Latest news with #LouisianaHouseofRepresentatives
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Louisiana Senate approves bill expanding ‘hands-free' driving
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — The Louisiana Senate approved a bill that expands upon current state law that prevents texting and driving. The current law outlaws texting while driving, but HB 519, introduced by State Rep. Brian Glorioso, would also make it illegal to post or scroll through social media while driving. The bill would also outlaw accessing, posting, or creating a video or photograph while behind the wheel. The bill does make an exception for contacting law enforcement to report a crash, medical emergency, or to report a crime in progress. The Louisiana House of Representatives approved the bill in May. The bill now returns to the House for concurrence before making its way to the Governor. Five arrested in Baton Rouge shooting that killed man on S. Harrell's Ferry Road Hot Wheels custom T-Bird blends 1967 muscle with pop art firepower Speaker Johnson: Trump 'not delighted' at Musk '180' on megabill Baton Rouge restaurants with steak on the menu for Father's Day Woman dies from brain-eating amoeba after using tap water to clear sinuses: CDC Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Int'l Business Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Louisiana Republican Points to 'Big White Lines' From Planes as Proof Government Is Manipulating Weather
A bill aimed at banning so-called "chemtrails" advanced in the Louisiana House of Representatives on May 29, with State Rep. Kimberly Landry Coates (R-Ponchatoula) citing the appearance of "big white lines" in the sky as evidence of government-led weather manipulation. Coates defended the bill, SB46, by claiming that aircraft are dispersing chemicals that she said alter weather patterns, WVUE reported. "This bill is to prevent any chemicals above us in the air, specifically to modify the weather," she said on the House floor. Reuters Despite overwhelming scientific consensus that these lines — condensation trails, commonly known as contrails — are harmless byproducts of aircraft exhaust interacting with cold air, Coates and other lawmakers insist they are evidence of a broader government conspiracy. "I've seen the documents with at least nine federal agencies," Coates claimed, when asked who she believes is responsible. She did not offer additional details on the nature of the documents or name the federal agencies. As to which chemicals are being dispersed, Coates cited nanoparticles or aluminum and barium, along with "some with long words I can't pronounce." Contrary to Coates' assertions, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have repeatedly denied use of weather modification programs or chemical agents in the sky. The bill passed with a 58-32 vote, along with amendments requiring the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality to log resident complaints about "chemtrails" and share the data with the Louisiana Air National Guard. Penalties for violators were removed from the bill, with Coates saying enforcement should wait until state agencies "understand chemtrails better." "When you look up in the air, you watch for the big white lines across the sky," Coates told Democratic Rep. C. Denise Marcelle (D-Baton-Rouge), saying she sees them on a weekly basis. The bill now heads back to the Senate for concurrence on the House amendments. Florida, Alabama, and Tennessee have also brought forward legislation based on similar unsubstantiated conspiracy theories involving chemtrails, geoengineering, and weather modification. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy applauded the efforts of states "to ban geoengineering our climate by dousing our citizens, our waterways and landscapes with toxins." "This is a movement every MAHA needs to support," Kennedy wrote on X. "HHS will do its part." Originally published on Latin Times
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Louisiana homeowners might get option to insure their properties for ‘stated value'
Studies show that AI systems used to make important decisions such as approval of loan and mortgage applications can perpetuate historical bias and discrimination if not carefully constructed and monitored. () The Louisiana House of Representatives approved a bill Tuesday that would require insurance companies to let homeowners purchase 'stated value' policies, which cover the home for an amount they declare rather than for its full market value. House Bill 356, sponsored by Rep. Jacob Braud, R-Belle Chasse, cleared the chamber in a 79-20 vote and will head to the Senate for consideration. Braud said his proposal would allow people who do not have a mortgage to purchase a more affordable homeowner's policy. Some homeowners prefer to take on the added risk of having to come out of pocket for damages if it allows them to pay less in homeowner insurance premiums now, he added. 'The premium costs have just been through the roof,' Braud said, citing what many of his constituents have said about their policies. He and several of his colleagues championed the bill as a pro-consumer measure. Rep. Tim Kerner, R-Lafitte, said Braud's legislation might be the only one this year that actually helps homeowners with affordability. 'The downside is that if something happens to their home during a hurricane, they're not gonna be able to replace it if it goes down,' Kerner told Braud on the House floor. 'Well, let me tell you something, I know people losing their houses now.' Rep. Gabe Firment, R-Pollock, opposed the bill's mandate that all residential property insurers in the state create such policies upon request. Firment, who chairs the House Committee on Insurance, has spearheaded many of the tort reform bills this session in an effort to reduce premiums. 'If we mandate every insurance company in the state to provide this product, I think people in South Louisiana will use it,' Firment said. 