Louisiana State Legislature
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

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

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,...

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

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

Doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine are seen being prepared on Wednesday, May 12, 2021, in Decatur, Ga. Hundreds of children, ages 12 to 15, received the Pfizer vaccine at the DeKalb Pediatric Center, just days after it was approved for use within their age group. (AP Photo/Ron Harris)
Anti-coronavirus vaccine measures moving in Louisiana House

May. 17, 2021 02:53 PM EDT

Louisiana House Republicans propose return-to-work bonus

By Melinda Deslatte May. 13, 2021 03:53 PM EDT
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Republican House lawmakers on Thursday began advancing a proposal to offer Louisiana residents receiving unemployment up to $1,000 to...

Rep. Jerome "Zee" Zeringue, R-Houma, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, talks with a legislative staffer during the opening day of the Louisiana legislative session in Baton Rouge, La., Monday, April 12, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Louisiana House votes for $36B budget, federal aid spending

By Melinda Deslatte May. 06, 2021 06:23 PM EDT

Bill would prohibit vaccine requirement for state facilities

May. 04, 2021 07:09 PM EDT
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana state agencies and public colleges would be unable to require coronavirus vaccines for entry into their facilities, if House...

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)
Louisiana House GOP leaders unveil their budget proposal

By Melinda Deslatte May. 03, 2021 01:32 PM EDT

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 outlines proposal to spend $1.6B in federal aid

Apr. 29, 2021 06:25 PM EDT