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Louisiana House OKs carrying concealed firearms without a permit
The Louisiana House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday that would allow adults to carry a concealed firearm without a license. House Bill 131, sponsored by Rep. Danny McCormick, R-Oil City, was approved on a 70-29 vote. Several conservative Democrats supported the bill, while several moderate Republicans opposed it. The bill is similar to one […]
Controversial library bill clears final committee, goes next to Louisiana House
The Louisiana House Education Committee advanced a controversial bill Tuesday that seeks to restrict minors’ access to material it defines as sexually explicit, possibly putting it one step away from final legislative approval. Senate Bill 7, by Sen. Heather Cloud, R-Turkey Creek, would require libraries to create a card system so parents could prevent their […]
What the House Republican budget proposal means for higher education
Near midnight Thursday, LSU students received a “shots fired” text from university police. The next morning, they awoke to the news that a man had been shot and killed at an apartment building next to campus. Such occurrences are becoming increasingly common for the state’s flagship campus, where the academic year began with a kidnapping, […]
Employee medical marijuana use protected in advancing proposal
The House Labor Committee advanced a bill Thursday that would protect employees who use medical marijuana from being disqualified from receiving unemployment benefits. House Bill 351, sponsored by Rep. Mandie Landry, D-New Orleans, barely passed the committee on a 6-5 vote, with several committee members agreeing to support the bill based on Landry’s promise to […]
Louisiana ballot initiative proposal dies in committee
The Louisiana House and Governmental Affairs Committee shot down a proposal Wednesday to create a statewide ballot initiative and referendum process. House Bill 165, proposed by Rep. Mandie Landry, D-New Orleans, would have put a constitutional amendment before voters this fall asking if they wanted a process that would allow the public to put issues […]
Louisiana legislative committee advances permitless carry gun bill
With no Democrats present, the Louisiana House Criminal Justice Committee advanced a controversial bill to allow any adult to carry a concealed handgun without a license. House Bill 131, sponsored by Rep. Danny McCormick, R-Oil City, was approved on a 8-1 vote, with committee Chair Rep. Joe Marino, I-Gretna, being the sole member opposed. The […]
Louisiana House passes ban on gender affirming healthcare for minors
The Louisiana House of Representatives approved a bill Tuesday that would ban gender affirming healthcare for transgender youth. House Bill 463, by Rep. Gabe Firment, R-Pollock, passed on a 71-24 vote. Rep. Joe Stagni, R-Kenner opposed the bill, while several Democratic lawmakers supported it. The bill was passed with enough votes to withstand a potential […]
Gov. Foster’s ballot initiative dream gets another shot with Rep. Mandie Landry
What do former U.S. Sen. David Vitter and state Rep. Mandie Landry have in common? It’s something the pair shares with former Gov. Mike Foster, Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne, Grambling State University President Rick Gallot, former Public Service Commissioner Charles DeWitt and former state Sen. Norby Chabert. Every member of this bipartisan group was […]
Louisiana Senate approves restrictions on children’s library access
The Louisiana Senate approved a proposal Monday that would limit children’s access to library material. The vote took place without any lawmakers voicing opposition to what up until now has been a controversial proposal. Senate Bill 7, by Sen. Heather Cloud, R-Turkey Creek, would require libraries to create a card system so parents could prevent […]
Louisiana House advances bill to prohibit COVID-19 vaccine requirement for schools
The Louisiana House of Representatives gave final passage to a bill that would prohibit schools from requiring students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a requirement for attendance. House Bill 182, sponsored by Rep. Kathy Edmonston, R-Gonzales, would apply to both public and private schools from the K-12 to university level. No public K-12 schools […]
Louisiana governor says anti-LGBTQ+ bills will increase trans suicides
Gov. John Bel Edwards raised concerns that a recent onslaught of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation would have a negative impact on the already high suicide rate for transgender Louisianians. “Members of this community believe they’re being attacked for who they are,” Edwards said. “Members of the the trans community are much more likely than other young people […]
Bill to allow library board members to be fired without cause killed in committee
A Louisiana legislative committee killed a controversial bill that would have allowed parish library board members to be dismissed without cause. House Bill 25, sponsored by Rep. Paul Hollis, R-Covington, sought to codify an opinion Attorney General Jeff Landry issued that posited members of parish library boards could be fired at the will of the […]