Louisiana flat tax bill clears first hurdle alongside franchise tax repeal [Video]

State lawmakers advanced two major pieces of legislation Thursday that would establish a flat tax on income and fully repeal a tax on large corporations.House Bill 1 and House Bill 3, both sponsored by Rep. Julie Emerson, R-Carencro, cleared the House Ways & Means Committee with overwhelming support from Republicans. Greatly outnumbered in the Legislature, Democrats could mount only three votes in opposition to House Bill 1, which would establish a flat rate on individual income taxes. The opposing votes came from Rep. Marcus Bryant of New Iberia and Reps. Mandie Landry and Rep. Matt Willard of New Orleans. Other Democrats on the committee, Ken Brass of Vacherie, Larry Selders of Baton Rouge and Rashid Young of Homer, voted with Republicans. House Bill 3 advanced with a 17-1 vote, receiving opposition only from Willard. That bill would repeal the corporate franchise tax, which is essentially a tax that mostly large …