Louisiana lawmakers are bogged down in the minutia of passing ethics reform legislation.
Governor Bobby Jindal wants to do away with expensive dinners and other freebies, as well as require lawmakers, and their spouses, to disclose their sources of income.
Lawmakers say they're for ethics reform. But many are fighting some of the reform ideas.
Some argue there's no need to disclose the income of spouses. Others say that they receive free tickets all the time from constituents who genuinely want them to attend a certain event-- an event that they wouldn't attend otherwise.
Many lobbyists are also watching the session. Some feel that the ethics reform ideas will just make their jobs tougher, but will not discourage people from breaking the rules. They add-- there's nothing in the session that will prevent big business in the state from influencing top elected officials.
Are lawmakers going to pass needed reforms? Or will the new ethics rules just be window dressing?