Latest news with #NolanMcKendry
American Press
14-05-2025
- Business
- American Press
Legislators kill two taxes on carbon capture
A liquid carbon dioxide containment unit stands outside the fabrication building of Glenwood Mason Supply Company in 2023, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. New York is forcing buildings to clean up, and several are experimenting with capturing carbon dioxide, cooling it into a liquid and mixing it into concrete where it turns into a mineral. (Associated Press) By Nolan McKendry | The Center Square Louisiana lawmakers have rejected two separate proposals that would have imposed new taxes on carbon capture and sequestration operators, stalling efforts to generate local revenue from the growing industry. Rep. Shane Mack's House Bill 44, which proposed a per-ton injection tax on carbon dioxide stored underground, failed in committee last week in a 4-10 vote. The Livingston Parish Republican originally proposed a $3-per-metric-ton tax but amended it down to $1 in response to industry concerns. 'There are several industrial representatives that are comfortable with a $1 tax,' Mack said during testimony. Under the bill, revenue from the tax would have been distributed to parishes where carbon is stored, based on the geographic footprint of each facility. The Louisiana Department of Revenue would have collected the tax, and the Department of Energy and Natural Resources would certify injection volumes. The bill drew pushback from the oil and gas industry. Tommy Faucheux, president of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, warned that imposing a tax too early in the industry's development could chill investment and drive CCS projects to other states. A second measure, House Bill 646 by Rep. Robby Carter, D-St. Helena, proposed a 30% excise tax on the gross proceeds of geologic carbon storage. Carter voluntarily deferred the bill until next year, but not before voicing his broader concerns about CCS. 'I think everyone on the floor knows I'm against carbon sequestration,' Carter said. 'I see us in 50 or 60 years, St. Helena being like the problems with the coast — having a big problem with these wells, with the carbon bubbling up, or even having lakes form where they've fallen in, and having no money because we didn't get any money to take care of it.'
American Press
14-05-2025
- Health
- American Press
Report: Louisiana still battling fentanyl crisis
(Metro Creative Services) By Nolan McKendry | The Center Square Louisiana continues to face one of the most severe drug overdose crises in the nation, according to a new analysis of federal mortality data. The state ranks seventh nationwide in overdose deaths, averaging 39.4 deaths per 100,000 residents — 43% above the national average of 27.5. The findings come from a study by Georgia-based Bader Scott Injury Lawyers, which analyzed five years of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report shows Louisiana averaged 1,828 overdose deaths annually from 2018 to 2022, with fatalities more than doubling over that period. The state saw its highest number of overdose deaths in 2021, with 2,463 lives lost—up from 1,140 in 2018. Synthetic opioids, particularly fentanyl, are driving the surge. Recent FDA data cited in the study show emergency room visits for fentanyl overdoses have jumped 320% since 2019, and synthetic opioids are now detected in 76% of all drug-related deaths nationwide. Southern states dominate the top 10 in overdose mortality, with West Virginia leading the nation at 65.9 deaths per 100,000 residents. Louisiana is not far behind, and several of its parishes are among the state's hardest hit. According to the Louisiana Department of Health, Jefferson Parish recorded the most opioid-involved deaths in a recent year (193), followed by St. Tammany (84), Lafayette (68), and Rapides (63). While overdose deaths in Louisiana have declined slightly from their 2021 peak — dropping from 15,665 in 2021 to 13,937 — the number remains elevated compared to 2016, when the state reported 12,566 fatal overdoses. 'This study reveals the extent to which Louisiana has been devastated by the opioid epidemic,' said a Bader Scott spokesman. 'The crisis is fueled by a combination of prescription painkillers, heroin, and increasingly, synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Socioeconomic challenges, limited healthcare access, and geographic factors have all contributed to this deadly trend.' Experts say addressing the crisis will require a multi-pronged approach: Expanding access to addiction treatment, making overdose-reversing medications like naloxone more widely available and investing in prevention efforts targeted at vulnerable communities.
