A BILL TO STOP St. George, Louisiana IN HOUSE COMMITTEE THURSDAY (APRIL 10th) AFTERNOON. HB 768 by Rep. Ed Price will be heard in the House Committee on Municipal & Parochial Affairs when the House adjourns Thursday afternoon. The bill would limit incorporation petition drives to 180 days and put other restrictions on incorporation. The St. George drive has already exceeded that time limit. Apparently, the bill would apply to petition drives in progress. This is a liberal committee with 11 Democrats and 5 Republicans, an anomaly in the Louisiana House, which is majority Republican. The public is invited to appear and testify. The committee will meet in Room 6. For a copy of the bill: http://www.legis.la.gov/legis/ViewDocument.aspx?d=879566 To view the committee agenda: http://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Agenda.aspx?m=15528 To view the members of the Municipal & Parochial Affairs Committee: http://house.louisiana.gov/H_Cmtes/H_CMTE_MP.asp

SOMALIS IN KENYA HAVE FLED THEIR HOMELAND FROM CIVIL WAR AND FAMINE. THEY CAME TO KENYA SEEKING PROTECTION AND STABILITY NOT DETENTION AND HUMILIATION. WE DEMAND AN IMMEDIATE HALT OF THE DETENTION AND DEPORTATION TO THE SOMALIS IN KENYA.

As citizens we must compel politicians to fight on our behalf. Concerned citizens need to step up and be the change they want to see in the world.

Republicans propose cutting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicare benefits – all while lowering taxes on millionaires and giant corporations. The Congressional Progressive Caucus budget would instead invest in education and jobs -- paid for by asking millionaires and giant corporations to pay their fair share. Ahead of Tax Day, can you join Kelly Westlund and other progressive candidates across the nation in challenging their opponents to join them in supporting the Congressional Progressive Caucus budget?

Gustavo Panesso is a New Yorker who was denied a job because of information in his credit report. He has decided to speak out against this unfair practice. Here is Gustavo’s story: “A few years ago, I received a job as a sales associate at an upscale national clothing retailer in Manhattan. I was on my way to orientation when a supervisor called to tell me the orientation was canceled because of a ‘problem' in my credit report. I was shocked because I’ve always paid my bills on time. It turned out that a credit card I co-signed for my sister many years before was in default; after being laid off from her job, my sister could no longer make payments. Ironically, this entry on my credit report ended up costing me several retail jobs – despite my many years of experience, positive references from past employers, and successful interviews. Credit reports say nothing about someone’s integrity, honesty or ability to perform a job. Employment credit checks have increased because the multi-billion dollar credit bureaus want to make huge profits from selling our credit information to an ever greater number of employers, lenders and businesses. Please join me and members of the NYC Coalition to Stop Credit Checks in Employment in calling on the Mayor of New York City and NYC Council to put an end to this harmful practice. For more information, and to watch short videos of me and other New Yorkers sharing our stories, visit www.creditcatch22.org."

More than one in three women will experience rape, domestic abuse, or some other form of gender-based violence. Regardless of of where a woman or girl lives, no one should live in fear because they are born a woman and nowhere should we accept violence against women and girls.

I am a senior who served his country and grateful for the benefits of Democratic administrations and congress and fear what the loss of a of a democratic majority in the house and senate would do , not only to seniors, but to our beloved country. We are in a battle to preserve hard won benefits that the other side would gladly end or emasculate. This is war.

The FAIR MINIMUM WAGE ACT will increase the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 per hour, providing an increase in income for more than 320,000 Louisiana residents who need and deserve this wage increase, that will serve to increase consumer spending, grow our economy and create new jobs too. Please sign and let Sen. Mary Landrieu know you want her to vote YES! You can also call Sen. Landrieu's office at (504) 589-2427.

We have a crisis in California: thousands of people have died of opioid overdose in recent years. Assembly Member Bloom introduced AB 1535, which would expand access to Naloxone, a lifesaving overdose reversal drug. Join us in encouraging our elected officials to do the right thing to save the lives of Californians' family members, friends and loved ones.

Republican Gov. Rick Scott and the Tea Party state legislature have set their sights on the last vestige of sanity in Florida state government: The state Supreme Court. Last week, the Florida state Senate passed a bill that would change whether an incoming or outgoing governor can make appointments to the state Supreme Court. The bill may seem obscure since there won’t be any vacancies on the court until January 8, 2019 -- but that date is extremely important since it would be Rick Scott’s last day in office if he wins re-election this fall. This bill would allow Rick Scott to make three new Supreme Court appointments on his very last day in office, should he win re-election this fall. As if this wasn’t already a thinly-veiled power grab, the Republican state Senate forced the bill through on a party line vote just as Rick Scott pulled ahead in the polls for this fall’s gubernatorial election. Sign the petition: Don’t let Rick Scott pack the Florida Supreme Court.

If we want to gift our children’s grand-children the Age of Peace, we have to start somewhere. We will know we are making progress when talk about the “Age of Peace” is on CNN. Show your willingness to stand up for the Age of Peace, and peace minded leaders will step forward.

WalMart, you claim that you are reducing plastic bag waste around the world? http://corporate.walmart.com/global-responsibility/environment-sustainability/plastic-bags Why is the USA not included on your own list? Please phase out the use of one time use plastic bags immediately. Set a deadline for eliminating them from your stores and show the world that you really care. You can start start by implementing a small fee on them to discourage their use and offering customers a reusable bag alternative. It has worked around the world with dramatic results, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase-out_of_lightweight_plastic_bags Plastic bags kill birds, animals and fish, block storm water drains and fill land fills. The parking lots and local areas in the vicinity of your stores are littered with them, yes with your name on them. Be the leader you claim to be.