Tech Talkin’ Govs, part 9: Louisiana celebrates surplus after facing fiscal cliff

This week SSTI wraps up this year’s coverage of innovation-related initiatives covered in governors’ state of the state and budget addresses. This week Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards was the last governor to deliver a state of the state address in 2019, and he used his time to highlight the state’s surplus, a first since he has been in office. The governor is taking advantage of the new financial security to focus on funding for basics such as teacher pay and education among other things. He also voiced his support for raising the minimum wage and closing the gender wage gap in Louisiana:

“I am also committed to ensuring all high school students have access to dual enrollment opportunities at our colleges. Students who participate in dual enrollment are more likely to meet college readiness benchmarks and boast higher college completion rates. It’s a chance for students to get real college experience before they get there. And it could even be a chance for Louisiana colleges to have an edge on keeping high-performing students in state after they finish high school.”

“… I support a constitutional amendment to provide for a state minimum wage of $9 per hour effective July 1, 2020.”

“Additionally, Louisiana continues to have the highest gender wage gap in the country. … I am advancing legislation to eliminate pay secrecy by prohibiting employers from taking action against employees for inquiring about, discussing or disclosing their wages or another employee’s wages.”