Louisiana Politics & News
Louisiana politics from The Daily Signal, covering state legislation, energy policy, disaster response, and the Pelican State’s unique political culture and economic challenges.
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Texas, Louisiana Can Exclude Planned Parenthood From Medicaid Funding, Court Rules
Texas and Louisiana may exclude Planned Parenthood clinics from Medicaid funding, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday. “Undercover video plainly showed Planned Parenthood admitting to morally bankrupt and unlawful conduct, including violations of federal law by manipulating the timing and methods of abortions to obtain fetal tissue for their own research,” Texas…Mary Margaret Olohan -
Louisiana Passes Amendment Saying There Is No Constitutional Right to Abortion
Louisiana voters passed an amendment to the state constitution Tuesday evening establishing that there is no constitutional right to an abortion. The New York Times reported that 62% of Louisiana voters supported Amendment 1, “Love Life Amendment,” an amendment stating that nothing in the Louisiana state constitution protects the right to abortion or abortion funding. Louisiana also has a…Mary Margaret Olohan -
Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Protect Louisiana Abortion Regulations
The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to protect a contested Louisiana law that requires abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. An abortion clinic and two physicians challenging the law, called Act 620, warn that two of Louisiana’s three abortion clinics will close if the regulation takes effect. On Thursday,…Kevin Daley -
Democratic Louisiana Lawmaker Defends State’s Abortion Ban
Bucking her party’s fervently pro-choice stance on abortion at the national level, a Democratic state lawmaker in Louisiana is hailing that state’s enactment of legislation that would prohibit abortion after detection of a fetal heartbeat. Appearing on “The Story with Martha MacCallum” Monday on the Fox News Channel, Louisiana state Rep. Katrina Jackson said a…Joshua Q. Nelson -
How Louisiana Undermined Its Own School Choice Program
“You couldn’t learn. There was so much bullying. Kids are bullying the other kids and they’re bullying you,” said Willie Augustus, who was relentlessly bullied in his public school in Louisiana. His parents unsuccessfully fought with the school board to address the school bullying. Eventually, they applied for and received a voucher for Willie to…Jude Schwalbach -
Supreme Court Halts Louisiana Abortion Law—for Now
Late Thursday night, the Supreme Court put on hold a Louisiana law that would require abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of their clinic. The Louisiana law was introduced by state Rep. Katrina Jackson, a Democrat, and passed overwhelmingly in the state’s House of Representatives and Senate in 2014…Elizabeth Slattery -
Court Upholds Louisiana Law Requiring Abortion Doctors to Have Admitting Privileges With Nearby Hospitals
Louisiana upheld a law Wednesday mandating that abortion facilities in the state have admitting privileges at local hospitals. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans ruled 2-1 to uphold a law requiring abortion doctors to have privileges with hospitals within 30 miles of the abortion clinic so the doctor might admit a…Grace Carr -
How Louisiana Stood Up to the Anti-Gun Corporate Elite
The state of Louisiana recently held some members of the corporate social police accountable for discriminating against law-abiding Americans. By a vote of 7-6, the State Bond Commission excluded Citigroup and Bank of America from the running for a lucrative state contract. Our reason for doing so: these corporations had introduced bank policies that restrict…Jeff Landry -
Senate Confirms ‘the Neil Gorsuch of Louisiana’ to High-Ranking Federal Bench
The Senate voted 50-47 on Tuesday to confirm all-star appellate lawyer Kyle Duncan to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Duncan is President Donald Trump’s 15th circuit court nominee to be confirmed since taking office. Dubbed by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry as “the Neil Gorsuch of Louisiana,” Duncan is currently a lawyer in private…Tiffany Bates -
Louisiana Is Leading on Long-Overdue Criminal Justice Reform
Louisiana has joined the growing ranks of states that have embraced comprehensive criminal justice reform. The Pelican State passed a reform package in June 2017 with strong bipartisan support, and will pursue additional reforms over the next year. These reforms are designed to reduce recidivism, improve public safety, and invest in proven re-entry programs while…Daniel Erspamer -
Louisiana’s Kyle Duncan, Trump’s Superb Choice for the 5th Circuit
A legal powerhouse from Louisiana with a history of championing religious freedom is among President Donald Trump’s outstanding nominees for federal judgeships. Kyle Duncan is one of Trump’s excellent picks for the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals as the president works to reshape the federal courts by announcing slate after slate of his choices to…Ed Meese -
Louisiana Democrats Purge Thomas Jefferson, the Man Who Acquired Louisiana
The latest in what has become an all too common crusade to wipe great American historical figures from places of honor and memory, the Louisiana Democratic Party has announced that it will change the name of its annual “Jefferson-Jackson” dinner to the bland and unremarkable True Blue Gala. Louisiana Democrats joined many other state parties…Jarrett Stepman -
I’m From Louisiana. Here’s the Flooding Story the Media Should Cover.
