Nosed out.. for now

Keep an eye on this union dues payroll deduction bill that just got calendared in Baton Rouge. 

The sponsor of a controversial bill that would undermine public union influence in Baton Rouge pulled the measure from the House floor Tuesday (May 12), just as it was coming up for a vote.

The move could be an indication that the bill may not have had the votes to pass.

HB 418 would bar state and local governments from deducting union dues during payroll processing. It is heavily backed by conservative business interests.

The bill was "returned to the calendar," not permanently withdrawn, meaning sponsor Stuart Bishop, R-Lafayette, could reschedule it for another vote on the House floor.

Nick Felton, head of the New Orleans firefighters' local, said his nose count of likely votes had the bill failing by a narrow margin.

If the vote count is as close as that sounds, and if it's as important to LABI as they are on tape saying that it is, then this might something that gets brought back and rammed through during the frantic final days of the session.... you know when the real snakes start to come out.