During the days immediately after Hurricane Katrina, massive damage to infrastructure cut down on available telephone circuits which were further overloaded by frantic relatives trying to get in touch with their loved ones. In this trying time, telephone solicitators continued to phone persons in the affected area codes and persisted even after pleas to leave the line clear for emergency calls.

Louisiana, SB486, Jackson, expected to come up on Senate Calendar next week, requires that significant changes to the budget be detailed in policy terms. A better connection between policy and funding will improve debate of budget issues in the legislature and also allow the public to enter that discussion more easily.