Latest news with #Amite
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Amite woman killed in Tangipahoa Parish car crash
AMITE, La. (WGNO) — An Amite woman was killed in a car crash Saturday night. According to Louisiana State Police, Shellie Taylor, 20, was traveling southbound in a 2025 Kia Sorento on Highway 1054 near Union Church Road in Tangipahoa Parish. Coast Guard investigates Jean Lafitte airboat crash Her car reportedly veered off the roadway into a ditch, struck a utility pole and collided with a tree. Taylor sustained serious injuries and was transported to a local hospital, where she later died. The crash remains under wins first career Indy 500 in thrilling finish Sunshine returns for Memorial Day ahead of a stormy few days Husband, wife each lose an arm while locked together during deadly Kentucky tornado These school districts have the best teachers in America, new report says Entergy Louisiana shares cost-saving tips Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry's approach to lower insurance rates could cast political fate
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, a conservative Republican, drew praise from liberal Democrats after he railed against large corporations and called for stricter regulations on the insurance industry — an uncommon spectacle that suggested the governor is staking his political fate on lowering policy rates. Testifying in a nearly two-hour exchange Wednesday with lawmakers on the House Insurance Committee, Landry urged his fellow Republicans to break from their traditional alignment with insurance companies and vote in favor of House Bill 576, a Democrat-backed proposal that's part of an agenda Landry has described as a 'balanced approach' to the decades-old rate debate between personal injury lawyers and the insurance companies they sue. Louisiana pollster John Couvillon said Landry can't really afford not to take on the insurance issue because policy premiums are by far the most overwhelming concern of voters and likely outweighs any risk associated with bipartisanship. 'If he can bend the cost curve on insurance rates, that's something he can take credit for,' Couvillon said. 'Who he works with to do it is much more insider baseball. I don't know if that kind of perception would matter with the average Louisiana voter who's really more concerned with high insurance rates.' Landry has included multiple bills on his agenda that target both insurance companies and trial lawyers, but House Bill 576 could be part of a larger political calculation that affords him more opportunities for reward than risk. Cosponsored by moderate Democrats Robby Carter of Amite and Chad Brown of Plaquemine, the bill would give the state insurance commissioner the power to prohibit any insurance rates considered 'excessive' during any market conditions. Currently, the commissioner can only exercise that power after holding a public hearing in which someone proves that the insurance market lacks competition. The bill applies to all lines of insurance, though Landry has focused his attention mostly on auto and property insurance rates. Spikes in homeowner premiums occurred after a series of destructive storms starting in 2020 and have been mostly limited to the coastal regions. Premiums for auto insurance have long been elevated across Louisiana, and lawmakers have struggled to identify a clear reason why, believing the problem is rooted in policy decisions. Landry and Brown sat shoulder-to-shoulder Wednesday as they presented the measure, which includes an amendment the governor said he wrote himself and modeled after a law in Mississippi. Louisiana's neighbor has average auto insurance rates that are nearly half the amount of Louisiana's, according to U.S. News & World Report. Brown's bill cleared the committee in a 13-4 vote but still has a ways to go before final passage, and Landry's office would not say if the governor will continue to shepherd the bill over each subsequent hurdle. 'It certainly helped that the governor was there to support it,' Brown said in an interview, adding that he hopes Landry will testify at subsequent hearings. He thinks the governor has sent a clear enough message to Republican lawmakers about what they need to vote for. Landry paired his appearance with rhetoric that potentially puts him at odds with his own party, which has traditionally favored pro-capitalist narratives. 