BATON ROUGE — At the height of COVID-19 pandemic, the nation's unemployment rate soared to 15%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. The fallout on American workers was immediate as many lost their paychecks or saw their wages plummet overnight.…
BATON ROUGE — Louisiana has long been a leading state in energy production. Our state is blessed with the energy resources that power portions of the United States and the rest of the world. While the oil and gas industry…
HAMMOND — The U.S. population growth rate hit its lowest level since the Great Depression, according to the 2020 U.S. Census. Over the past decade, the Great Recession and COVID-19 pandemic slowed immigration as well as caused many Americans to…
BATON ROUGE – Louisianans could enshrine an income tax cut in the state constitution Saturday, as voters in all 64 parishes will consider four ballot amendments dealing with tax and budget issues. A proposal known as Amendment 2 offers to…
BATON ROUGE – Ascension Parish Public Schools Superintendent David Alexander believes an 80% property tax abatement for CF Industries’ proposed “green ammonia” nitrogen complex in Donaldsonville would lead to economic growth. CF Industries produces fertilizer and said it is decarbonizing…
BATON ROUGE – The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry is spearheading an effort to reform Louisiana’s judicial system, saying it lacks transparency and operates under costly, outdated rules. LABI represents more than 2,000 Louisiana employers and serves as the…
BATON ROUGE – The Louisiana Department of Health announced Wednesday all COVID-19 vaccine providers for children can begin administering the Pfizer pediatric vaccine immediately. The announcement followed a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel’s final recommendation Tuesday. The…
BATON ROUGE — Record numbers of Americans have quit their jobs in recent months. In what has been dubbed "The Great Resignation," one-in-four U.S. workers left their job in 2021. Much of the exodus is being driven by employee burnout,…
BATON ROUGE – Louisiana state employees charged $863 million to Purchase and Travel Card programs over a five-year period that included $147 million in 2020, a year marked by COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. The Louisiana legislative auditor published a review of…
BATON ROUGE – Louisiana does not index major tax components to inflation, and the result is a “stealth tax” on state residents, a new study suggests. The finding comes from the Tax Foundation, a Washington-based research nonprofit. In the study,…
BATON ROUGE – The U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan bill that would allow unspent American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to be used for natural disaster recovery and infrastructure needs, which could have an impact on Louisiana. The ARPA was…
BATON ROUGE – Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards announced a $4.5 billion clean energy commitment Thursday from industrial gas manufacturer Air Products. The company pledged the investment to build “the world’s largest permanent carbon dioxide sequestration endeavor to date,” and…
BATON ROUGE – Louisiana’s two U.S. senators are raising concerns about a provision in the proposed $3.5 trillion congressional budget reconciliation bill that would allot billions in direct government loans to small businesses. U.S. Sens. John Kennedy and Bill Cassidy,…
NEW ORLEANS – Louisiana has a $1 billion budget surplus and another $1 billion in remaining American Rescue Plan funds, said Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne, who also is “optimistic” about the state’s financial outlook for next year. Dardenne is…
BATON ROUGE – A new report from the Louisiana legislative auditor cites more than $52 million in questioned costs from the state’s main disaster recovery agency. The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) coordinates state efforts relating…
BATON ROUGE – Gov. John Bel Edwards has entered Louisiana into a United Nations climate change initiative called Race to Zero. The global campaign includes cities, states, regions, businesses and investors from around the world and centers on a zero…
BATON ROUGE – Gov. John Bel Edwards announced a new Hurricane Ida sheltering program Monday that will provide temporary housing and travel trailers for Louisiana residents in storm ravaged areas. Hurricane Ida made landfall Aug. 29, but many residents have…
BATON ROUGE – Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has expanded a COVID-19 vaccination incentive program, offering $100 to every vaccine-eligible resident in the state. The Shot for 100 giveaway began as a $7.5 million program aimed at vaccinating 75,000 Louisiana…
BATON ROUGE – The Federal Emergency Management Agency has distributed more than $800 million since Hurricane Ida devastated southeast Louisiana one month ago, but state officials say temporary housing remains an unmet need. More than 500,000 individuals and households have…
BATON ROUGE – A Lafayette Parish judge has dismissed a lawsuit against one of Louisiana’s largest regional health systems, where dozens of employees sued over a COVID-19 vaccination mandate. Ochsner Lafayette General employs 4,500 health care workers and staff across…
BATON ROUGE – A new federal jobs report shows Louisiana’s employment growth in August was negligible despite an outsized drop in the state’s unemployment rate. “Although Louisiana’s unemployment rate dropped from 6.6 to 6.2 (percent), the reason for this decrease…
BATON ROUGE – Federal disaster aid remains elusive because of political gamesmanship in Washington as Louisiana residents struggle through Hurricane Ida’s lasting impacts and the remaining effects of natural disasters dating to last hurricane season. After visiting New Orleans and…
BATON ROUGE - In much of the country, public pension funding has been one of the most persistent public policy problems. For years, many state governments have failed to make necessary investments in their…
BATON ROUGE - Pick any two cities or towns in the United States, and each will be home to people who work in very similar fields. Certain occupations in areas like education, sanitation, law enforcement, health care, and retail are…
BATON ROUGE – The Louisiana State Bond Commission has approved $28 million in Superdome renovations after previously voting to delay the funding because of the New Orleans Saints’ COVID-19 policies. The NFL franchise instituted a mandatory vaccine policy in advance…
BATON ROUGE – Weekly unemployment claims have skyrocketed in Louisiana since Hurricane Ida pounded the southeast region of the state, but they were at their lowest point this year before Ida. The Louisiana Workforce Commission reported 1,712 new unemployment claims…
BATON ROUGE – When Gov. John Bel Edwards issued an executive order suspending legal deadlines in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, he also implemented a statewide eviction moratorium without expressly stating it. “Yes, evictions are included in the proclamation,” the…
BATON ROUGE – Louisiana State University will begin Friday to enforce its COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which includes unenrolling students who do not comply. LSU is the state’s largest public university with nearly 32,000 students. Friday is the deadline to submit…
BATON ROUGE – Gov. John Bel Edwards has suspended all legal deadlines in Louisiana until at least Sept. 24 and streamlined state unemployment insurance to accommodate displaced workers as Hurricane Ida recovery efforts continue. The changes were made through an…
BATON ROUGE - Car prices are surging in the United States. Rising demand, in conjunction with a limited supply of new vehicles on dealer lots, has led to a 45% increase in the consumer price index for used vehicles since…
