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Arita Lipps Bohannan's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

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Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
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Arita Lipps Bohannan has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2019 Political Courage Test.

What is the Political Courage Test?

Louisiana State Legislative Election 2019 Political Courage Test

Pro-life a) Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
b) Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
c) Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
I am pro-life. However, there are some circumstances in which I think abortion should be availabe to women. Under no circumstances am I in favor of an abortion occuring after the first trimester.

1) Budget Stabilization:Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Louisiana's budget.

a) Do you support local governments' say over the Industrial Tax Exemption Program (ITEP), which allows approved manufacturing companies to be exempt from paying local property taxes for up to ten years?
No b) Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions
No c) Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees
No d) An income tax increase on any tax bracket
Louisiana desperately needs to take steps to stabilize the budget. However, that cannot be done at the expense of current employees or those receiving pensions that spent years paying into the system.
Yes a) Do you support a limit on campaign contributions to state candidates?
Yes b) Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
Yes c) Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
Yes d) Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
No e) Do you support automatic voter registration?
f) Other or expanded principles:
Yes a) Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
No b) Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
Yes c) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
No d) Do you support legislation that would ban holding cell phones while driving?
Capital punishment should be a possible penalty for certain crimes, but not all. It should be considered on a case by case basis by weighing the evidence used for conviction. In some convictions, the evidence is flimsy or based on uncertain science. In those cases, we should err on the side of caution.
a) Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
Yes b) Do you support lowering state income taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
Yes c) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
d) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
e) Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits?
f) Do you support an increase of the minimum wage of Louisiana?
g) Do you support requiring employers to provide paid family leave?
h) Do you support using toll revenue to help fund a new bridge over the Mississippi River?
These questions cannot be answered with a yes or no. It would depend on the wording of the bill.
No a) Do you support adopting federal education standards in Louisiana?
b) Do you support state funding for charter schools?
c) Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from Louisiana high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
Yes d) Do you support legalizing sports betting for the purpose of funding early childhood education programs?
These questions present important issues to my state. However, they are complex issues and any legislation addressing these issues must be carefully considered.
a) Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
b) Do you support government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions?
c) Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives?
In general I support having a safe and clean environment. However, we have to be cautious about how much Louisiana is spending and the impact that regulations have on businesses and industries being able to operate.
a) Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
b) Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
c) Should teachers be allowed to bring guns into the classroom?
d) Should a license be required for gun ownership?
I am a firm believer in the 2nd Amendment. There are issues regarding guns that our legislature will have to address in the future. And we must be sure that any legislation regarding the ownership of firearms does not infringe on the 2nd Amendment, but also keeps guns out of the hands of convicted felons or those with restraining orders against them.
a) Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse?
b) Do you support Medicaid expansion through Louisiana's health care programs?
c) Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
d) Do you support legislation that grants citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia?
e) Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations?
Health issues and decisions surrounding those issues are very personal. I believe in the individual's right to privacy and will not intrude upon that. Within that right is also a person's right not to be mandated to purchase health insurance. In regards to funding treatment to combat opoid abuse, I would be in favor of that if such treatment is being used in lieu of incarceration.
a) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Louisiana's anti-discrimination laws?
b) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Louisiana's anti-discrimination laws?
c) Do you support greater efforts by Louisiana state government in closing the pay gap between men and women?
I fully support sexual orientation being included in Louisiana's anti-discrimination laws. As a legislator, I will work to support any efforts that close the pay gap between men and women. Women's issues are very important to me.
Auto insurance rate reform is a major issue.
My top legislative priority will to pass a bill that marries tort reform with auto insurance rate reform. Auto insurance premiums in Louisiana are too high. We need to take steps to make it more affordable for every citizen.

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