"The governor's package was pretty aggressive," said State Rep. Kenny Havard, R-St. Francisville, about the laws passed in the Louisiana's regular legislative session, which convened March 12 and adjourned June 4.

Havard was the guest of Rotarian Mark Marionneaux and speaker at the Zachary Rotary Club's June 14 meeting.

Havard remarked on some local issues from the session that pertained to Zachary, such as the Extraterritorial Jurisdiction.

The bill gives Zachary additional jurisdiction over developments outside the city but within the city’s school district.

Zachary now has the right to veto City-Parish's Planning & Zoning on developments, Havard said.

Another local issue concerning Zachary was the hotel/motel tax.

"Zachary was giving up 4 percent sales tax revenue generated from the hotel/motel tax," said Havard. "Zachary officials want to keep those funds local and rightly so."

The Baton Rouge Convention and Visitors Bureau officials reached a deal with Zachary that would diffuse any legislative effort to divert a portion of the parish’s hotel occupancy taxes.

Ultimately, the visitors bureau agreed to spend about $35,000 in advertising via billboards, social media and other venues to let tourists know about Zachary related events and attractions. Zachary will receive $15,000 of those advertising funds, Havard said.

Other issues receiving Havard's vote included:

• Senate Bill 330 by Sen. Rick Ward and Senate Bill 708 by Sen. Sharon Broome, protecting the sanctity of human life.

Ward created a specific crime for performing an abortion in Louisiana if the abortionist is not licensed to practice medicine in Louisiana.

-Sen. Broome requires that the fetal heartbeat be made audible and ultrasound images be displayed for optional review prior to an abortion.

•Tougher DWI laws in four areas:

-HB 781 by Rep. Pylant: Officers will use multiple tests to assess a driver’s impairment.

-SB 306 by Sen. Bodi White extends the ten-year period that permits enhanced penalties for repeat DWI offenders.

-SB 485 by Sen. Jonathan Perry makes a detectable amount of illicit drugs in a person’s blood system a contributing factor to vehicular homicide.

-SB 486 Sen. Perry addresses penalties for persons with three DWI offenses enrolled in DWI or drug courts and restricts reinstatement of driving privileges for multiple offenders arrested for a DWI.

• SB 753 by Sen. Dale Erdey restricts certain sex offenders’ access to public libraries.

State Rep. Kenny Havard is over House District 62 which includes the majority of East and West Feliciana parishes and the northwest corner of East Baton Rouge Parish, which includes much of the Zachary area.