As a south Louisiana native who lived through Hurricane Katrina, I have every right to be aggravated with the national news coverage of the state’s latest natural disaster. Due to massive flooding over the last week, one-third of the state’s parishes (called counties everywhere else) are official federal disaster areas. The population for those parishes…Norbert Michel -
Louisiana Republicans Move to Punish ‘Sanctuary’ Cities
Louisiana Republicans and the state’s attorney general are aiming to deter cities and localities from having “sanctuary” immigration policies by threatening to withhold funding from those that do. While the designation of a “sanctuary city” is informal, it generally refers to jurisdictions where local officials refuse to fulfill requests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement…Josh Siegel -
Judge Issues Temporary Restraining Order Preventing Louisiana From Defunding Planned Parenthood
A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal from defunding Planned Parenthood in the state. “Planned Parenthood is engaging in classic misdirection regarding the millions they have repaid in Medicaid fraud and their own admissions in the baby parts trafficking videos,” Mike Reed, Jindal’s communications director, said in a…Kate Scanlon -
‘Planned Parenthood Is Flailing’: Bobby Jindal Fights Back After Louisiana Sued for Terminating Medicaid Contract
Planned Parenthood announced it will sue Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal for terminating its Medicaid contract with the state. “Planned Parenthood is flailing,” said Mike Reed, Jindal’s communications director, in a statement to The Daily Signal. “This lawsuit is without merit and the state will aggressively defend our right to cancel the contract.” The lawsuit is…Kate Scanlon -
The Taxpayer-Funded Louisiana Co-Op Created Under Obamacare Has Collapsed
Just two years after Obamacare’s implementation, a Louisiana nonprofit insurer that received nearly $66 million in taxpayer-funded loans is closing its doors. On Friday, the Louisiana Department of Insurance announced that the state’s consumer operated and oriented plan, or co-op, would be discontinuing its operations at the end of 2015. Louisiana’s is the second co-op…Melissa Quinn -
Watch Louisiana Senate Hopefuls Score Job Performance of Obama, Jindal in the Same Sentence
President Obama and Gov. Bobby Jindal took a beating last night from Louisiana’s three leading U.S. Senate candidates. At their first debate, incumbent Democrat Mary Landrieu, Republican challenger Rep. Bill Cassidy and Rob Maness, a retired Air Force veteran also running as a Republican, squared off over health care, Social Security and climate change. The…Kelsey Bolar -
Bobby Jindal Suit Says Obama ‘Scheme’ Forced Common Core Education Standards on Louisiana, Other States
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal today sued the Obama administration over Common Core, contending that federal officials unlawfully coerced Louisiana and other states into adopting the increasingly unpopular national education standards. “The federal government has hijacked and destroyed the Common Core initiative,” Jindal said in a prepared statement. The lawsuit, filed this morning by the Republican governor…Kelsey Bolar -
EPA Regs Likely to Kill 68-Year-Old Louisiana Peach Orchard
RUSTON, La. — Peach orchards at Mitcham Farms, near the north Louisiana city of Ruston, have survived winter freezes, droughts and dangerous hail storms. But they evidently will not survive the Environmental Protection Agency and its regulations. The family-owned business, established in 1946 and featured in tourism magazines, is Louisiana’s largest peach orchard,according to its…Chris Butler