Hardy joins powerful House Appropriations Committee

Republican House Speaker Jim Tucker has appointed first-term Democratic state Rep. Rickey Hardy to the House Appropriations Committee.

Widely regarded as the most powerful committee in the House, the panel deals with the state budget and other fiscal matters (see below). It is chaired by Democratic state Rep. Jim Fannin of Jonesboro. Hardy joins Acadiana Republican lawmakers Page Cortez of Lafayette and Simone Champagne of Jeanerette on the panel. Like Tucker, independent state Rep. Joel Robideaux of Lafayette is an ex-officio member because he is speaker pro-tem of the House.

Legislative instruments, messages, petitions and other matters relating to the following subjects fall under the Appropriations Committee’s jurisdiction:
• Appropriation of state funds
• Expenditure of funds
• General appropriation bill
• Deposit and investment of public monies, including the creation or modification of any special fund in the state treasury to which proceeds from state taxes, fees, or other charges are dedicated
• Cash flow
• Study of economy and efficiency in the operation of government at all levels
• Budgetary requirements and procedures
• Central purchasing
• Fiscal controls
• Comprehensive state capital budget, after initial consideration by the Committee on Ways and Means
• Professional, personal, and consulting services procurement
• Public bid laws and public contracts

Hardy had to resign from the House Commerce Committee to accept the assignment.

Tucker, of Terrytown, made the appointment this week in a letter to Hardy.

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written by neutral party , June 02, 2011 - 01:07 pm

Ricky this was a set up now you are sir out of your league.Your grand standing and petty politics will not go over well here.I know sir this has crossed your mind Mr Hardy you will be shown to be the biggest looser.

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written by yesidoknow , June 02, 2011 - 02:01 pm

Hardy is moving up in the ranks, although many over here continue to underestimate him. Our previous District 44 Rep. was in charge of windmills in the Gulf. At least I know Hardy won't steal or squander taxpayer money.

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written by The way it is. , June 02, 2011 - 02:20 pm

Hardy is a Democrat appointed by a Republican to serve on Appropriations with Cortez and Champagne. Both Republicans. That's quite a feat. Cortez went around thumping his chest for the legislative pay raise and now looks like a run away fool. Hardy never did support the pay raise and, in fact, voted against it. Champagne is a nice lady, but not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Hardy has proven time and again, if you underestimate him, he will chew you up. The man is honest, hardworking, supports progressing the education of our young people, and is fiscally intelligent.
neutral party, go back to sleep.

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written by OUT OF FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISON , June 02, 2011 - 04:13 pm

According to Neutral Party, Rickey Hardy is out of his league.I may agree, Floyd Johnson is out of the DA office he will be headed for federal prison. Their come Chris Williams, Walter Guillory and Porch Evans and many of the LHA and OHA employees and folks that were receiving band instruments will be meeting up with Floyd Johnson. I rather be were Rickey Hardy is than in the league Floyd Johnson is in. Which is the league of Federal Bureau of Prisons. Dr. Williams will change his name to Dr. Kim. Porch knows how to adjust she has a long stint of criminal behavior she has been in and out. Oh Rickey Hardy stay in your league and out of the criminal judical system.

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written by Brenoland , June 02, 2011 - 04:51 pm

Representative Hardy will be a good addition to the Appropriation Committee. He is an independent thinker just as Speaker Tucker has proven he is by appointing Ricky to the committee. Rickey is not afraid to ask questions and above anything will represent the needs of the citizens.

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written by Excuse Me... , June 03, 2011 - 11:54 pm

'The Way It is' -- your statement about Cortez and the pay raise is not correct. Cortez was a strong opponent of the pay raise and voted against it. In fact, Representative Robideaux led pretty much every member of the Acadiana area House delegation to vote against it.

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written by The way it is. , June 05, 2011 - 05:27 am

Excuse yourself. You are wrong. Cortez supported the pay raise in conjunction with his close friend and fraternity brother, Mike Michot. Do your homework and check the votes. As for Robideaux, if he supposedly led "pretty much every member of the Acadiana area House delegation to vote against it," he's not much of a leader. Check your vote tally on who from the Acadiana area delegation voted against it. Cortez supported it, and Michot was the one of the main voices for it. LIke I said, do your homework and get your facts straight.

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written by NORTHSIDIAN SHOTGUN , June 06, 2011 - 08:18 am

Dats right um huum, um huum, Cortez and Michot wantin to stay on that teat longer, rather than go get a real job.

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written by RCajunrunner , June 06, 2011 - 07:34 pm

Before someone challenges another poster to "do your homework" and "check your vote tally", he/she should also check the vote tally.

House Reps from Acadiana Delegation who voted YES on payraise:

None. All voted NO.

Senators from Acadiana Delegation who voted YES:

Butch Gautreaux
Eric LaFleur
Mike Michot

http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/byinst.asp?sessionid=08RS&billid=SB672&doctype=VOTE

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written by The way it is. , June 07, 2011 - 03:27 am

I suppose that the next b.s. you will spout is that Cortez voted against the sale of prisons proposed by Piyush Jindal. Oh wait! Of the three from Acadiana on the House Appropriations Committee, Cortez and Simone Champagne both voted in favor of selling state prisons to private companies. Hardy, again, stood fast and voted against the sale and, by doing so, voted for working people. Again.

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written by RCajunrunner , June 07, 2011 - 10:13 am

The prison sale bill has nothing to do with your claim for people to look at the vote tally, insisting Cortez supported the pay raise.

Maybe he supported the raises behind the scenes? I don't know. But since you referenced the vote, I posted it for you and everyone to see. Page Cortez voted against the legislative pay raises, as did the rest of the Acadiana delegates in the State House.