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Louisiana Illuminator
U.S. Rep. Garret Graves reverses course, says he won’t run for another term
After finding himself boxed in by fellow Republican Gov. Jeff Landry and the Louisiana Legislature, U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge, announced Friday he won’t seek another term in Congress. “After much input from constituents, consultation with supporters, consensus from family, and guidance from the Almighty, it is clear that running for Congress this year […] The post U.S. Rep. Garret Graves reverses course, says he won’t run for another term appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
U.S. Supreme Court overturns ban on bump stocks used in Las Vegas mass shooting
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday struck down a rule enacted following a 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas that defined a semiautomatic rifle equipped with a bump stock attachment as a machine gun, which is generally prohibited under federal law. The opinion, written by Justice Clarence Thomas, reduces the executive branch’s already-limited […] The post U.S. Supreme Court overturns ban on bump stocks used in Las Vegas mass shooting appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Gov. Landry enacts law that lets officials ignore public records requests
Gov. Jeff Landry has signed into law a bill that allows government officials to ignore the state’s public records law without consequence. House Bill 768, sponsored by Rep. Les Farnum, R-Sulphur, removes all personal liability from the records custodian of a government agency who unreasonably withholds records or fails to respond to a public records […] The post Gov. Landry enacts law that lets officials ignore public records requests appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Industry, clean power groups breath a sigh of relief as Senate approves energy regulators
Three nominees by President Joe Biden to serve on the nation’s top energy regulatory panel, which had risked losing a quorum, were approved this week by the U.S. Senate. The vote to approve the new members — two Democrats and a Republican — for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission was cheered by industry, renewable power […] The post Industry, clean power groups breath a sigh of relief as Senate approves energy regulators appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
States struggle to help patients navigate insurance hurdle known as ‘step therapy’
Cassidy Yermal, 32, began experiencing debilitating migraines when she was 17 years old. As a teenager growing up in northeastern Pennsylvania, she saw numerous neurologists and tried a variety of medications before finding one that provided relief. In 2022, her new insurer asked her to prove it. Yermal now lives in Marlboro, Maryland, where she’s […] The post States struggle to help patients navigate insurance hurdle known as ‘step therapy’ appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Trump claims ‘great unity’ after talks with congressional GOP
WASHINGTON — In his first visit to Capitol Hill since leaving office in January 2021, former President Donald J. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, mapped campaign strategy with GOP lawmakers and projected party unity ahead of the November elections. Trump said the meetings brought “great unity.” Surrounded by Republican senators who were smiling and applauding him […] The post Trump claims ‘great unity’ after talks with congressional GOP appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
U.S. Senate Republicans reject Democrats’ bill on IVF protections
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Democrats’ attempts to bolster reproductive rights failed again Thursday when Republicans blocked a bill guaranteeing access to in vitro fertilization from moving forward. The 48-47 procedural vote came just one day after Republicans tried unsuccessfully to pass their own IVF access bill and one week after GOP senators prevented legislation from […] The post U.S. Senate Republicans reject Democrats’ bill on IVF protections appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Biden’s Title IX transgender protections blocked in federal court
A federal judge has temporarily halted enforcement of new rules from the Biden administration that would prevent discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty of Louisiana issued a temporary injunction Thursday that blocks updated Title IX policy from taking effect Aug. 1 in Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi and Montana. In […] The post Biden’s Title IX transgender protections blocked in federal court appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Landry: No immediate plans for an NHL team in New Orleans, but ‘we would talk to anybody’
Gov. Jeff Landry didn’t rule out putting a professional hockey franchise in New Orleans but said there hasn’t been any discussion between him and the National Hockey League about doing so. “I think New Orleans is one of those cities that is poised to be the place where sports happens,” Landry said in an interview […] The post Landry: No immediate plans for an NHL team in New Orleans, but ‘we would talk to anybody’ appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
La. residents share similar views on fossil fuels and renewables regardless of politics
An overwhelming majority of Louisiana residents support the expansion of renewable energy alongside fossil fuel production in the state, and most residents believe the state government is doing too little to protect air and water quality, according to a new survey by LSU researchers. The Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs at the LSU […] The post La. residents share similar views on fossil fuels and renewables regardless of politics appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
New research blames climate change, not foreign bugs, for killing critical marsh grass
Scientists say they have a new culprit for the mysterious mass die-off of a hardy plant that protects swaths of Louisiana’s fragile coast. A study led by researchers at Louisiana State University indicates that increased exposure to saltwater has killed vast stretches of roseau cane, a towering reed that binds together large sections of south […] The post New research blames climate change, not foreign bugs, for killing critical marsh grass appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Louisiana’s death penalty spending stays the course, despite public defense shakeup
