Latest news with #LouisianaHouse
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Efforts to unplug Louisiana's speed trap cameras create small-town discontent
Getty Images It looked for a moment that automated speed enforcement cameras in Louisiana might go the way of the Oldsmobile. But what was once an all-out ban on the devices now has an exception that threatens to force the proposal down a dead end. For the past two years, state lawmakers have tried to drastically scale back the use of technology that captures lead-footed drivers and red-light runners in the act and sends them tickets in the mail. While their boosters consider traffic enforcement cameras a force multiplier for manpower-strapped police departments, detractors see them as a money grab for local governments. Critics also pan the heavy burden placed on motorists who want to challenge their citations. The companies that provide speeding cameras to local police often handle fine collections and contested tickets, leaving no local avenue for appeals. 'It's taxation by citation,' Rep. Chuck Owen, R-Rosepine, said May 28 during a Louisiana House floor debate over a bill that would do away with speeding cameras everywhere but school zones. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The debate has created bipartisan fractures at the State Capitol. One side believes local jurisdictions should be able to govern themselves – and that includes the use of traffic enforcement cameras as they see fit. The other viewpoint says speeding 'scameras' make it next to impossible for drivers to challenge their tickets. 'I've got preachers' mommas calling me, telling me they're getting tickets. They didn't even know they were speeding,' Rep. Mike Johnson, R-Pineville said last week before the House approved Senate Bill 99, by Sen. Stewart Cathey, R-Monroe. Cathey brought his new proposal after authoring a law last year that established requirements for using speeding enforcement cameras in Louisiana. They include signage to let motorists know they are being monitored. Plus, cities and towns must provide a local administrative process for motorists to appeal their tickets. But because a handful of municipalities still won't follow the rules, Cathey came back this year with what he's called 'a bill with teeth.' If approved, police chiefs and municipal leaders who continue to ignore the requirements can be charged with malfeasance in office. The penalty for that crime can be up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. When Cathey's bill went before the Senate in April, Sen. Alan Seabaugh, R-Shreveport, amended it to ban the use of the cameras everywhere but school zones. Louisiana set to spend at least $7 million to bring Saudi-owned LIV Golf to New Orleans In its current form, the legislation would not apply to red light cameras. But every other speeding enforcement camera in Louisiana would be shut down – with one notable exception. An amendment placed on the bill in the House would exclude the city of Opelousas, where sponsor Rep. Dustin Miller, a Democrat, said speed enforcement cameras allow his hometown police department to commit more officers to combatting violent crime. That exception doesn't sit well with Cathey, who's been highly critical of small-town leaders who he says refuse to follow the existing law. He's declined to name them publicly, but he hasn't held back his opinion on Opelousas' leadership. 'You know, I may just buy a billboard outside of Opelousas to let everybody know that it's the speed trap capital of Louisiana,' Cathey said in an interview Friday. Miller's amendment passed by the slimmest margin in a 47-46 vote, with the updated bill gaining approval in a 72-23 vote. In an interview after the House adjourned, Miller said his city shouldn't be penalized for the wrongful actions of other municipalities. 'They're claiming that there's, like, seven towns that's doing illegal stuff,' he said. 'Well, as far as my knowledge, Opelousas is doing it correctly. So I'm just like, allow them to still do it where they're doing it.' In an interview last week, Cathey said he lacks confidence in Opelousas Police Chief Graig LeBlanc to manage the city's speeding enforcement cameras. The senator noted LeBlanc is currently under criminal indictment for a shooting that allegedly stemmed from a love triangle. The state attorney general is prosecuting the case, in which the chief has been charged with obstruction of justice and malfeasance in office. LeBlanc and his wife, St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Deputy Crystal LeBlanc, were injured in the shooting. Calls to the police chief seeking comment were directed to the department's public information officer, who has not responded to questions about the city's camera program. Opelousas Mayor Julius Alsandor also has not responded to calls and emails. Louisiana senators trim private education vouchers, expand Medicaid budget LeBlanc and other local police leaders have appeared at the Capitol to oppose Cathey's bill, as have small town mayors who argued the legislature should respect their autonomy. Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux also testified against the Cathey bill. Reggie Skains has been the volunteer, unpaid mayor of Downsville for 39 years. The town at the border of Lincoln and Union parishes has a population of less than 150 residents, yet it sees far more traffic because it's at the nexus of two state highways in north Louisiana. In the first six days Downsville deployed speeding enforcement cameras, it issued 419 tickets, the mayor said. 