district).

[The Historian]

This kind of nonsense only happens in the state of Louisiana. I'm telling ya......sometimes it's right up there with a 3rd world country.

It would be shocking if this bill came anywhere close to making it out of committee for all of the reasons previously given in this thread. Its only hope is if Carter himself amends the bill to add a long list of exceptions.

And in the end I suspect he doesn't realize how foolish he's going to look trying to defend what he authored.

[kfj]

Steve Carter is term limited, so he'll be out of office come the next election cycle. Still, I felt obligated to send him a strongly worded email this morning expressing my disappointment, particularly since he is my representative (I live in his district).

I doubt you get a response, but if you do, please post it here.

[mikedog]

I doubt you get a response, but if you do, please post it here.

In case anyone is interested, here's my note that I sent to Rep. Carter (with my address redacted so you crazies don't show up at my door one day):

*****

Steve--

As a resident of Bocage/Jefferson Place (******) and a graduate of Louisiana Tech University (and LSU Law Center), I felt compelled to write you about my disappointment in House Bill No. 971.

As I understand the bill, House Bill 971 would require the Southern University System Board, the University of Louisiana System Board, and the Louisiana Community and Technical College Board to prohibit its institutions from traveling more than 375 miles from the institution to participate in athletic competitions for all sports other than football and basketball. Notably absent is any restriction on schools with the LSU System.

Undoubtedly, your bill would negatively impact the conference affiliations of Louisiana Tech, ULL, etc. by prohibiting them from playing conference opponents more than 375 miles away from their institutions. The long-term cost/impact of forcing these schools out of their conferences far outweighs any short-term gains to our state government's balance sheet. In short, our universities--and their athletic departments in particular--do not need to be micromanaged from the state Capitol. The Louisiana legislature has spent the last eight years exhibiting extreme incompetence in handling the budgetary matters under its direct control. Given this track record, I have very little faith that you and your colleagues would be successful in running our college athletic departments.

Lastly and most importantly: As a graduate of Louisiana Tech University, it is offensive to me for the Louisiana legislature to continue to write one set of rules for LSU, and another for the remaining state institutions. If our state budget woes actually require such draconian measures, then I expect LSU to have to suffer along with the other public institutions.

At the end of the day, HB 971 doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of becoming law. However, that still does not excuse your shortsightedness in proposing such a bad bill. I am both disappointed and embarrassed that this bill originated from my district.

Michael Leachman

[Tech77]

In case anyone is interested, here's my note that I sent to Rep. Carter (with my address redacted so you crazies don't show up at my door one day):

*****

Steve--

As a resident of Bocage/Jefferson Place (******) and a graduate of Louisiana Tech University (and LSU Law Center), I felt compelled to write you about my disappointment in House Bill No. 971.

As I understand the bill, House Bill 971 would require the Southern University System Board, the University of Louisiana System Board, and the Louisiana Community and Technical College Board to prohibit its institutions from traveling more than 375 miles from the institution to participate in athletic competitions for all sports other than football and basketball. Notably absent is any restriction on schools with the LSU System.

Undoubtedly, your bill would negatively impact the conference affiliations of Louisiana Tech, ULL, etc. by prohibiting them from playing conference opponents more than 375 miles away from their institutions. The long-term cost/impact of forcing these schools out of their conferences far outweighs any short-term gains to our state government's balance sheet. In short, our universities--and their athletic departments in particular--do not need to be micromanaged from the state Capitol. The Louisiana legislature has spent the last eight years exhibiting extreme incompetence in handling the budgetary matters under its direct control. Given this track record, I have very little faith that you and your colleagues would be successful in running our college athletic departments.

Lastly and most importantly: As a graduate of Louisiana Tech University, it is offensive to me for the Louisiana legislature to continue to write one set of rules for LSU, and another for the remaining state institutions. If our state budget woes actually require such draconian measures, then I expect LSU to have to suffer along with the other public institutions.

At the end of the day, HB 971 doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of becoming law. However, that still does not excuse your shortsightedness in proposing such a bad bill. I am both disappointed and embarrassed that this bill originated from my district.

Michael Leachman

Good job

[DONW]

Does this mean LSU will stop paying TAF 8.5 million a year for "rental of facilities"? https://app.lla.state.la.us/PublicReports.nsf/D8BD41987B70468186257F4E006E530D/$FILE/0000C7E8.pdf

[Built4Speed]

It would be shocking if this bill came anywhere close to making it out of committee for all of the reasons previously given in this thread. Its only hope is if Carter himself amends the bill to add a long list of exceptions.

And in the end I suspect he doesn't realize how foolish he's going to look trying to defend what he authored.

Exactly my thoughts. And once the list of exceptions reaches a certain point, there lies the question of what that piece of legislation would even be good for. That proposal is a waste of time and money, plain and simple.

mikedog- I'd high five you if I could right now. Very well written statement.

[Dawg06]

Exactly! Most of us all know Tech grads, many who were Tech athletes, who wear lsu crap and think of Tech from a 60s and 70s perspective. Those people lack character and sicken me. Those, like the author of this bill, who blindly support lsu as "the big school" are just ignorant.

It's pretty clear his intent is to set Tech back over 50 years by sending us back to the Gulf States Conference.

The folks from every school except for Tech and ULL are probably giddy with excitement for this pathetic bill.

These idiot state reps like Carter are exactly why Louisiana is in the mess that it's in.