Despite Hurricane Ike, the PJAL has conducted four of its seven planned Region Meetings.  Regions I & II held a joint meeting on Sept. 25th, Region VI held its meeting on Sept. 30th, Region V held its meeting on Oct. 4th, and Region IV held its meeting on October 3rd.  We are in the process of issuing press releases on each, which can be accessed through the button above.  Still to come are rescheduled meetings for Regions III, VII, & VIII.

The PJAL & LMA have filed a Joint Petition to have the recently adopted cable bill (Act 433 of the 2008 RS) declared unconstitutional.  The basis of the suit is Art. VII § 15 of the LA Constitution.  It prohibits the Legislature from authorizing the extinguishment of an obligation owed by a person to a parish or municipality. Act 433 authorizes cable companies to unilaterally terminate (or "opt-out of") existing cable franchise agreements.  These are contracts the companies signed with the municipality or parish.  An agreement has been reached by the parties to the litigation to suspend this opt-out provision of the Act until a trial provisionally set for October 20th.  Due to a scheduling conflict the consolidated hearing on the Preliminary Injunction, Permanent Injunction and Declaratory Judgment has been tentatively set for Oct. 27th.  Judge Clark of the 19th JDC in Baton Rouge agreed to sign the order setting the hearing and temporarily suspending the "opt-out" provision of Act 433, thereby barring existing cable companies from nullifying existing cable franchise agreements. 

Also it appears as though the City of Alexandria may file suit on its own within a week or so, as well as intervene in the PJAL & LMA suit. See Town Talk article.