Latest news with #JeffLandry
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Louisiana lawmakers decline to hold veto override session
Gov. Jeff Landry addresses the Louisiana Legislature on opening day of legislative session, Monday, April 14, 2025, at the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge. (Hilary Scheinuk/The Advocate-Pool) The Louisiana Legislature has declined to reconvene for a veto override session this year. The majority of lawmakers – 87 members of the House of Representatives and 29 in the Senate – voted not to hold a special session in which lawmakers try to overturn Gov. Jeff Landry's rejection of bills. In all, the governor vetoed 15 pieces of the legislation and removed portions of three budget proposals that legislators could have voted to reinstate. The legislation Landry rejected dealt with matters ranging from new registered dietician regulations to a prohibition on outdoor balloon releases. Veto override sessions are extremely rare in Louisiana. There have been just three in the past 50 years, and they all took place from 2021-23. At the time, state government was politically divided with Democrat John Bel Edwards as governor and Republicans controlling the two legislative chambers. Edwards and the GOP legislative leadership were at odds over topics such as transgender rights and political redistricting. Landry and legislative leaders are all Republicans, making it much less likely lawmakers would openly buck the governor to overturn one of his decisions. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. Landry says coastal restoration project ‘no longer financially or practically viable'
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has weighed in on the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project. Landry posted a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, Monday morning, saying, 'The Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project, in its current form, is no longer financially or practically viable. Beyond the financial concerns, the MBSD threatens Louisiana's seafood industry, our coastal culture, and the livelihoods of our fishermen—people who have sustained our state for generations. @LouisianaCPRA is now moving forward with another coastal restoration plan—one that balances our environmental goals with the needs of all citizens, businesses, and industries.' Landry's statement comes after the cancellation of the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Project on Thursday, July 17. The coastal project was started in 2023 and funded by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement. It was intended to repair the disappearing coastline along the Gulf. Landry names new executive director of Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Latest News East Baton Rouge deputies, SWAT arrest burglary suspect after clash with homeowner WATCH: Delta flight makes emergency landing at LAX after engine catches fire Trump administration appeals Jenner & Block win over executive order Livingston Parish receives $476K grant for new weather stations Trump admin releases FBI records on MLK Jr. despite his family's opposition Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
FEMA uncertainty hangs over hurricane season
Uncertainty is hanging over this year's hurricane season as meteorologists predict 'above-normal' activity and the Trump administration sends shifting signals over the future of the federal government's role in natural disaster response. Despite talk of eliminating the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in its current form, the administration says it remains 'laser focused on disaster response and protecting the American people.' But red and blue states alike say they aren't sure what the future of FEMA looks like. In June, at a hurricane preparedness news conference, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) was asked whether the state could take on more responsibilities amid the administration's push for states to take a bigger role. 'I don't know what added responsibilities that would be,' he responded. A handful of states have set up task forces or commissions to prepare for changes being discussed in Washington. A bipartisan coalition of Georgia state lawmakers led by state Rep. Clint Crowe (R) created a study committee on disaster mitigation. Kentucky's state Legislature passed a law creating a task force to prepare for potential changes in FEMA funding. Republican state Sen. Matthew Deneen, who co-sponsored the Kentucky bill, said the panel would make sure the state is prepared for whatever comes. 'Well, I think that any time that we're going to have change coming out of Washington, D.C., on the federal level, you know, we don't know exactly what those numbers are going to be, and so it's very important for us to be agile, to be responsive and to be prepared,' he told The Hill. Trump administration officials and some Republicans on Capitol Hill argue the agency is inefficient and should take a more supportive role, with states taking the lead in disaster response. 'Federal emergency management should be state and locally led rather than how it has operated for decades,' Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem said earlier this month. 'This entire agency needs to be eliminated as it exists today and remade into a responsive agency,' she added. But rhetoric from President Trump's officials shifted toward reforming FEMA, rather than axing it entirely, following the devastating floods in Texas this month. Noem faced criticism over reports of botched disaster response efforts, and the Houston Chronicle editorial board even slammed Noem's leadership, comparing FEMA's response to the Texas floods to the Hurricane Katrina debacle. The Texas floods killed at least 120 people, with more than 100 still missing. A preliminary estimate from AccuWeather projects the disaster to cost between $18 billion and $22 billion. Still, Trump has praised Noem's handling of the floods and brushed off reports that her changes to funding decisions slowed down the federal response in Texas. