Jeff Everson, Regional Representative for Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA).

The Louisiana Rental Dealers Association conference wrapped Wednesday. The highlight of the day was a presentation by Jeff Everson, Regional Representative for Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA).

Everson discussed the current status of the proposed Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act, introduced by Senator Landrieu. He also and discussed a proposal to partner with LRDA in the Computers for Kids program to close the digital divide in the Mississippi Delta.

Prior to joining Senator Landrieu's staff, Everson served as the Director of Development for the Alliance for Education, a non-profit organization in North West Louisiana.

Play video at left to view Everson's presentation in its entirety.

Excerpts: Jeff Everson, Regional Representative for Senator Mary Landrieu, presentation to LRDA 3-23-2008.

"You have the full support of the Louisiana delegation for senate bill S.1012 (The Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act introduced by Landrieu). The bill is in a bit of a holding pattern right now. In an election year, people are hesitant to sign on to any legislation that is industry specific.

More new video interviews from the 2008 LRDA conference:
	New - Dan Mathews, President, Texas Association of Rental Agencies
	New- John Poulos, Member Services Coordinator for Nationwide Southwest/RentDirect
	New - James Stephens, LRDA member and ColorTyme franchisee
From Tuesday
	Jeff White, President of the Louisiana Rental Dealers Association
	Dave Andrew, HR Manager for Affordable Home Furnishings, Louisiana's largest independent rent to own company

There are are a few bills in the banking committee that are a bit divisive and they're a lot bigger. Your bill is not being ignored. Any momentum you can build will help. Its not so much that you need to convince elected officials that the bill is good, most of them already believe that. You need to convince them that their voters believe it.

Jeff White (president of LRDA) has done a great job bringing the association back to being an involved part of the political landscape in Louisiana. The Rent to Own industry is something that not only provides jobs, but also economic development and investment where it's needed. There are a few people on the banking committee that are making it a little hard right now. One of the ways that we can draw attention to some of the good the industry does is Computers for kids. The organization partners with disadvantaged schools that needs computers.

The Mississippi delta, the northeast region of the state, is one of the largest example of the digital divide in the entire nation. Just a few years ago only 10-12% of the people used the internet. Through the Computers for Kids Program, Senator Landrieu is partnering with local and state organizations to make the biggest impact possible.

This program shows that the culture of "giving back" permeates the rent-to-own industry. By taking on the challenge of closing the digital divide in the Mississippi Delta, it singles you out as an industry that is truly trying to make a difference in that region."