Committee approves cockfighting bill

Here:

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- A state Senate committee unanimously approved a ban on cockfighting on Tuesday, a surprising vote from a panel that has killed many such bills in past years.

The vote came after Sen. Art Lentini, the bill's sponsor, pushed for its passage by arguing that cockfighting is a "barbaric embarrassment" to Louisiana, a form of entertainment that fuels illegal gambling. Lentini attributed the bill's easy passage to senators' awareness that the Legislature is the focus of newfound attention, from around the world, since Hurricane Katrina.

"I think a lot of public officials are concerned about portraying a good image now," said Lentini, R-Metairie.

It's about time.

We aren't out of the woods yet. Write your representative and insist on this bill's passage. Let the title of Cruelest State go to New Mexico, where cockfighting is still legal.