'This is not driving safely,' Skains told a legislative committee, stressing the cameras meet a need in his community. Roosevelt Porter is the police chief of Epps, a village of less than 400 just minutes away from the Poverty Point World Heritage Site. He said although Epps is within Cathey's Senate district, he had not heard from the senator about his bill. Speeding enforcement cameras in his village issued 3,500 tickets in their first month, but the number fell to 1,500 in the second month, Porter said. 'I could care less if this thing makes money,' the police chief told a House committee in April. 'If it slows people down, that is what's important to me.' Porter grew more emotional as he continued his testimony, shouting and coming close to tears at his conclusion. 'My town is at your mercy, but I know how this stuff works,' he said. 'Let that be your family member that comes through there and gets killed. What are you going to do then?' When Cathey's bill went before a Senate committee, Sen. Caleb Kleinpeter, R-Port Allen, said the measure would have prevented the scandal that unfolded within his district last year when a West Baton Rouge Parish constable issued more than 4,000 school zone speeding tickets over a two-week period. The infractions each came with a $150 fine, but Attorney General Liz Murrill determined the constable had no authority to enforce traffic laws and had to refund what was collected. Cathey said last week he was unsure about the outlook for his bill now that an exception has been added to it. He predicted other towns and cities would seek similar exemptions. 'Currently, Opelousas is the speed camera capital of Louisiana,' the senator said. 'And if the people of Opelousas don't like it, they need to reach out to their local legislators and let them know.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
American Press
29-05-2025
- Health
- American Press
Louisiana bill redefines IVF embryos
The Louisiana state Capitol in Baton Rouge. (Associated Press Archives) By Anna Puleo | LSU Manship School News Service The Louisiana House passed a bill Tuesday that changes how the state treats embryos created through in vitro fertilization. The bill, which passed 82-14, establishes legal protections and reshapes how IVF is regulated. The bill originated in the Senate, and an amended version was carried in the House by Rep. Paula Davis, R-Baton Rouge. It redefines IVF embryos as 'juridical persons,' a legal category that gives them more rights without going so far as to classify them as full legal 'children' or property. 'This is a pro-family, pro-life and pro-parent bill,' Davis said. 'No parent should have to cross state lines to start a family.' The laws governing IVF have been politically sensitive since an Alabama Supreme Court ruling in early 2024 raised questions about them, and lawmakers in several states have been scrambling to codify their support for the practice. Under the new Louisiana measure, Senate Bill 156, embryos are considered viable unless they fail to develop within 72 hours after fertilization. Those that do not develop in that timeframe are classified as nonviable. This definition was added through an amendment and replaces the state's previous standard of 36 hours. For embryos considered viable, the bill states that only the intended parents, not doctors or fertility clinics, can make decisions about their use. It also bans any IVF contract that includes a clause allowing embryos to be intentionally destroyed. Those agreements would now be considered legally invalid. Rep. Aimee Freeman Newell, D-New Orleans, raised concerns about how current IVF laws apply to single women, whether it is those who choose to become single parents or lose a spouse during the process. Would they still have access to treatment? Davis said SB156 is updating Louisiana's IVF laws to reflect modern realities. It removes terms like 'parental rights,' 'married couple,' and 'adoptive implantation,' and makes it clear that embryos can be donated to any individual, not just to married couples. A similar bill was brought to the floor last year but was returned to the calendar after criminal and constitutional law experts raised concerns that its language conflicted with Louisiana's criminal statutes. Lawmakers worked with Louisiana Right to Life and legal advisors to revise the language in this year's version. Davis pointed to the controversial 2024 Alabama Supreme Court decision as an example of the kind of legal uncertainty Louisiana wants to avoid. In that case, the court ruled that frozen embryos created through IVF are considered 'children' under Alabama's wrongful death law, granting them legal personhood and allowing wrongful death lawsuits to proceed. The ruling came after several frozen embryos were accidentally destroyed at a fertility clinic, sparking a lawsuit against the hospital and clinic. A trial court initially dismissed the case, saying embryos outside the womb are not children, but the Alabama Supreme Court reversed that decision. That court decision sparked national backlash. President Donald Trump, who was campaigning at the time, came out in support of IVF access soon after, urging Alabama lawmakers to 'act quickly to find an immediate solution' to keep the procedure legal. His comments reflected a broader shift, as many Republicans tried to distance themselves from the Alabama court's decision and its potential fallout. Louisiana's SB156, authored by Sen. Thomas Pressley, R-Shreveport, aims to provide clearer guidance while protecting embryos under state law, without creating conflicts with criminal statutes or overextending legal personhood. The bill now goes back to the Senate for its consideration of House amendments.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Louisiana Republicans help kill anti-fluoride bill
