Legislative
Services for people with disabilities could be eliminated under Landry budget plan
Programs for medically vulnerable children, seniors and people with disabilities could be eliminated next year as a result of Louisiana’s looming budget deficit, officials with Gov. Jeff Landry’s administration said Friday.
Shreveport lawmaker fought ethics board for years before authoring new ethics laws
Freshman state legislators typically promise to bring back more money to their districts or to pursue broader policy. But the very first two bills Rep. Steven Jackson, D-Shreveport, authored during his first regular session in the Louisiana Legislature had an unusual target for a new lawmaker: Louisiana’s Board of Ethics. Jackson’s first bill reduces how […]
New Louisiana law that undoes mug shot restrictions can affect livelihoods, advocates say
A new law in Louisiana undoes the progress the state has made in restricting the release of mug shots for people accused of non-violent crimes, say criminal justice reform advocates and the New Orleans public defenders’ office. Act 281, signed by Gov. Jeff Landry, went into effect Aug. 1 and essentially repeals a 2022 measure […]
Misinformation clouds legislative hearing on solar energy development in Louisiana
Even in Louisiana, where fossil fuels have long been the dominant energy source, utilities and industrial power users continue to place more emphasis on tapping a renewable power supply — whether forced to do so by regulators or driven by environmental reasons. The Legislature has been asked to consider policy to pave the way for […]
Louisiana’s fortified roof grant program carries over millions in unspent funds
The Louisiana Department of Insurance is preparing to launch its second year of the fortified roof grant program with at least $10 million leftover in unspent money. The Louisiana Fortify Homes Program, which offers $10,000 to homeowners who install hurricane-resistant roofs on their houses, is approaching its one-year anniversary from when the first application period […]
A look at how federal plans could make the costs of housing more affordable
As renters and would-be homeowners struggle with the high cost of housing, the Biden administration has announced policies to address this strain on household budgets. That includes $100 million in funding for a program to incentivize affordable housing production and streamlining loan application processes to expedite building more housing. Some of those proposals – such […]
Benched Baton Rouge judge accepted $14,000 stipend just before investigation
A Baton Rouge judge who’s been removed from conducting trials while under investigation for alleged misconduct has accepted a hefty pay stipend just before her suspension. The same bonus was made available to all Louisiana judges, thanks to the largesse of legislators who’ve routinely boosted the judiciary’s pay. This one’s been under scrutiny because judges […]
Louisiana senator wants controversial definition of antisemitism in state law
A Louisiana state lawmaker plans to introduce legislation that would enshrine a controversial definition of antisemitism in law in response to increased tension on college campuses. Sen. Valarie Hodges, R-Denham Springs, plans to introduce the legislation in the regular session next year that would use the working definition of anti-semitism the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance […]
Louisiana lawmaker who authored bill to reduce politicians’ ethics fines has racked up her own
The Baton Rouge lawmaker who pushed through a new state law to reduce fines for political candidates who don’t file campaign finance reports on time has failed to submit her own paperwork properly several times over the 15 years she has been in public office. State Rep. Denise Marcelle, a Democrat, missed deadlines to turn […]
Struggle for control of Congress intensifies as presidential contest shifts
WASHINGTON — The 2024 battle for control of Congress centers on just a handful of Senate races and about two dozen House seats, putting considerable pressure on those candidates to win over voters as party leaders and super PACs funnel millions of dollars into their campaigns. The incumbents representing those states and congressional districts will […]
Louisiana leads nation in broadband expansion, but some don’t dig the success
Louisiana has led the nation for its quick rollout and management of federal broadband grants and is about to spearhead the country’s largest ever infrastructure investment to bring affordable high-speed internet to every corner of the state. But not everyone is celebrating the state’s success. At a legislative hearing Monday, state lawmakers discussed policy ideas […]
How big is Louisiana’s budget deficit next year? It depends on teacher pay.
Louisiana’s official state budget deficit estimate for the next fiscal year has shrunk from $558.8 million to $338.9 million, but mostly because stipends for school teachers and support staff have been left out of the more recent calculation. The $338.9 million projection assumes Gov. Jeff Landry and state lawmakers will not renew a $2,000 stipend […]