Briefs
Technical issues plaguing revenue department as Louisianians apply for aid
The Louisiana Department of Revenue says in a press release that between midnight and 7 a.m. 14,000 residents applied for money set aside for front-line workers who stayed on the job during the pandemic. But since then a “network connectivity issue has affected all applications on the Louisiana Taxpayer Access Point portal, including the frontline […]
Louisiana’s front-line workers can apply for $250 COVID-19 rebates Wednesday
During the recently concluded special session, Louisiana lawmakers passed a bill introduced by Rep. Sam Jenkins (D-Shreveport) that allows essential employees who kept working through the COVID-19 pandemic to apply for $250 in aid. The application process, the Louisiana Department of Revenue has announced, begins Wednesday. Louisianians who earn less than $50,000 annually and who worked […]
BESE meets Tuesday afternoon to discuss new COVID-19 guidelines
The Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, July 14 to create emergency rules and guidelines that “provide minimum standards, policies, medical exceptions and regulations to govern the reopening of the schools for the 2020 school year,” said BESE President Sandy Holloway.” The meeting is being held […]
Health equity task force to create dashboard to provide COVID-19 data
The Louisiana Covid-19 Health Equity Task Force is creating a dashboard that will allow Louisiana residents to access information related to racial inequities in the state’s health care system. That dashboard, which was discussed at a Friday afternoon meeting of the task force, is meant for residents, policymakers and community leaders and will, its members […]
Vice President Mike Pence to visit Baton Rouge Tuesday to discuss Louisiana’s COVID-19 response
Louisiana, especially the Baton Rouge area, has seen a disturbing spike in COVID-19 cases, which has caused the federal government to make the capital city one of three cities nationwide where it’s adding 5,000 COVID-19 tests a day. Vice President Mike Pence, who leads the federal government’s coronavirus task force, will travel to Baton Rouge […]
Sen. Bill Cassidy encourages Louisianians to wear masks and keep their distance
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy posted a COVID-19 update on his campaign website Friday that calls for Louisianians to wear masks to help slow down the spread of the novel coronavirus and decrease the number of people getting sick. Cassidy is a gastroenterologist who worked and taught at the charity hospital in Baton Rouge and co-founded […]
Louisiana COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force to hold public meeting Friday
A task force established by Gov. John Bel Edwards to help address the racial disparities apparent in Louisiana’s COVID-19 death toll will hold a meeting that the public can watch online at 2 p.m. Friday afternoon. The Louisiana COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force has submitted a report to Edwards that makes recommendations on how to […]
Two Louisiana law school clinics join ACLU of Louisiana’s effort to curb racist policing
In Episode 2 of the Louisiana Illuminator podcast, Kenneth Polite, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana, talks to host Julie O’Donoghue about the decision made by Morgan Lewis law firm, where Polite is a partner, to join with 17 other firms and the ACLU of Louisiana to help people file lawsuits related […]
Office of Motor Vehicles locations closed after employee tests positive for COVID-19
Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles locations in Alexandria, Lafayette, Monroe and Shreveport were added to a list of previously closed locations Monday after an OMV employee tested positive for COVID-19. Karen St. Germain, commissioner of the Louisiana OMV said in a news release that the employee in question was serving in an administrative role and, […]
Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott requires residents to wear masks in public
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered residents of the state to wear masks in public Thursday, July 2. Abbott’s order takes effect Friday, July 3, at noon, and repeat offenders risk being fined $250. “Wearing a face covering in public is proven to be one of the most effective ways we have to slow the spread […]
Baton Rouge the latest Louisiana jurisdiction to require face masks
Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome announced on Twitter Wednesday afternoon her plan to sign an executive order mandating face coverings for people inside businesses. Broome follows New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng who have already issued mask mandates for their jurisdictions, . “COVID-19 presents a clear and present […]
Caddo Parish grand jury accuses 8 Shreveport police officers of using excessive force
A week after the Louisiana Legislature agreed to study police abuse in Louisiana, a grand jury in Caddo Parish handed up indictments against eight Shreveport police officers who booked two men on drug and weapons charges and running from the police Jan. 24. Caddo Parish District Attorney James E. Stewart said in a Tuesday press […]