Education, insurance, and carbon capture took center stage Tuesday during the Jeff Davis Parish Chamber of Commerce’s annual legislative breakfast.

Nearly 70 business leaders were in attendance to hear from several Southwest Louisiana lawmakers. The lawmakers discussed key issues for the upcoming legislative session, which begins April 12, and will primarily focus on fiscal issues and taxes.

Ahead of the session, Rep. Troy Romero, R-Jennings, said Gov. Jeff Landry has challenged all agencies to identify efficiencies and implement cost-saving measures. In response, the Appropriations Committee began meeting last August to discuss potential efficiencies with the agencies. Most agencies have responded positively, he said.

“We have been working to build a strong foundation without causing significant disruption, and the agencies have presented good budgets,” he said. “We will continue this process over the next few months to finalize a strong budget.”

Romero said carbon capture is also garnering significant attention ahead of the session with a surge of interest in recent weeks within Southwest Louisiana.

“While insurance and education will likely be a major focus for legislators, I anticipate carbon capture will dominate the discussions within our committees,” Romero said. “We made substantial progress on solar-related issues last year, but new bills related to carbon capture are likely to emerge.”

A public meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Lacassine Community Center to discuss carbon capture issues.

“We’re going to try to talk about some things that we can do to maybe help educate the public, and also to try to help maybe devise a plan where the locals can have a voice in whether we have that or not have that,” he said. “I think it is important that we talk about carbon capture, because industry obviously wants it and they feel like it’s a very important thing for the oil and gas industry to be able to kind of raise it up until President Trump’s idea of ‘drill, baby drill’ comes back into place which could maybe take four years.”

Rep. Phillip Tarver, R- Lake Charles, said the insurance crisis in the state will be a critical priority for state legislators.

“It’s a topic we rarely discuss openly, perhaps due to the lack of clear solutions and the fear of unintended consequences,” Tarver said. “However, I firmly believe this is our most significant problem and the greatest challenge we must overcome.”

Tarver has been researching the insurance markets in California and Florida. He believes that their strategies, both successful and unsuccessful, can provide valuable insights for Louisiana.

One strategy that Tarver is exploring is an insurance policy with a built-in savings account specifically designed for disaster reduction. While the savings may not cover the entire deductible, he believes it could offer some  financial relief  when it’s needed the most. By gradually saving money over time, residents could have funds available to help cover deductibles in the event of a disaster.

Rep. Chance Henry, R- Crowley, said the high number of auto accidents and bodily injury claims are significant contributors to the insurance problems. He noted that 19 insurance-related bills, primarily focused on tort reform, are expected to be filed this session.

Tarver also highlighted challenges currently facing higher education in the state. He emphasized the challenges are significant and require attention.

“I know some institutions like Sowela and McNeese are in pretty good shape, but a lot of other schools are in some pretty serious positions and some pretty serious concerns,” Tarver said.

Sen. Mark Abraham, R- Lake Charles also shared a concern regarding the growing crisis in education, particularly at the higher education level.

Enrollment in four-year universities has been steadily declining due to a number of factors, including decreases in birth rates and a shift towards community colleges. This trend has resulted in increased community college enrollment and a corresponding decrease in enrollment at four-year institutions.

This situation is not sustainable, and major changes to our four-year universities are likely necessary, he said.