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) is forecasting 13 to 19 named storms this hurricane season, including three to five major hurricanes in the Atlantic basin. 'As we witnessed last year with significant inland flooding from hurricanes Helene and Debby, the impacts of hurricanes can reach far beyond coastal communities,' acting NOAA Administrator Laura Grimm said in May. A FEMA spokesperson said in a statement there is 'no uncertainty about what FEMA will be doing this Hurricane Season.' 'The old processes are being replaced because they failed Americans in real emergencies for decades,' a spokesperson said. Stretching state budgets States, however, are facing a barrage of new budget demands as federal lawmakers cut spending on issues ranging from health care to natural disasters. In April, FEMA suspended its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, eliminating $882 million in federal funding. The program helped communities reduce risk hazards by providing economic support for states to improve disaster prevention. Twenty states sued FEMA this past week, alleging unlawful termination of congressionally approved grants. The lawsuit highlighted that many projects, in the works for years and meant to prevent devastating damage, are left unfinished or paused. The FEMA spokesperson said BRIC was a 'wasteful and ineffective FEMA program.' Two-thirds of the counties that received grants under the program voted for Trump in 2024, according to a CBS analysis of FEMA data. Colin Foard, director of the Pew Charitable Trust's fiscal risk project, said the latest moves are compounding existing pressures on state budgets. 'States were already facing challenges of rising disaster costs, and our research shows that their traditional budgeting approaches were beginning to fall short in the face of those rising costs,' Foard said. 'So, as states are deciding how they can more proactively budget for disasters, that will come at the cost of trade-offs in other policy areas,' he added. States are already bracing for sweeping federal cuts to Medicaid services. About 16 million Americans are expected to lose their health insurance by 2034 under Trump's 'big, beautiful bill,' likely leaving states to pick up more of the slack to cover increasing medical costs. 'If states lost FEMA reimbursement on top of the hole they just blew in their health care budget because of the lack of federal funding … there are states that are just a ticking time bomb,' Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), a former Florida emergency management director, told The Hill. Preparing for the worst Mathew Sanders, a senior officer at Pew, said states should focus their resources on proactive measures. 'I would argue the states need to increase their spending on long-term risk reduction. It's always cheaper to reduce risk, to avoid risk, than it is to recover from a disaster,' Sanders said. 'One thing that I think is absolutely true, is that, across the disaster spectrum, the federal government is the predominant funder,' he added. 'And so, you know, whatever the federal government may not provide in the future, states, localities, that's a gap that's going to need to be filled from other sources.' When it comes to where those gaps might be, or whether states can fill them, there are more questions than answers. Last fall's Hurricane Helene prompted some forward thinking on these questions in states that were hit. The study committee in Georgia recommended building code updates and a reforestation tax credit. The tax credit was signed into law in May. Both North Carolina's and South Carolina's emergency agencies are seeking to foster more private sector collaborations and connections with other state emergency management organizations. A spokesperson from North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein's (D) office said eliminating FEMA entirely would be a 'man-made disaster.' 'We need FEMA to help us address natural disasters. Let's work together to improve FEMA so we are ready for future disasters,' the spokesperson added. It's not only hurricane-prone states that are bracing themselves for change and looking for clarity on what's ahead. Republican South Dakota Lt. Gov. Tony Venhuizen helms a state task force established in June to prepare for potential changes at FEMA. 'I … understand that the federal government has a spending problem and needs to tighten the belt in some areas. And so, we are sympathetic to that, but we really need to know what the details are,' Venhuizen told The Hill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Gov. Landry makes leadership change at Children and Family Services
