Bill aims to cut meeting costs that reach thousands annually

BATON ROUGE - State senators are trying to trim the costs of a legislative agency that spends thousands of dollars each year on meetings at a swanky New Orleans hotel.The Louisiana State Law Institute, which studies legal issues for the Legislature, regularly holds meetings of its decision-making council at the Monteleone Hotel in New Orleans.A financial tally of expenses for seven meetings within the last nine months show they have cost nearly $175,000.Port Allen Sen. Rick Ward wants two-thirds