Letter to House Committee on Civil Law & Procedure

House Committee on Civil Law and Procedure

Committee chairman

Mr. Ray Garofalo, R-Chalmette

Dear Mr. Garofalo - would you be so kind as to notify me of the date and time House Bill 453 by rep. Neil Abramson will be considered in committee?

Regarding House Bill 453 , if I understand the issue correctly, the La. State Bar Association (LSBA) has decided non-lawyer notaries should pay money to help fund the bar association's program to pay attorney fees for people too poor to hire a lawyer, but who need lawyers to help them with civil legal matters.

The cause may be a worthy one, but the services the bar association is providing under the program are not within the scope of notary functions in Louisiana.

It appears unseemly that LSBA is advocating for a bill requiring others to pay, while exempting themselves from its very provisions.

It occurs to me that the requirement for Non-Notaries to fund the bar association's program is not much different than if I personally feel the desire to help the needy with affordable housing, but then seek out Habitat for Humanity and volunteer not me, but “someone else”, and then require that someone else to spend their time and money over the week end building houses.

Respectfully,

Brian J. Rhinehart

brian_rhinehart@outlook.com