Gov. Jeff Landry announced Friday, July 18, 2025, he is replacing David Matlock as secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services. (LAI photo) A veteran state employee has been tapped as the next leader of Louisiana's child welfare agency, replacing the former juvenile judge who's held the role for the past 18 months. Gov. Jeff Landry announced Friday that Rebecca Harris, who was named deputy secretary of Department of Children and Family Services last month, will take over from David Matlock, effective Aug. 1. Moving forward, Matlock will hold the title of confidential assistant to the DCFS secretary, according to a news release from the governor's office. Harris began her career with DCFS more than 20 years ago as a social services analyst, according to the governor's office. She also worked with the Louisiana Department of Health for eight years before returning to DCFS in February 2024, according to her LinkedIn work history. 'Rebecca has consistently demonstrated the kind of steady, thoughtful leadership Louisiana families need,' the governor said in a statement. 'Her experience in operational improvement and her commitment to protecting our most vulnerable children make her the right choice to lead DCFS. I have full confidence she will strengthen this department and deliver positive outcomes for our most vulnerable citizens.' Landry credited Harris with leading the development of the state's summer food assistance program at DCFS. Originally a COVID-19 pandemic program, the Biden administration moved to make the additional resources available permanently to help qualifying families feed their children through the months when school meals aren't available. Although Landry and Matlock initially declined to take part in the summer EBT program, bipartisan pressure from state lawmakers led the administration to change its stance. The governor also praised Harris for critical upgrades to the state's child welfare hotline and creating real-time dashboards to support child welfare decision-making. 'I am honored and excited to serve as Secretary during this great time of opportunity and transformation, focusing on strategic commitments to improve outcomes for those we serve. I'm proud to lead this team of dedicated and courageous professionals who show up every day for Louisiana's children and families,' Harris said in a statement. The governor's office did not explain why Matlock was being replaced or immediately respond to questions about his compensation levels as a confidential assistant. 'It was an honor to serve as Secretary of DCFS, and I'm proud of the progress we've made together for Louisiana's children and families,' Matlock said in a statement. 'This next chapter is deeply personal to me. Advocacy and foster care have always been my passion, and I'd like to thank Governor Landry for allowing me to pursue this. I look forward to focusing my energy on building strong, supportive environments for the children who need us most.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
$3 billion restoration project to restore Louisiana's eroded coast terminated. More here
On Thursday, July 17, the state of Louisiana canceled a $3 billion coastal restoration project that was being funded by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. The project, which would repair the Gulf's disappearing coastline, was viewed by Jeff Landry as a hinderance to the state's way of life, while conservationists consider it an urgent response to the effects of climate change. The termination of the project means that Louisiana could lose over $1.5 billion worth of unspent funding, and may potentially have to repay the $618 million that was already used to begin building, AP News reported. Louisiana cancels $3 billion coastal restoration project. What this means for the Gulf Coast Louisiana's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CRPA) reached an agreement with the Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group to officially terminate the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Project, according to the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. "The decision follows CPRA's determination, as the Lead Implementing Trustee for the construction of the sediment diversion, that the project is no longer viable due to multiple factors, including costs, permitting concerns, and ongoing litigation. Based on CPRA's determination, the Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group signed a resolution to reduce the project budget to match funding that has already been dispersed," reads a news release from the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. Originally planed as a large-scale restoration project, the sediment diversion was devised to reconnect the Mississippi River to the Barataria Basin, with the intent to rebuild marshes in Plaquemines Parish. The project was aimed at rebuilding more than 20 square miles of land over a 50-year period in Southeast Louisiana in order to combat rising sea levels and coastal erosion along the Gulf. CPRA determined that construction of the project, as it was approved in 2023, is no longer viable at this time and, instead, CPRA is pivoting to reinstate the Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA) Medium Diversion Myrtle Grove with Dedicated Dredging project, which offers similar restoration benefits, according to CPRA. As part of the cancellation process, the authorized budget has been reduced from $2.26 billion to $618.52 million, reflecting funds that have already been disbursed. Through this, CPRA plans to use the funds for activities related to closing out the project, requiring monthly updates to the Louisiana Restoration Area Trustees, says CPRA. The unused project funds will be made available for future Deepwater Horizon restoration activities within the Louisiana Restoration Area through the restoration planning process and approval by the Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group, according to CPRA. Presley Bo Tyler is a reporter for the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team for Ganett/USA Today. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@ This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Did Louisiana cancel coastal restoration project? Why was it canceled? Solve the daily Crossword
