Louisiana state government
Reps. Aimee Freeman, D-New Orleans, and Jean-Paul Coussan, R-Lafayette, review bill language on the House floor on Wednesday, June 9, 2021, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
Analysis: Louisiana lawmakers tackle water system upgrades

By Melinda Deslatte Jun. 27, 2021 04:00 PM EDT

First lady Donna Edwards, left, and Gov. John Bel Edwards, right, unveil a giant check during a news conference at the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge, La., on Thursday, June 17, 2021, to announce that Louisiana will participate in a lottery, giving cash prizes and scholarships to residents who have been vaccinated against the coronavirus. (Hilary Scheinuk/The Advocate via AP)
Louisiana giving away $2.3M in prizes to encourage vaccines

By Melinda Deslatte Jun. 17, 2021 03:41 PM EDT

FILE - In this Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021 file photo, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards speaks about the state's COVID-19 outbreak and vaccination efforts in Baton Rouge, La. Gov. John Bel Edwards has agreed to turn off federal pandemic unemployment payments at the end of July in exchange for a long-term, modest boost to Louisiana's jobless benefits, announcing Wednesday, June 16, 2021 that he's signed a bill that makes the trade.(AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte, File)
Edwards agrees to July 31 end to federal unemployment aid

By Melinda Deslatte Jun. 16, 2021 07:07 PM EDT

The Louisiana State Senate is shown on a TV at a House lawmaker's desk on the last day of the legislative session, Thursday, June 10, 2021, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
Louisiana steers federal money to infrastructure upgrades

By Melinda Deslatte Jun. 15, 2021 05:11 PM EDT

Louisiana state senators surround Senate President Page Cortez, R-Lafayette, third from the left, to talk through the remaining financial deals awaiting votes on the legislative session, Thursday, June 10, 2021, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
Louisiana session ends in flurry of tax and financial votes

By Melinda Deslatte Jun. 10, 2021 09:57 AM EDT

Editorial Roundup: Louisiana

By The Associated Press Jun. 09, 2021 07:10 AM EDT
The Advocate. June 7, 2021. Editorial: Louisiana legislative hearings must include facts, not scare tactics and rumors ...

FILE - In this Dec. 29, 2020, file photo, Pat Moore, with the Chester County, Pa., Health Department, fills a syringe with Moderna COVID-19 vaccine before administering it to emergency medical workers and health care personnel at the Chester County Government Services Center in West Chester, Pa. Moderna says its COVID-19 vaccine strongly protects kids as young as 12. The company released the preliminary findings Tuesday, May 25, 2021, based on testing on more than 3,700 12- to 17-year-olds in the United States. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
Bills striking at vaccine mandate head to Louisiana governor

By Melinda Deslatte Jun. 07, 2021 04:38 PM EDT

Reps. Bill Wheat, R-Ponchatoula, from left, Chris Turner, R-Ruston; and Troy Romero, R-Jennings, look through budget documents during a meeting of the House Appropriations Committee on Monday, May 3, 2021, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
Analysis: Many issues settled as session reaches final days

By Melinda Deslatte Jun. 06, 2021 04:10 PM EDT

12 past winners of Louisiana seafood cooking contest compete

Jun. 06, 2021 09:46 AM EDT
LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — With Louisiana's coronavirus pandemic restrictions canceled, a dozen past winners will compete against each other in person this month in...

Louisiana adds free state park visits to COVID vaccine perks

By Janet Mcconnaughey Jun. 03, 2021 06:32 PM EDT
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Louisiana is adding free entry to all 21 state parks as a perk for getting vaccinated against COVID-19, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Thursday....

Senate Finance Chairman Bodi White, R-Central, left, and Sen. Ronnie Johns, R-Lake Charles, ready for a discussion of the Senate's budget proposal in a meeting of the Senate Finance Committee on Monday, May 24, 2021, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
Analysis: Lawmakers load Louisiana budget with pet projects

By Melinda Deslatte May. 30, 2021 04:00 PM EDT

From left, economist Stephen Barnes, Senate President Page Cortez, House Speaker Clay Schexnayder and Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne, the four members of the Revenue Estimating Conference, talk ahead of the conference's meeting Tuesday, May 18, 2021, in Baton Rouge, La. The conference increased the income forecast for the current and upcoming budget years, giving lawmakers more money to spend. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
Lawmakers wrap up work early on Louisiana's $38B budget bill

By Melinda Deslatte May. 27, 2021 06:48 PM EDT

Lawmakers again stop business tax hike, jobless benefit drop

May. 26, 2021 05:33 PM EDT
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana lawmakers have agreed to keep the rules governing the state's unemployment trust fund static, avoiding the increase in...

FILE - In this Dec. 29, 2020, file photo, Pat Moore, with the Chester County, Pa., Health Department, fills a syringe with Moderna COVID-19 vaccine before administering it to emergency medical workers and health care personnel at the Chester County Government Services Center in West Chester, Pa. Moderna says its COVID-19 vaccine strongly protects kids as young as 12. The company released the preliminary findings Tuesday, May 25, 2021, based on testing on more than 3,700 12- to 17-year-olds in the United States. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
Ban on COVID-19 vaccine requirement fails in Louisiana House

May. 26, 2021 12:05 PM EDT

Louisiana Senate crafts plan for spending $1.5B federal aid

By Melinda Deslatte May. 25, 2021 06:24 PM EDT
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana would spend more than $1.5 billion in federal coronavirus aid on roadwork, water system improvements, tourism marketing,...

Licensed practical nurse Yokasta Castro, of Warwick, R.I., draws a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine into a syringe at a mass vaccination clinic, Wednesday, May 19, 2021, at Gillette Stadium, in Foxborough, Mass. A month after every adult in the U.S. became eligible for the vaccine, a distinct geographic pattern has emerged: The highest vaccination rates are concentrated in the Northeast, while the lowest ones are mostly in the South. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Edwards ends virus restrictions, lifts schools' mask mandate

By Melinda Deslatte May. 25, 2021 03:27 PM EDT

Senate Finance Chairman Bodi White, R-Central, left, and Sen. Ronnie Johns, R-Lake Charles, ready for a discussion of the Senate's budget proposal in a meeting of the Senate Finance Committee on Monday, May 24, 2021, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
Louisiana Senate releases $37B budget proposal for next year

By Melinda Deslatte May. 24, 2021 06:36 PM EDT

Edwards, doctors tout vaccinations for those ages 12-15

May. 20, 2021 06:21 PM EDT
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana’s state epidemiologist and her 12-year-old daughter were among those stressing the need for COVID-19 vaccinations Thursday at...

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards talks about the coronavirus outbreak and state vaccination efforts, Thursday, April 22, 2021, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
Edwards refuses request to end federal jobless aid for now

By Melinda Deslatte May. 19, 2021 02:13 PM EDT

Economist Stephen Barnes, left, and Senate President Page Cortez, R-Lafayette, both members of the Revenue Estimating Conference, review income projections ahead of the conference's meeting Tuesday, May 18, 2021, in Baton Rouge, La. The conference increased the income forecast for the current and upcoming budget years, giving lawmakers more money to spend. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
La. income forecast grows, giving lawmakers more to spend

By Melinda Deslatte May. 18, 2021 04:15 PM EDT