On May 26 an ordinance was introduced at the Shreveport city council to ban smoking in Shreveport bars. This ordinance was a two-reader; it could not be adopted until the June 9 council meeting.
At the June 9 council meeting an amendment to the ordinance was offered to expand the no smoking ban to the two Shreveport casinos. The council passed the ordinance to include the casinos.
The amendment was made after the conclusion of the citizen comment period.
The Louisiana Open Meetings Law provides that public bodies "shall allow a public comment period at any point in the meeting prior to action on an agenda item upon which a vote is to be taken."
There was no opportunity for comments on the expansion of the smoking ban to the casinos.
The council will consider passage on July 14 of a moratorium until Aug. 1, 2021 on the casino smoking ban.
If the moratorium is not enacted, litigation may be filed by the casinos prior to the Aug.1 deadline.
The city council should consider a change in its rules of procedure dealing with substantive amendments to ordinances and resolutions when no citizen comments are allowed before the votes.
John came to Shreveport in January of 1977 when he was transferred to Barksdale AFB.
He’s been active in Shreveport politics since deciding to make Shreveport his home.
John practiced law for 40 years and he now monitors local politics. He regularly attends Shreveport City Council and Caddo Parish Commission meetings.
John is published weekly in The Inquisitor, bi-monthly in The Forum News, and frequently in the Shreveport Times.
He enjoys addressing civic groups on local government issues and elections.