From now until close to the end of the regular legislative session, we will take a look at a stupid bill that has been filed for the Legislature to consider in session.

The first bill we’re looking at is SB2 by State Sen. J.P. Morrell (D-New Orleans). The bill deals with one of the biggest fetishes of the Louisiana Democratic Party, equal pay. According to Louisiana Democrats, Louisiana’s women are routinely being screwed out of money by greedy businesses who won’t pay them as much as men.

Here’s some of what SB2 will do:

• Create a feeding frenzy for trial lawyers by banning “intentional or unintentional” discrimination in pay.
• Creates new red tape for businesses by requiring them to keep pay records on all their employees until 3 years after employment.

Louisiana already outlaws wage discrimination based on sex. This bill is simply to give another route for trial lawyers to get rich.

This bill creates new unnecessary burdens on business. It will deter small businesses from expanding and will keep companies from entering the state. Louisiana is already the worst state to do business according to some rankings, this bill will only make it worse.

Instead of addressing real problems, J.P. Morrell and Democrats decided to grandstand with this bill. This is bill isn’t about helping the women of Louisiana. It is about galvanizing the left-wing base of the Louisiana Democratic Party.

Thankfully, even if this legislation somehow passes the State Senate, it is dead on arrival in the State House.