'They'll be sold a bill of goods without understanding because they're desperate.' Firment said he believes the proposal would shift insurance costs to other parts of the state and lead to an increase in blighted property from people abandoning their damaged homes after storms. This legislative session, lawmakers have largely addressed Louisiana's insurance crisis on the auto coverage front, passing a package of so-called 'tort reform' bills that give insurance companies certain protections or advantages in litigation, making it harder for accident victims to file successful lawsuits. Braud's bill is one of the few proposals that addresses the other component of the crisis: the skyrocketing cost of homeowner insurance that has mostly affected South Louisiana. The only way to truly address the crisis was to make the provisions of his bill mandatory, he said. 'It was clear to me that the insurers did not care to make this product,' Braud said, adding that he believes it would mostly be purchased in extreme cases. Insurers would only have to offer a stated value policy at a homeowner's request, rather than make it a default level of coverage. The proposal moves next to the Senate for consideration. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Proposed state house bill could create independent airport district in Iberia Parish
NEW IBERIA, La. () — In Iberia Parish, a proposed state house bill could reshape how the Acadiana Regional Airport is governed. was introduced by Louisiana State Representative Beau Beaullieu (R- New Iberia), at a previous meeting in April. In the original bill, it stated the current airport board would be removed from parish oversight, creating pushback from Iberia Parish councilmembers. However, due to concerns, the bill was amended, giving the Iberia Parish council back the authority to handle how the airport board is run. Iberia Parish President, Larry Richard, spoke on his initial reactions to the bill, and now current reactions. 'When it was started it was a lot because the parish council wasn't aware of what was going on, the administration wasn't aware of what was going on, but things have a way of working itself out, we have a good group of people in our area that want the best for Iberia parish,' said Richard. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now So far, the amended house bill has passed through the Louisiana House of Representatives by a vote of 89 to 1. The bill also passed through the Louisiana Senate Committee. The proposed law will now make its way to the Senate floor, where it could be signed into law. Richard says he believes the bill could create positive change in Iberia Parish. 'Since then, we have worked some things out,' said Richard. 'Everything is going to be in the hands of the parish council to where they could make a decision based on whatever they want to do, if they decided they want to create a district, they're going to do it, I think they should look at it.' State lawmakers are expected to vote on the bill in the coming weeks. Ohio teen battling brain cancer gets Make-A-Wish trip Meet Lafayette 1st-grader named 2025 Braille Challenge national finalist Talent agent, drummer believed to be among dead in San Diego plane crash Lafayette man accuses Lafayette Police Department of excessive force Proposed state house bill could create independent airport district in Iberia Parish Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Needlessly divisive': Louisiana advances anti-DEI policy despite Black Caucus pushback
Democratic lawmakers stand together to oppose Rep. Emily Chenevert's House Bill 685 (Wes Muller/Louisiana Illuminator) The Louisiana House of Representatives approved a bill Monday that would ban diversity, equity and inclusion practices across state government and prohibit state universities and colleges from requiring certain race and gender-based curriculum for undergraduate students. House Bill 685 by Rep. Emily Chenevert, R-Baton Rouge, advanced from the House on a 57-32 vote, narrowly clearing the 53-vote threshold for passage. Sixteen members, including several moderate Democrats and Republicans, were absent for the vote. In an unusual move, every Democratic lawmaker present stood together in solidarity behind the House floor lectern, while nearly every Black lawmaker took turns making speeches against the bill. 'To me, this is an anti-Black bill,' Rep. Edmond Jordan of Baton Rouge said. 'It's not just divisive. It's offensive.' 'This is the most racially oppressive piece of legislation that I think I've seen,' Rep. Candace Newell of New Orleans said. Republican Reps. Beth Billings of Deshrehan, Vincent Cox of Gretna and Jeff Wiley of Maurepas joined Democrats in opposing the bill. 'It was needlessly divisive,' Billings said in an interview when asked why she opposed the bill. In tearful comments after the speeches, Chenevert said her bill is not racist. 'This is not divisive,' Chenevert said. 'This is protecting every Louisianian. This is about equality for all.' Chenevert's bill has been dramatically rewritten from her original legislation, which only banned DEI practices in state government. As is, the bill would prohibit required classes that cover any of the following subjects: Critical race theory White fragility or white guilt Systemic racism, institutional racism or anti-racism Systemic bias or implicit bias Intersectionality Gender identity Allyship Race-based reparations Race-based privilege Amendments added to the bill on the House floor would allow any of the subjects to be taught if it is 'included at the discretion of the faculty member, is not prescribed by the institution as a program requirement, and is part of a broader pedagogical objective.' Opponents of the bill said even with the amendments, the legislation could have a chilling effect on faculty's academic freedom and freedom of speech. The bill also makes an exception for majors, minors and certificates that are specifically related to race or gender studies. The Louisiana chapter of the American Association of University Professors sent a letter to lawmakers Monday asking them to oppose the bill. 'This legislation would stifle the 'marketplace of ideas' and infantilize our students, forcing faculty to avoid concepts the legislature dislikes and presenting only those that have gained their favor,' the letter reads. 'This is antithetical to freedom in a democratic society and hurts our students as they transition into fully enfranchised citizens.' The Southern University Foundation, which is affiliated with Louisiana's largest historically Black university, also opposes the bill. Chenevert's bill will next be discussed in a Senate committee. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