Louisiana will continue to spend millions of dollars on private contracts with attorneys to represent people facing the death penalty, despite Gov. Jeff Landry’s high-profile overhaul of public defense management. The newly formed Public Defender Oversight Board voted Wednesday to keep indigent defense operations largely similar to the way they function now. Its members overruled […] The post Louisiana’s death penalty spending stays the course, despite public defense shakeup appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
U.S. Supreme Court rejects attempt to limit access to abortion pill
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a much-anticipated decision Thursday that mifepristone, one of two pharmaceuticals used in medication abortion, can remain available under current prescribing guidelines. The high court unanimously rejected attempts by anti-abortion groups to roll back access to what was in place more than eight years ago, writing that they […] The post U.S. Supreme Court rejects attempt to limit access to abortion pill appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Watchdog group, GOP U.S. House members blast ‘reckless’ earmark spending
WASHINGTON – A group opposed to wasteful government spending and a handful of U.S. House Republicans warned at a Wednesday press event that project-specific spending known as earmarks was contributing to an increase in the national debt. The event to discuss the Citizens Against Government Waste’s latest annual report, titled the 2024 Congressional Pig Book […] The post Watchdog group, GOP U.S. House members blast ‘reckless’ earmark spending appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Louisiana’s roof grant program heads into second year at solid pace
Louisiana’s fortified roof grant program is expected to accept applications for a second year with a new round of money to distribute this fall and at a pace exceeding that of Alabama, where a comparable program was first launched. State lawmakers allocated $15 million to the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program this year. The Louisiana Department […] The post Louisiana’s roof grant program heads into second year at solid pace appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
More child abuse victims can sue after Louisiana Supreme Court reversal
Adults abused as children decades ago will be able to sue over the mistreatment under a Louisiana Supreme Court ruling released Wednesday. Justices overturned their decision from March that declared a “lookback window” for lawsuits over older child abuse allegations unconstitutional. Now such cases can move forward. The new ruling likely creates greater liability for […] The post More child abuse victims can sue after Louisiana Supreme Court reversal appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
State abortion bans forcing interstate travel, U.S. Senate panel hears
WASHINGTON — When Lauren Miller flew from her home state of Texas to Colorado two years ago she felt a moment of relief when the plane took off — not because she had been delayed for hours or because she needed a vacation, but because she was about to meet with doctors who would be […] The post State abortion bans forcing interstate travel, U.S. Senate panel hears appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Republican IVF bill fails in U.S. Senate
WASHINGTON — Alabama Republican Sen. Katie Britt’s efforts to pass legislation that would block Medicaid funding from going to states that ban in vitro fertilization were unsuccessful Wednesday when Democrats blocked the bill from advancing. Britt, who introduced the legislation earlier this year alongside Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, said during brief debate the bill […] The post Republican IVF bill fails in U.S. Senate appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
U.S. House GOP votes to hold attorney general in contempt in dispute over audio recording
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans voted Wednesday to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for his refusal to release audio recordings of President Joe Biden’s interviews with Department of Justice officials. The GOP lawmakers maintain the audio is valuable for their monthslong impeachment inquiry into Biden. House Republicans brought the contempt citation […] The post U.S. House GOP votes to hold attorney general in contempt in dispute over audio recording appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Immigrant advocates, congressional Dems press Biden for permanent protections
WASHINGTON — Ashly Trejo Mejia is eager to attend medical school, but she’s not sure she can pursue that dream because of an upcoming court decision that could end the Obama-era program meant to temporarily protect immigrants like her who were brought into the country illegally as children. “You’re frozen in time,” she said. The […] The post Immigrant advocates, congressional Dems press Biden for permanent protections appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
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The Louisiana Illuminator is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization driven by its mission to cast light on how decisions are made in Baton Rouge and how they affect the lives of everyday Louisianians, particularly those who are poor or otherwise marginalized. Here readers will find in-depth investigations and news stories, news briefs and commentary, all of which is intended to help them make sense of how state policy is crafted, how it helps or hurts them and how it helps or hurts their neighbors across the state. Notwithstanding the way political reporting is often presented, we see politics as neither sport nor entertainment. There are quality-of-life consequences – even life-and-death consequences – to environmental permitting decisions, to health care policy, to income- and sales-tax rates, to budgetary cuts and to economic development plans. For those reasons, the Illuminator does not cover politics in a way that centers on politicians, their squabbles with one another or their career ambitions. Instead, we center on Louisianians from Ouachita to Calcasieu, from Plaquemines to Caddo who must live with the decisions their political leaders make. Though we’re located in Baton Rouge, we understand that the ramifications of decisions made in our capital are felt across the state and that those stories are often best told in cities, towns and parishes far from the halls of power. As our name indicates, our mission is to shine a bright light on Louisiana, to highlight the state’s successes and its examples of good and responsive government and to expose its failures and corruption. An affiliate of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers like you, the Louisiana Illuminator retains editorial independence.
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