American Press
07-05-2025
- Business
- American Press
Teacher stipends survive committee, could be headed to House floor for a vote
By Nolan McKendry | The Center Square Louisiana lawmakers are moving forward this week with a more targeted version of the defeated Amendment 2, which voters rejected in March for being overly complex and far-reaching. On Monday, the House Civil Law and Procedure Committee advanced House Bill 678, a pared-down constitutional amendment that focuses solely on consolidating the state's two primary savings accounts and a companion bill that would fund $2,000 stipends for the state's teachers. HB678, which passed without objection, is a substitute for the original HB472 and is a central piece of lawmakers' effort to revive key elements of the failed 130-page rewrite of Article VII. The new version is significantly shorter — just five pages of actual bill language and three pages of digest — and is framed as a 'single-issue' measure. 'This particular amendment—of course when I first drafted it—it was still part of the Article VII rewrite, which was very, very lengthy,' Rep. Julie Emerson, R-Carencro, told the committee. 'But we always intended on making it smaller. I was just trying to meet the bill filing deadlines. In Ways and Means, we amended it down to just the fund combination.' The proposed amendment would merge the Budget Stabilization Fund (commonly known as the Rainy Day Fund) with the Revenue Stabilization Trust Fund, and repeal the latter. It would also eliminate current caps on mineral revenues flowing into the general fund, thereby potentially increasing recurring revenue for the state. 'If you remember in Amendment 2, we were combining our two savings accounts,' Emerson said. 'This is the statutory companion. This allows us to grow that fund to about $3 billion. It's a single issue. I would say pretty simple, but obviously, it's a little bit legal — talking about Revenue Stabilization and Budget Stabilization — but that is exactly what the language says we're doing.' The amendment proposes changes to several sections of Article VII of the state constitution and would go before voters on Nov. 3, 2026, a date chosen to coincide with a high-turnout election cycle. The measure is part of a broader effort to revive fiscal reforms contained in the failed March amendment, but this time through standalone bills to avoid overwhelming voters. A companion bill, HB473, which also passed committee without objection, would reallocate savings generated by HB678 to pay down the state's unfunded liabilities in the Teachers Retirement System of Louisiana. That move is intended to eventually fund $2,000 stipends for teachers —though those payments would not arrive until November 2026 at the earliest.
American Press
06-05-2025
- Business
- American Press
App store age restriction bill passes without objection
By Nolan McKendry | The Center Square Louisiana is looking to join several states in cracking down on access to mobile applications for underage individuals. Under House Bill 570, teens would need parental permission to download apps like TikTok, Snapchat or Instagram. The legislation, which passed without objection, aims to give parents greater control over the digital lives of their children by requiring app stores to verify the age of users and confirm parental consent for anyone under 18. The bill passed the House Commerce Committee without objection. 'Our phones are now the white van,' said Michelle Johnson, a supporter of the bill who warned lawmakers about the link between social media and child exploitation. 'We wouldn't let a strange man lure our kids off the street, but we allow it online every day.' The bill's supporters, including Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, argue that placing the responsibility on app stores is both practical and protective of user privacy. Nicole Lopez, Meta's Director of Global Litigation Strategy for Youth, told lawmakers the company backs HB570 as a 'privacy-protective solution' that streamlines parental control without overburdening app developers. 'Parents already verify age and grant permissions when they buy a phone for their teen,' Lopez said. 'This bill would make that process apply to all app downloads, not just purchases, using the infrastructure Apple and Google already have.' Lopez noted that Meta has already migrated over 25 million American teens into stricter 'Teen Accounts' with limited messaging and default privacy settings. The company says 80% of U.S. parents support legislation requiring parental consent for app downloads by teens under 16, based on polling data. The bill would also help ensure compliance with the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, which restricts the collection of data from users under 13. Not everyone is on board. On Monday, critics argued the bill threatens user privacy, shifts liability unfairly to app stores, and may not stand up in court. 'HB570 would compromise the privacy of all users by requiring more data collection just to verify someone's age,' said Aden Hizkias with the Chamber of Progress, a tech industry coalition. 'This shifts responsibility away from social media companies and undermines First Amendment rights.' Justin Hill, a policy analyst with NetChoice and a former Missouri lawmaker, warned that similar laws in Utah and Ohio have already been blocked by courts. 'This exact bill has been filed and hasn't passed elsewhere. Courts have said forcing people to upload ID just to access digital content violates constitutional protections.' In an interview, Carver said that the bill has been tailored so that it does not target specific content, such as social media platforms, thereby avoiding a constitutional challenge. 'This would apply to all 1.5 million apps on the stores, so we're not limiting anyone's access to speech,' Carver said. Hill pointed out that the practical implications are enormous. 'On Day 1, you'd need to submit ID to the app store just to download or update apps. If you want your son to have access, you'd need to prove you're their parent — how do you do that without a birth certificate?' Hill asked. John Tamny of the Parkview Institute called the proposal 'a trivialization of parenting,' saying Apple and Google already provide tools for parents to manage screen time and restrict access to apps. 'We're pretending parents are powerless when, in reality, they're already well-armed.' HB570 would require major app stores like Apple and Google to collect minimal information about a user's age and parental status before allowing teens to download apps. Once verified, parents would receive requests to approve or deny any attempted downloads by their child. However, the bill does not address what happens if a child uses a parent's already-approved device. 'That's something that will have to be left to the parents,' said Rep. Kim Carver during the hearing. 'We don't want to get into the business of telling parents how to parent.' Supporters emphasized that the legislation is narrowly tailored to avoid the constitutional pitfalls that have plagued other state efforts. Unlike earlier laws that singled out specific apps or websites, HB570 applies to all app stores equally.