'We're losing sight of something that's been going on in this country for quite some time, and that is consolidation … That is exactly why we need this law,' Landry said, 'because we have allowed corporations to control large market shares in violation of Sherman [Antitrust Act] again and again.' Congress passed the Sherman Act in 1890 to establish rules for competitive trade and prevent unfair monopolies. Rep. Edmond Jordan of Baton Rouge and New Orleans Reps. Matt Willard and Mandie Landry, all Democrats, thanked the governor for putting effort into the issue and trying to hold insurance companies accountable. They joined Landry in arguing tort reform legislation, which is based on the idea that trial lawyers have an unfair advantage in court, has not worked. One of the four Republicans who voted against the Brown bill, Rep. Jay Gallé of Mandeville, told his colleagues it would undermine 'all free market principles' of supply and demand and ultimately discourage new insurance companies from coming to Louisiana. He argued it would give the insurance commissioner sole authority to arbitrarily decide rates. Brown clarified the commissioner would only be able to approve or reject rates, not set them. The governor argued Louisiana could never have a 'free market' for insurance because the law requires drivers and homeowners to have coverage. 'The free-market rules do not apply when the consumer is mandated to buy something,' Landry said. In a later interview, Gallé said he was in an uncomfortable situation having to choose between supporting his party leader versus following his conscience and beliefs. 'When it is a quote-unquote 'governor's bill,' the pressure is already on you, and when he takes the time to come and sit in the room that adds a little more pressure,' Gallé said. 'I hated to go against the governor, but at the end of the day I had to go with what's best for my district.' LA GATOR applications More than 39,000 Louisiana students apply for LA GATOR program, Education Department reports Landry suspends late fees at OMV Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles suspends driver's license late fees amid system issues Whether the Brown bill would even have an impact on insurance rates is questionable. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple, who is opposed to it — and in a public feud with the governor — has said actuaries in his office have reviewed high policy rates in Louisiana and found them to be justified based on losses insurers have accrued in defending lawsuits. The governor's bill would back the commissioner into a corner, forcing him to choose between rates based on market data or rates artificially suppressed for political reasons, Temple said. The governor has cast suspicion on Temple's opposition to the bill, repeating an argument Rep. Mandie Landry made earlier in the hearing when she suggested to the governor that politicians usually don't shy away from gaining more power. 'I've never seen a politician not want more power,' the governor said. At the same time, some claim the governor is focused on Brown's proposal because he hopes giving more power to Temple would allow him to blame the commissioner if rates fail to improve. Temple's office pointed to Gov. Landry's April 9 discussion with conservative radio host Moon Griffon in which the governor suggested as much. 'If we … implement that here, giving our insurance commissioner those tools, and if the rates don't go down, it's on him,' the governor told Griffon. But according to Couvillon, deflecting blame away from the governor would be a more difficult task than most people realize. Voters are much more familiar with the governor than the insurance commissioner, so it would take a very effective messaging strategy to deflect any blame. 'Voters tend to hold the governor accountable for things like high insurance rates whether it is a deserved measurement or not,' Couvillon said. If Gov. Landry's agenda has little effect and coverage premiums remain about the same, there's enough time to try to recast his political fate and convince voters to overlook it before his re-election bid in 2027. The greatest risk in the governor's calculation lies in the possibility that insurance rates continue to increase, which would be a much bigger problem for Gov. Landry, Couvillon said. On the other hand, the insurance commissioner has said repeatedly previous reforms have started having an impact on homeowner coverage lines. On Wednesday, Temple told the committee eight insurers have filed rate decreases for 2025. 'It is working,' Temple said. 'Rates are coming down.' House Bill 576 will next move to the House floor for consideration. — 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. This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry insurance stance could cast political fate
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gov. Landry's approach to lower insurance rates could cast his political fate
Gov. Jeff Landry, flanked by Deputy Chief of Staff Lance Maxwell and Executive Counsel Angelique Freel, waits to testify at the House Insurance Committee on April 16, 2025. (Photo credit: Wes Muller/Louisiana Illuminator) Gov. Jeff Landry, a conservative Republican, drew praise from liberal Democrats after he railed against large corporations and called for stricter regulations on the insurance industry — an uncommon spectacle that suggested the governor is staking his political fate on lowering policy rates. Testifying in a nearly two-hour exchange Wednesday with lawmakers on the House Insurance Committee, Landry urged his fellow Republicans to break from their traditional alignment with insurance companies and vote in favor of House Bill 576, a Democrat-backed proposal that's part of an agenda Landry has described as a 'balanced approach' to the decades-old rate debate between personal injury lawyers and the insurance companies they sue. Louisiana pollster John Couvillon said Landry can't really afford not to take on the insurance issue because policy premiums are by far the most overwhelming concern of voters and likely outweighs any risk associated with bipartisanship. 