News
‘Hunger-free campus’ program for Louisiana colleges advances in Legislature
Louisiana college students struggling with hunger could soon get support from their universities. House Bill 888, which establishes the “Hunger-Free Campus” program, advanced Wednesday from the state Senate Education Committee. According to a HOPE Center survey, four out of 10 Louisiana college students reported being food insecure, which the federal government defines as someone in […]
Louisiana legislative leaders steer millions of dollars in pet projects to their own parishes
A state senator’s nonprofit organization has been allocated $1.5 million. The booster club for an East Baton Rouge high school is getting $1.1 million. Catholic churches in St. Martin Parish will receive a combined $170,000, and a Shreveport group devoted to roses will get $100,000. These are just a few of the $104.2 million in […]
Top Texas Republicans push for more armed teachers, police after Uvalde shooting
In the hours after a gunman killed more than 20 people at a South Texas elementary school Tuesday, the state’s top Republicans sought to immediately squelch the possibility of gun control measures in the wake of yet another mass shooting. As the death toll mounted from the shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde and President […]
Lawmaker seeking to end Confederate holidays in Louisiana says he’s received death threats
The New Orleans lawmaker who wants to end official state recognition of Confederate holidays in Louisiana told his colleagues that he has received death threats over the proposal. House Bill 248, authored by Rep. Matthew Willard, would remove Robert E. Lee Day and Confederate Memorial Day from the state’s legal holiday calendar. The bill has […]
Commission recommends new names for 9 Army bases to end ties to Confederacy
WASHINGTON — The group in charge of renaming military installations that have continued to honor Confederates released its recommendations for nine bases on Tuesday. The Naming Commission, created by Congress in a defense authorization bill, is set to give its final report to the U.S. House and Senate Armed Services committees before Oct. 1, though […]
Bill to give adoptees access to birth certificates advances to Senate floor
Some lawmakers call it the most difficult piece of legislation they have ever considered. A bill that would allow adopted people to obtain their original birth certificates when they reach age 24 cleared a Senate committee Tuesday but not without hours of debate. House Bill 450, filed by Rep. Charles Owen, R-Rosepine, cleared the Senate […]
Who is Sgt. William Henry Johnson, the recommended new namesake for Fort Polk?
The Naming Commission has recommended updating Fort Polk, named after a Confederate Army commander, to honor World War I legend Sgt. William Henry Johnson. (Department of Defense photo)
Summer hurricanes, wildfires and storms loom as FEMA faces pressure to step up
WASHINGTON — Another grueling summer disaster season is arriving, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency is under intense pressure even as its portfolio balloons, it pleads for more money from Congress and criticism comes on several fronts. The agency manages more than 300 disaster declarations a year, a dramatic increase from the average of 108 […]
NOAA forecasts busy Atlantic hurricane season, with at least 3 major storms
WASHINGTON — The 2022 Atlantic hurricane season is predicted to be the seventh in a row with an above-normal number of storms, according to a forecast the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released Tuesday. NOAA administrator Rick Spinrad said the agency expects there will be between 14 and 21 named storms, with six to 10 […]
Louisiana lawmakers ponder gasoline stockpile for hurricanes
Louisiana already has 1 million gallons of fuel available if needed for its hurricane response efforts. State lawmakers are considering setting aside another 4 million gallons to address critical shortages in the wake of major storms. Rep. Daryl Deshotel, R-Hessmer, has proposed the Louisiana Strategic Fuel Reserve in House Bill 1057. It calls for the […]
Louisiana lawmakers approve study of university tenure policy
The House gave final passage Monday to a resolution to study tenure policies at universities in Louisiana. Senate Concurrent Resolution 6, sponsored by Sen. Stewart Cathey, R-Monroe, creates the Task Force on Tenure in Postsecondary Education. The task force would report back to lawmakers with suggestions on changing tenure policies in the state. The resolution […]
Louisiana House approves CROWN Act to end natural hairstyle discrimination
Louisiana students and workers may soon be protected from discrimination based on their hairstyle. House Bill 1083, authored by Rep. Candace Newell, D-New Orleans, would include “skin color, facial characteristics, hair texture, natural hairstyles and protective hairstyles” as traits protected against discrimination in Louisiana. The bill passed in the Louisiana House by a 74-24 vote. […]