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Louisiana bond commission pulls bank from refinancing deal over gun policy
Louisiana’s State Bond Commission Thursday changed its mind about which bank should handle the refinancing of the $700 million worth of state debt based on the financial institutions’ policies toward gun manufacturers. The Bond Commission unanimously voted to give Wells Fargo the state’s refinancing contract after concerns were raised last month about JPMorgan Chase & […]
Louisiana voters approve income tax changes supported by business community
In a low-turnout election Saturday, Louisiana voters approved an overhaul of Louisiana’s income tax rates and credits that the local business community has sought for years. Constitutional amendment #2 will lower state income tax rates in exchange for lifting a frequently-used tax deduction for paid federal income taxes. It will also reduce the state’s corporate […]
7 things to know about a whistleblower’s lawsuit against Attorney General Landry’s office
A former, high-ranking state prosecutor filed a lawsuit last week against his former boss, Attorney General Jeff Landry, over Landry’s alleged retaliation against the prosecutor for reporting sexual misconduct. Matthew Derbes resigned from the Louisiana Department of Justice, which Landry leads, in April and shortly revealed himself to be a whistleblower who had complained about […]
Louisiana holds statewide election Saturday
Louisiana’s statewide election featuring four constitutional amendments will take place Saturday, Nov. 13. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The constitutional amendments on the ballot are related to tax and state budget policy. If approved, they could impact the collection of sales taxes, income tax rates, state budget spending and […]
Central Louisiana could undergo major political changes during redistricting
Central Louisiana — including Alexandria and the surrounding region– is at risk of potentially losing its current congressional representative and seeing its legislative seats move farther south during the state’s upcoming political redistricting process. But local residents are divided over whether the political changes would be a step in the right direction. The Louisiana Legislature’s […]
Louisiana AG Landry sues Biden administration over federal contractor vaccine rules
Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry on Thursday filed a lawsuit against President Joe Biden’s administration over its COVID-19 vaccine requirement for federal contractors. Several other states attorneys general from the Republican Party have already filed similar lawsuits. Indiana and Mississippi joined Landry in his lawsuit on behalf of Louisiana, which was submitted to a federal […]
Louisiana government hearing on yanking nursing home licenses won’t happen for a year
There will be no ruling on whether nursing homes owner Bob Dean will permanently lose his seven nursing home licenses for more than a year — and the dispute over Dean’s nursing homes ownership will likely drag on for much longer. Louisiana Division of Administrative Law Judge Karla Coreil and attorneys agreed that research and […]
Louisiana’s 2021 Constitutional Amendments: What you need to know
Louisiana voters will consider four constitutional amendments — and little else — in the next election scheduled for Nov. 13. All four amendments would affect Louisiana’s tax policy if passed. The amendments are the only items on the statewide ballot. New Orleans has high-profile elections for city government, but there’s not much else that will […]
13 things to know about Louisiana’s Constitutional Amendment 2: Proposed income tax changes
Louisiana voters will decide whether to make significant changes to the state’s income tax rates and deductions in the election scheduled for Nov. 13. If passed, Constitutional Amendment #2 on Louisiana’s ballot would lower income tax rates in exchange for lifting state income tax deductions that nearly every person filing taxes uses. It would also […]
Louisiana Bond Commission delays refinancing of state debt over ‘gun rights’ questions
Louisiana’s State Bond Commission delayed the refinancing of $700 million worth of the state’s debt Thursday over questions about whether the bank selected to handle the business was friendly enough to people who want to own military-style weapons. State Treasurer John Schroder, who leads the bond commission, pulled two items off the group’s agenda that […]
Shreveport region risks losing elected seats in Louisiana’s political redistricting
SHREVEPORT, La. – Northwest Louisiana residents urged state lawmakers Thursday to draw political boundaries that allow their region to retain the same number of political seats it currently has for the next decade — a challenging task given the area’s population loss. The residents spoke during a public hearing at LSU-Shreveport set up by the […]
Louisiana osteopathic medical school settles with students over COVID-19 vaccine mandate
A northeast Louisiana osteopathic medical college and three of its students who did not want to be vaccinated against COVID-19 have reached a settlement that ensures the students won’t be kept out of classes they need to graduate, according to settlement documents filed in federal court Tuesday. U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty signed off […]