Laws

Happy 2nd Amendment Weekend Holiday, everyone! An observance of that name is underway this weekend in Louisiana, thanks to a law signed by Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal in July. It decrees that each year, on the first Friday through Sunday in September, shoppers in the Bayou State shall be exempt from paying state or local taxes on firearms, ammunition or hunting supplies. The law was sponsored by state Sen. Robert Marionneaux Jr., who said in a statement that it will "save families money, boost retailers sales, and help our economy in this worldwide recession where every little bit helps."

On Wyoming's Wind River Indian Reservation, Winslow Friday is preparing to surrender in his long fight with the federal government. The seeds of the conflict were planted four years ago when Friday shot a bald eagle out of a tree. His cousin needed a tail fan for an upcoming Sun Dance, the Northern Arapaho tribe's most important religious ceremony, and Friday wanted to help. So when Friday spotted the bird, he seized his chance. Charged with killing a bald eagle in violation of federal law, Friday had argued that the law hinders the practice of his religion -- a battle closely watched on the reservation.

Ten Republican senators have written to National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Rocco Landesman, expressing concern that the Obama administration may have violated federal law by trying to use the agency for political purposes -- something the White House and NEA have denied. The charges stem from an Aug. 10 teleconference in which the NEA's communications director urged members of the arts community to help Obama's efforts to spur volunteer community service. Yosi Sergant was subsequently demoted by Landesman, and he resigned Thursday because he felt he was becoming a distraction for the agency.

Luz Maria Diaz knew what happened to illegal immigrants at the Wake County jail. But her teenage daughters didn't. So when the girls were arrested after fighting on their high school campus in September, they freely admitted that they were born in Mexico. Detention officers at the jail checked their immigration status and promptly handed them over to federal authorities. Now Diana, 16, and her sister, Yolanda, 18, are battling to stay in the country. "I never thought this could happen . . . for a simple fight," their mother said.

Unable to mediate a settlement with opponents of a football stadium proposed for the city of Industry, the California Senate approved a measure Wednesday that exempts the project from state environmental laws. The action was taken after Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) was unsuccessful in negotiating an agreement that would have a citizens group drop its lawsuit seeking to block the 75,000-seat stadium. The suit alleged that the project violated state environmental laws.

The president of Los Angeles' largest employee retirement system has resigned, becoming the sixth pension appointee of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to quit over the last six months. Eric Holoman stepped down last week from the Los Angeles City Employees' Retirement System board after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a law placing new limits on private financial work performed by publicly appointed pension board members. Holoman is president of Magic Johnson Enterprises. Assemblyman Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina)

Education has long been preached as a way to keep kids away from drugs. It's the walk to school that has Supt. Tom Barnett worried. This hardscrabble Northern California town has become a hotbed for medical marijuana farming. Kids stroll much of the year past pungent plants flourishing in gardens and alleys. The red-and-black-clad Timberjacks football team moved its halftime huddle on a recent Friday night to avoid the odor of marijuana smoke wafting over the gridiron from nearby houses.

Here's how to pitch this (true) story to Hollywood: Ordinary guy named John, ordinary Sunday, cycling home into a setting sun. Monster roars out of the bushes! John abandons his bike, flees in terror. The creature smashes the bicycle, catches him in a few short strides, grabs him by the shirt. But he slides out of his shirt and falls to the ground. It picks him up again and he slips out of his trousers. Naked, too afraid to even to scream, he scrambles away. But he doesn't get far. The shrieking monster smashes him against a tree.

Re "Businesses Press Mayoral Candidates on Tax Issue," Sept. 26: It is reassuring to see Los Angeles city officeholders finally giving business tax reform the attention it deserves. Last June, the business community called for the City Council to enact a package of business tax reforms by Oct. 31 in order to prevent this from becoming a political hot potato. Known as the "3 Rs," the package includes reducing the number of tax rates from 64 to five; removing all businesses grossing less than $100,000 annually from the system; and providing relief for all businesses, 15% to 25% over five years.

Californians must abide by dozens of new state laws taking effect today, including bans on text-messaging while driving, electronic bingo machines and bidding on state contracts by companies that do business with the government of Sudan, which the U.S. has accused of genocide. The California Highway Patrol plans no grace period before enforcing the law that takes effect today prohibiting the use of text-messaging devices -- including cellphones, BlackBerrys and laptop computers -- while driving, according to CHP spokeswoman Fran Clader.