'If he can bend the cost curve on insurance rates, that's something he can take credit for,' Couvillon said. 'Who he works with to do it is much more insider baseball. I don't know if that kind of perception would matter with the average Louisiana voter who's really more concerned with high insurance rates.' Landry has included multiple bills on his agenda that target both insurance companies and trial lawyers, but House Bill 576 could be part of a larger political calculation that affords him more opportunities for reward than risk. Cosponsored by moderate Democrats Robby Carter of Amite and Chad Brown of Plaquemine, the bill would give the state insurance commissioner the power to prohibit any insurance rates considered 'excessive' during any market conditions. Currently, the commissioner can only exercise that power after holding a public hearing in which someone proves that the insurance market lacks competition. The bill applies to all lines of insurance, though Landry has focused his attention mostly on auto and property insurance rates. Spikes in homeowner premiums occurred after a series of destructive storms starting in 2020 and have been mostly limited to the coastal regions. Premiums for auto insurance have long been elevated across Louisiana, and lawmakers have struggled to identify a clear reason why, believing the problem is rooted in policy decisions. Landry and Brown sat shoulder-to-shoulder Wednesday as they presented the measure, which includes an amendment the governor said he wrote himself and modeled after a law in Mississippi. Louisiana's neighbor has average auto insurance rates that are nearly half the amount of Louisiana's, according to U.S. News & World Report. Brown's bill cleared the committee in a 13-4 vote but still has a ways to go before final passage, and Landry's office would not say if the governor will continue to shepherd the bill over each subsequent hurdle. 'It certainly helped that the governor was there to support it,' Brown said in an interview, adding that he hopes Landry will testify at subsequent hearings. He thinks the governor has sent a clear enough message to Republican lawmakers about what they need to vote for. Landry paired his appearance with rhetoric that potentially puts him at odds with his own party, which has traditionally favored pro-capitalist narratives. Louisiana lawmakers dissect personal injury laws as attorney-legislators protest 'We're losing sight of something that's been going on in this country for quite some time, and that is consolidation … That is exactly why we need this law,' Landry said, 'because we have allowed corporations to control large market shares in violation of Sherman [Antitrust Act] again and again.' Congress passed the Sherman Act in 1890 to establish rules for competitive trade and prevent unfair monopolies. Rep. Edmond Jordan of Baton Rouge and New Orleans Reps. Matt Willard and Mandie Landry, all Democrats, thanked the governor for putting effort into the issue and trying to hold insurance companies accountable. They joined Landry in arguing tort reform legislation, which is based on the idea that trial lawyers have an unfair advantage in court, has not worked. One of the four Republicans who voted against the Brown bill, Rep. Jay Gallé of Mandeville, told his colleagues it would undermine 'all free market principles' of supply and demand and ultimately discourage new insurance companies from coming to Louisiana. He argued it would give the insurance commissioner sole authority to arbitrarily decide rates. Brown clarified the commissioner would only be able to approve or reject rates, not set them. The governor argued Louisiana could never have a 'free market' for insurance because the law requires drivers and homeowners to have coverage. 'The free market rules do not apply when the consumer is mandated to buy something,' Gov. Landry said. In a later interview, Gallé said he was in an uncomfortable situation having to choose between supporting his party leader versus following his conscience and beliefs. 'When it is a quote-unquote 'governor's bill,' the pressure is already on you, and when he takes the time to come and sit in the room that adds a little more pressure,' Gallé said. 'I hated to go against the governor, but at the end of the day I had to go with what's best for my district.' Whether the Brown bill would even have an impact on insurance rates is questionable. