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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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INFORMATION FROM SENATE "FOCUS
FORUM" EFFORT CITIZENS CAN GAIN NEW INSIGHT INTO MAJOR STATE ISSUES
Do you want to know what state government might be able to do to help citizens cope with the rising cost of prescription drugs? Perhaps you are interested in how TOPS could be changed to enable parents of the scholarship students to get a federal tax break. Maybe you are concerned about the state's continuing budget problems and want to know more about the options or have an interest in finding out how "drug courts" could save your tax dollars. Well, you can find answers to all of those questions by simply going to the Louisiana State Senate home page on the Internet and checking out information about key state issues developed through the efforts of the State Senate "Focus Forum". Several weeks ago, state senators gathered at Tickfaw State Park for a two-day intensive examination of key problems facing Louisiana in education, health care, corrections and fiscal policy. Twenty-eight senators, or over two-thirds of the Senate membership, were able to participate in the Senate "Focus Forum". The forum was a kind of "crash course" for senators to educate themselves, in an informal yet focused environment, on issues they will face in the coming months. Lawmakers are preparing for what will be the first general session of the legislature, where lawmakers can consider measures on a wide range of matters, for those new senators who were elected last year and the first general session in two years for returning members. Senators, with the help of state, regional and national experts, gathered information about what is happening in Louisiana and other states with such issues as teacher quality, school accountability, higher education access, prescription drug costs, nursing home and long-term care alternatives, the aging state prison population, incarceration alternatives, state spending and cost cutting proposals and revenue issues. Senate staff summarized the information gathered during the "Focus Forum". The summaries, available on the Web, include comparative data on the education, health care, corrections and fiscal issues as well as options available to Louisiana to address problems facing the state in those areas. Senate President John Hainkel, who organized the "Focus Forum", believes the forum was a big success and that the effort developed information beneficial to senators and citizens. "We didn't find any single magic solution to the problems facing us, but we did get many specific ideas as to how to deal with some of the issues. I truly believe that the information and insight gained during the focus forum will help us make better decisions to better serve the citizens of the state," Senate President Hainkel said. "Making the information from the forum available on the Web allows us to share the vital information with citizens and gives those citizens the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the key issues." To learn more about the information developed during the Senate "Focus Forum", simply go to the Louisiana State Senate Web page at http://senate.la.gov and then click on "Session Info". The direct link to the "Focus Forum" information is http://senate.la.gov/SessionInfo/2001rs/focusforum .
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