News
Supreme Court admissions case could upend environmental justice laws
In recent years, more states have crafted environmental justice policies to help communities of color plagued by polluted air and water, poor health outcomes and limited access to green space. But now they fear that work could be upended by a pair of pending U.S. Supreme Court cases examining affirmative action admissions policies at universities. If the court […]
Lawmakers need more info before choosing Capitol police chief
A panel of Louisiana lawmakers interviewed three finalists Tuesday for the new Capitol police chief, but they are not ready to make a choice yet. The Capitol Security Council, which consists of House and Senate members, met almost exclusively in executive session to conduct the interviews. Senate President Page Cortez said afterward lawmakers need more […]
Raphael Warnock wins U.S. Senate runoff, giving Democrats a 51-seat majority
ATLANTA – Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock will return to Washington to represent Georgia for the next six years after winning his Senate runoff Tuesday, handing Senate Democrats a coveted 51st seat. The Associated Press called the race at 10:26 p.m. Tuesday. By early Wednesday morning, Warnock had 51.3% of the vote, edging out Republican […]
New law prompts 600-plus requests for pre-adoption birth certificates
Since a new law took effect in August, the Louisiana Vital Records Registry has processed more than 500 requests for original birth certificates from adults who were adopted as children. With access to these official documents, they can learn the identity of their birth parents – information that was previously withheld unless adoptees were willing […]
Talks over protecting Dreamers pick up in Congress, but agreement still elusive
WASHINGTON — In a last-minute push, U.S. senators are working on a bipartisan agreement to create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented people who were brought to the United States as children. But the success of any major immigration deal appears unlikely, as a lame-duck session of Congress dwindles into its last days. Democrats are […]
Decision day: Georgia’s whirlwind U.S. Senate runoff comes to a dramatic close
ATLANTA – When the sun rises Wednesday morning, Georgians will hopefully know who will represent them in the U.S. Senate for the next six years. Democrats are hoping to elect incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock and end their year on a happy note. Though the party outperformed expectations nationwide, just narrowly losing control of the U.S. […]
Public Service Commission runoff draws Black Democrats to the polls
Early voting for the Dec. 10 general election has disproportionately drawn Democrats to the polls for a Louisiana Public Service Commission runoff, according to figures from the Secretary of State. The race for the District 3 Public Service Commission seat between incumbent Lambert Boissiere III and challenger Davante Lewis has become the headliner in an […]
LPB to air two-part documentary about Louisiana history, culture
“Why Louisiana Ain’t Mississippi… Or Any Place Else!” That’s the apt name of Louisiana Public Broadcasting’s new, two-part documentary running next week that producers describe as a whirlwind tour of Louisiana’s history. Louisiana Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne inspired the program. A former secretary of state and lieutenant governor, Dardenne has traveled the state giving […]
DCFS survey shows workers with high caseloads, lack of supervisor support
A large portion of Louisiana’s child welfare workers say they remain passionate about the work they do, but nearly half aren’t satisfied with their jobs. The revelations come from a survey of more than 800 state employees in the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), an agency under scrutiny following the deaths of three […]
Despite FTX fallout, some U.S. House members still skeptical about crypto regulation
Nearly nine months after a bipartisan group of U.S. House members sent a letter questioning the Securities and Exchange Commission’s investigation into cryptocurrencies, including the failed FTX exchange, the lawmakers are maintaining their position that the agency’s approach to regulating crypto is deeply flawed. In public comments since FTX’s collapse last month, the congressmen, led […]
Here’s when drug prices will start to decrease for Medicare recipients
Starting next month, a $35 cap on insulin prices will go into effect for millions of Medicare recipients. The lower pricing is one of the first of several policy measures Americans will see in the coming months and years under the Inflation Reduction Act signed into law in August. The bill also requires pharmaceutical companies […]
Pride flags and ‘safe space’ stickers: Signal of student safety or political speech?
OMAHA, Nebraska — Some local parents and students consider a pride flag or “safe space” stickers displayed in a handful of Omaha suburban high school classrooms as inappropriately political. But these symbols aren’t political to local LGBTQ students. To them, these handheld flags, stickers and supportive posters help them feel accepted and safe. That is […]