Assuming Governor Edwards signs HB70 into law, front line workers could soon be eligible to receive a onetime payment of $250.00 from the State of Louisiana. The bill, authored democratic house leader Sam Jenkins of Shreveport won unanimous house and senate approval, meaning that all that remains is for Governor Edwards to sign the bill into law. A move that most feel is almost certain.
According to lawmakers, the goal of the payments is to recognize the sacrifices and risks that our front-line workers have endured to keep everyone safe during this pandemic, with a secondary goal of pumping additional money into the economy.
The State will fund the payments out of the $50 million dollars Louisiana is receiving in federal virus aid from Congress. Importantly, as the bill is currently written, the $250 checks will be doled out on a first come first serve basis to those that qualify with a cap of 200,000 such payments.
According to the bill, qualifying front line workers include: grocery store workers, bus drivers, EMS Workers, fire and rescue employees, sanitation workers, janitors, nursing home employees, grocery store and the like. The list is too long to post here, so if you are unsure if you qualify please double check here (https://legis.la.gov/legis/ViewDocument.aspx?d=1184798). In addition to having been employed outside their home as a qualified front line worker during the pandemic, the checks are further limited to those workers whose gross adjusted income is $50,000 or less on their 2019 taxes (or 2018 if not filed).
Please pass along to anyone that you think may qualify, as current projections indicate that once the payments are approved by the Governor, available funds will quickly be expended. Don’t miss out and Stay Safe.