American Press
30-04-2025
- Business
- American Press
Louisiana lawmakers reject all but one carbon capture bill
A liquid carbon dioxide containment unit stands outside the fabrication building of Glenwood Mason Supply Company in 2023, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. New York is forcing buildings to clean up, and several are experimenting with capturing carbon dioxide, cooling it into a liquid and mixing it into concrete where it turns into a mineral. (Associated Press) By Nolan McKendry | The Center Square Legislators rejected seven bills on Tuesday that would have greatly hindered the development of carbon capture and sequestration, a major blow to Louisiana constituents concerned about eminent domain and CO2 leaks. Only one bill moved through the House Natural Resources Committee. Senate Bill 73, from Sen. Mike Reese, R-Beauregard, passed without objection. The bill requires the commissioner of conservation to give significant weight to local government input when making decisions on carbon dioxide sequestration projects that involve public comments or hearings. Marketed as a way to reduce carbon emissions, carbon capture and sequestration allows various industries to market their products as low carbon to international and domestic markets. According to Louisiana Economic Development, there are currently $23 billion in carbon capture related investments in the state, with a projected 4,500 jobs. The committee met for more than 13 hours. Opposition to the restrictive bills included industry and parish leaders from all over Louisiana, such as Anna Johnson, president of the West Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce, Ray Gregson, executive director of the River Regions Chamber of Commerce, Michael Hecht, president & CEO of Greater New Orleans and representatives from the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, Entergy, the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association and Landowners Association. The technology is a potential 'game changing opportunity,' according to the River Region Chamber of Commerce. The regional chamber recently announced strong support for carbon capture and sequestration, calling the technology essential to securing billions in industrial investment, creating high-quality jobs, and maintaining Louisiana's competitive edge in global energy markets. Citing the 2024-25 Louisiana Economic Forecast by economist Dr. Loren Scott, the chamber emphasized that more than $150 billion in industrial projects across three metro areas are tied to the successful implementation of CCS and access to renewable energy. Beyond economics, the chamber argued CCS is a proven, safe technology that has operated in the U.S. for decades, with more than 200 million tons of CO₂ safely stored underground since the 1970s. It said supporting CCS can both reduce emissions and modernize the state's energy infrastructure without relying on restrictive energy policies or mandates. The chamber also emphasized job creation, noting that the state's oil and gas sector has lost more than 20,000 jobs since 2015. CCS, they argue, could absorb much of that displaced workforce, especially in areas like welding, operations, and maintenance. There are currently over 20 bills filed which would've greatly limited the technology. Some of them function to give landowners and local communities more power in refusing carbon capture, others impose heavy regulations on the technology itself. Much of the testimony from witnesses expressed concerns on the use of eminent domain, which several bills aimed to address. 'You have to give it back to people and let them have the right to vote,' said Renne Savant, representing the Louisiana CO2 Alliance. Savant took issue with former Sen. Sharon Hewitt's 2020 law which extended eminent domain authority to include pipelines transporting CO2 to storage facilities. 'She said 'we're going to take it out of the air, and put it in existing pipelines and sequester it. Never did she mention the hundreds of miles of new pipelines',' Savant said. 'Never did she mention the millions of toxic CO2 byproducts that will be put underground, never mentioned anything about property rights.' Savant was one of many whose testimony was less than friendly to the burgeoning technology. Chris Alexander, a Baton Rouge attorney, called CCS 'a complete racket that is being paid for with our money and being imposed on citizens throughout this state, whether or not they want it or not, and that, quite frankly, is a disgrace' Roland Hollins, an Allen Parish Police Jury member, said that parishes are 'being forced to take this poison that we don't want.' 'I'm not saying I'm for or against [CCS],' Hollins said in an interview with The Center Square. 'But our people ought to be the ones who make that decision. Not Baton Rouge, not industry. Right now, the industry has a pistol in their pocket with eminent domain.' Rep. Shane Mack, R-Livingston, introduced a bill to strengthen safety and environmental protections for carbon dioxide storage and pipeline projects. Schamerhorn introduced a bill that would allow victims of CO2 leaks to claim money for damages. Opponents argued that Schamerhorn's bill would drive CO2 investment out of Louisiana by creating legal risks companies wouldn't accept and that Mack's bill was superfluous and because the bill imposed broad, open-ended financial liabilities and regulatory obligations on carbon storage operators. 'The benefits do not outweigh the costs,' Schamerhorn said.
