Legislative preview set for Feb. 3 in Marksville

Important issues to be decided in the upcoming legislative session will be reviewed at a unique “Town Hall” meeting on Feb. 3.

Believed to be the first time in decades such a pre-legistlative event will occur in Avoyelles, the event at Bailey’s on the Square in Marksville, sponsored by the Avoyelles Association of Democratic Women (AADW), will begin at 6 p.m.

The event is open to everyone, regardless of political affiliation.

One attendee is neither a Democrat nor a woman. “I may be the only Republican there,” state Rep. Daryl Deshotel said with a laugh.

“The people of Avoyelles Parish voted for me to represent the entire parish so I believe I need to be able to hear from the entire parish,” he said.

Deshotel, Avoyelles’ first Republican representative since Reconstruction, said he is looking forward to his first legislative session this March-June and wants “to hear everyone’s views before I have to vote on the important issues coming before the Legislature.”

He said he told a delegation of the Democratic Women on Tuesday (Jan. 21) that he “won’t be able to vote with them all of the time, but I will always listen to their point of view.”

Deshotel said he “will do a lot of listening” at the Feb. 3 forum, but will be prepared to “do a lot of talking” if people have questions or want to discuss any upcoming issues.

GUEST SPEAKER

Julie Schwam Harris will be special guest speaker for the event.

Harris chairs the Advocacy Committee of the New Orleans-based Independent Women’s Organization. She has worked over the past few years to build a coalition of grassroots groups around the state to advocate for issues in the Legislature that impact families.

Those efforts have included laws to raise the minimum wage and affecting health care and paid sick leave and family leave.

She has helped many groups by analyzing, disseminating and collecting information needed to help pass and support bills in the Legislature.

AADW spokesperson Liz Leger of Marksville said anyone is welcome to attend the informative session. Refreshments will be served.

“We just want the information brought to Avoyelles,” Leger said. “We want people to find common ground.”

BIPARTISAN SPIRIT

Leger said the meeting will have a bipartisan spirit and all sides working together.

“We all want good schools,” she said. “We all want good roads.”

Avoyelles Parish has a diverse population who should work together to achieve those common goals, Leger noted.

One unifying factor in the parish is a poverty rate that has many residents of all races and political philosophies at or below the poverty line.

Leger said this is believed to be the first meeting of its kind in the parish.