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple, who is opposed to it — and in a public feud with the governor — has said actuaries in his office have reviewed high policy rates in Louisiana and found them to be justified based on losses insurers have accrued in defending lawsuits. The governor's bill would back the commissioner into a corner, forcing him to choose between rates based on market data or rates artificially suppressed for political reasons, Temple said. The governor has cast suspicion on Temple's opposition to the bill, repeating an argument Rep. Mandie Landry made earlier in the hearing when she asked the governor if he ever knew of a politician who shied away from having greater control. 'I've never seen a politician not want more power,' the governor said. At the same time, some claim the governor is focused on Brown's proposal because he hopes giving more power to Temple would allow him to blame the commissioner if rates fail to improve. Temple's office pointed to Gov. Landry's April 9 discussion with conservative radio host Moon Griffon in which the governor suggested as much. 'If we … implement that here, giving our insurance commissioner those tools, and if the rates don't go down, it's on him,' the governor told Griffon. But according to Couvillon, deflecting blame away from the governor would be a more difficult task than most people realize. Voters are much more familiar with the governor than the insurance commissioner, so it would take a very effective messaging strategy to deflect any blame. 'Voters tend to hold the governor accountable for things like high insurance rates whether it is a deserved measurement or not,' Couvillon said. If Gov. Landry's agenda has little effect and coverage premiums remain about the same, there's enough time to try to recast his political fate and convince voters to overlook it before his re-election bid in 2027. The greatest risk in the governor's calculation lies in the possibility that insurance rates continue to increase, which would be a much bigger problem for Gov. Landry, Couvillon said. On the other hand, the insurance commissioner has said repeatedly previous reforms have started having an impact on homeowner coverage lines. On Wednesday, Temple told the committee eight insurers have filed rate decreases for 2025. 'It is working,' Temple said. 'Rates are coming down.' House Bill 576 will next move to the House floor for consideration. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Doctor accused of ‘battering' teen patient at Mandeville-area psychiatric facility
MANDEVILLE, La. (WGNO) — A New Orleans-area doctor was arrested on Wednesday after he allegedly battered a 14-year-old patient at a Mandeville-area behavioral health facility. According to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office, a report of the incident, which happened on Sunday, came in from staff members on Monday evening, April 7. Amite man arrested following Hammond pornography involving juveniles investigation STPSO officials say staff was trying to secure the teen, and that a doctor, identified as 39-year-old Garrick Klaybor, allegedly pushed the patient and struck him with a closed fist. The 14-year-old was taken to a local hospital where he was evaluated and released. Additionally, a warrant was issued for Klaybor's arrest on April 8. On April 9, Klaybor reportedly turned himself in. STPSO officials said he is being booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center on 'cruelty charges.'Celebrating Lafayette's visit to NOLA, 200 years later at Cabildo Museum Plans to build Marrero apartment complex fail House passes bill restricting district court judges from issuing nationwide injunctions Johnson scraps vote on Trump budget blueprint in face of conservative opposition Brother Martin claims third Catholic League baseball championship under head coach Jeff Lupo Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Yahoo
Man arrested after toddler accidentally shoots himself in foot in Edgard: St. John Parish deputies
EDGARD, La. (WGNO) — An Edgard man has been arrested after deputies say a 2-year-old child accidentally shot himself in his foot on Friday, Jan. 24. The St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office reported that deputies responded to a home in the 2400 block of Highway 18 around 11:30 p.m., where they found a woman with an injured toddler. Arrest made in fatal Amite head-on crash According to the sheriff's office, deputies at the scene were told that the child allegedly found a gun under a bed inside the home and accidentally shot himself in his foot. The child was airlifted to a hospital and was last reported to be in stable condition. Following an investigation, St. John Parish deputies said they arrested 18-year-old Leland Washington in connection with the investigation. Washington faces charges of second-degree cruelty to juveniles and obstruction of justice. According to deputies, Washington was released on a $25,000 save kidnapped girl Dothan hotel, police say Mexico begins sealing up cross-border smuggling tunnel in Juarez Additional Texas National Guard troops arrive at border First US case of H5N9 bird flu strain found in California DOJ fires prosecutors who worked on Trump criminal cases Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