Republicans in the Louisiana House stifled a proposal Wednesday that would have banned the addition of fluoride in public water systems — rejecting a burgeoning movement backed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The Louisiana House Health and Welfare Committee shot down the measure in a 4-11 vote, with six Republicans joining five Democrats to defeat the measure. All four members who voted in favor are Republicans. The proposal would have allowed public fluoridation only if residents petitioned for a vote in their jurisdiction and a majority of registered voters cast ballots in favor — a notably steep hurdle, particularly in areas with low voter turnout. The GOP-controlled state Senate advanced Senate Bill 2 in a 24-10 vote last month. The Louisiana Legislature's regular session runs through June 12, so the anti-fluoride measure could be revived. Florida adopted a law this month to ban fluoride in public drinking water, becoming the second state to do so after Utah. The U.S. has supported community water fluoridation programs since the 1940s, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) deeming it a safe, cost-effective way to improve oral health. But Kennedy, whom President Trump appointed to lead the nation's health care programs earlier this year, has loudly voiced skepticism of water fluoridation despite objections from dentists and other health care providers who argue it helps prevent tooth decay. Kennedy posted on social platform X before his Senate confirmation that the Trump administration would 'advise all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from public water.' He referred to the naturally occurring substance as 'industrial waste' that causes disease, though there is no scientific evidence to back up his claims. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
28-05-2025
- Health
- The Hill
Louisiana Republicans help kill anti-fluoride bill
Republicans in the Louisiana House stifled a proposal on Wednesday that would have banned the addition of fluoride in public water systems — rejecting a burgeoning movement backed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The Louisiana House Health and Welfare Committee shot down the measure in a 4-11 vote, with six Republicans joining five Democrats to defeat the measure. All four members who voted in favor are Republicans. The proposal would have allowed public fluorination only if residents petitioned for a vote in their jurisdiction and a majority of registered voters cast ballots in favor — a notably steep hurdle, particularly in areas with low voter turnout. The GOP-controlled state Senate advanced Senate Bill 2 in a 24-10 vote last month. The Louisiana Legislature's regular session runs through June 12, so the anti-fluoride measure could be revived. Florida adopted a law this month to ban fluoride in public drinking water, becoming the second state after Utah. The U.S. has supported community water fluorination programs since the 1940s, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) deeming it a safe, cost-effective way to improve oral health. But Kennedy, who President Trump appointed to lead the nation's health care programs earlier this year, has loudly voiced skepticism of water fluoridation despite objections from dentists and other health care providers who argue it helps prevent tooth decay. Kennedy posted on the social media platform X before his Senate confirmation that the Trump administration would 'advise all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from public water.' He referred to the naturally occurring substance as 'industrial waste' that causes disease, though there is no scientific evidence to back up his claims.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘The Light Switch,' Episode 7: A smatter of ethics
Here's something you don't hear much: 'Boy, Louisiana is just TOO ethical.' Political corruption has been our brand for a Long time – pun intended. There are few corners of the state that haven't been touched by greed, envy and every other sticky finger of those in power. This sordid history serves as the backdrop for what would be a very significant rewriting of Louisiana's ethics laws, with Gov. Jeff Landry behind the pen. In this episode of 'The Light Switch,' senior reporter Julie O'Donoghue walks us through just a few of the changes being proposed. They include increasing the limits on gifts for elected officials and government employees, ranging from the governor down to your local building inspector. Read Julie's coverage of the ethics proposals lawmakers are considering: Confidential complaints against elected officials, gov't workers might be eliminated Lawmakers might lift limits on gifts to officials, gov't employees As charges linger over Landry, Louisiana House votes to overhaul ethics investigations Also weighing in on the ethics topic is Steven Procopio, president of the Public Affairs Research Council. The 75-year-old good government group doesn't take stands on legislation, but its leader says he's concerned about the possible changes in the works. For our News from the States segment, we head to Indiana where there are changes in store for the naturalization ceremonies where new U.S. citizens take their citizenship oaths. Reporter Leslie Bonilla Muñiz with the Indiana Capital Chronicle explains how some traditions are being eliminated – and why. Read Leslie's coverage of the naturalization changes. Listen to Episode 7 of 'The Light Switch' on and SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
