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American Press
an hour ago
- Business
- American Press
Abraham gives legislative wrap-up: Insurance rates, education shortfalls addressed
State Sen. Mark Abraham, a Republican, speaks to members of Kiwanis Club Lake Charles Tuesday afternoon at The Charleston. (Crystal Stevenson / American Press) From sweeping insurance reforms to teacher pay raises, the 2025 Louisiana Legislative session closed with a flurry of bills aimed at addressing the state's toughest challenges — insurance premiums and public education shortfalls. 'Sometimes not everybody knows everything that's going on in Baton Rouge and it's our job to inform you of what went on and answer questions that you might have and need to have answered,' Abraham told members of Kiwanis Club Lake Charles on Tuesday. 'I'm Just a Bill' Committees are in place for both the House and the Senate and bills must pass through both sets of committees before they can move forward. 'They have to be vetted and you have people on each side who get a chance to say if it's a good bill or a bad bill and if that bill gets out of committee, it goes to the floor,' Abraham said. 'Once it passes the Senate floor, it goes to the House and the same procedure starts all over again.' Abraham said the purpose of those multiple steps is to make sure bills are vetted and the public understands what each bill would entail. 'The public needs a chance to come to the Capitol, tell us what they like or don't like about a bill and then we try to make a decision,' he said. 'Lots of bills get killed in committee. Some get killed on the floor. That's part of the process; you have to cover all the bases before a bill becomes law.' In this most recent session, there were 700 House bills and 250 Senate bills introduced. Not all passed. Some of the 'hot topic' bills that became law this legislative session focused on education, food safety and auto insurance. Auto insurance House Bill 148 — which Abraham described as 'very controversial' — involved Gov. Jeff Landry and Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple. 'The governor said, 'We need to make sure the commissioner of insurance can lower rates any time he wants, any time he feels like it.' Temple said, 'No, I don't want to do that because if you have the impression that the insurance commissioner can lower the rate anytime they want, how many insurance companies do you think would want to come to Louisiana under those circumstances?' The public thought it was a good idea, but in business that's not good to do. You can't tell someone who's trying to make a profit that at any time you can cut their rates so that they can't make a profit.' Abraham said when the bill made it to the Senate, language was added that required the commissioner to have actuary numbers and 'sound footing' on why he wants to lower the rate. The bill ultimately passed. House Bill 450 requires someone who sues over injuries in a car accident to prove those injuries occurred during that accident and not one prior. 'Hopefully this will lower the claims and payouts,' Abraham said. House Bill 434 'is a pretty good one,' he said. 'If you are uninsured and you get in a wreck, you cannot collect any money unless the damage is over $100,000. If you don't play by our rules, you don't get to collect any money.' House Bill 436 limits the damages that 'undocumented immigrants' can recover in car accident lawsuits. Specifically, it prohibits the award of general damages — like pain and suffering — but they can still recover special damages like medical bills. House Bill 549 provides for insurance premium discounts for commercial trucks that are equipped with dashboard cameras and telematics systems. 'We don't like to put a Band-Aid on anybody, but there is an exception to every rule,' Abraham said. 'We don't want to tell an insurance company that they have to give a discount, but in this particular case we did.' If truckers put a camera in their vehicle, they get a 5 percent discount on their rates. 'A lot of information can be gleaned from these cameras — like who is at fault, who is not a fault,' Abraham said. 'We feel like claims might go down because the cameras are there.' House Bill 431 significantly changes how fault is handled in lawsuits after car accidents. 'If you are at fault 51 percent, you cannot collect any money,' Abraham said. 'If you are 40 percent at fault, then you can collect 60 percent of damages.' Abraham said, again, the goal is to reduce insurance claims in the state, therefore dropping insurance rates overall for drivers. CVS bill House Bill 358 prohibits the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy from granting or renewing permits for pharmacies that are wholly or partially owned or operated by pharmacy benefit managers. 'CVS is the only one that is vertically integrated,' Abraham said. 'They own the manufacturer, they own a pharmacy benefits manager and they own the pharmacy.' Abraham said CVS operates 120 stores in Louisiana and they have 'hundreds of thousands of people who buy prescriptions.' Originally the bill set rules for how pharmacists could work remotely. In the last minutes of the session, the addendum was added by a conference committee of six members. 'It wasn't vetted, we haven't had the pros and cons of the other committees to say this is why CVS is good or why CVS is bad. That was not debated and not talked about. Six people decided this,' Abraham said. The Senate killed the bill by refusing to hold a final vote. There is a possibility that the issue of PBM ownership could be revisited in a special legislative session. Teacher pay raises In March, Louisiana voters rejected proposed Constitutional Amendment 2, which would have made one-time pay stipends of $2,000 for teachers and $1,000 for support staff permanent. Abraham said in April 2026, voters will be asked again — though there is a better plan this time around. 'We have about $2 billion in a savings account that is dedicated to education. It earns about 3 percent a year. It's been sitting there a long time,' Abraham said. The plan is to use some of that $2 billion to pay down teacher retirement debt, he said, which will in turn saves school boards money since they have to pay a 25 percent matching fee on teacher retirement. 'They are going to take that savings and give it to the teachers as a permanent raise,' Abraham said. 'It will be a $2,500 salary increase for teachers and $1,125 for support staff.' Among the other education-related bills: House Bill 262 mandates computer science as a high school graduation requirement, starting with students entering ninth grade in the 2026-2027 school year. This means students graduating in 2029-2030 and beyond will need to complete at least one computer science course to earn their diploma. House Bill 77 creates the TOPS Excellence award, which is available to any student with a 3.5 grade-point average and a score of 31 or higher on the ACT or an equivalent score on a similar exam. The scholarship will provide tuition and fees at the Louisiana public university the student chooses or $12,000, whichever is less. House Bill 279 increase mandatory anti-hazing training for fraternities, sororities and other college student organizations from one hour to two hours. Other bills Senate Bill 14 , also known as the 'Make Louisiana Healthy Again' bill, significantly impacts food safety and ingredient regulations. The law focuses on ingredient disclosure, school meal standards and restaurant practices. Certain food dyes are forbidden and seed oils used must now be disclosed. House Bill 640 establishes the Office of Louisiana Highway Construction. This new office, within the governor's office under the Division of Administration, will handle the planning, design, construction and maintenance of state highways that are not eligible for federal funding. The OLHC will have the authority to enter into contracts, accept grants, and develop cost-sharing agreements. House Bill 570 establishes protections for minors using mobile applications and digital platforms, creating new legal requirements for both application store providers and developers. Now teenagers need parental permission to download apps like TikTok, Snapchat or Instagram. Senate Bill 99 bans red light cameras statewide and limit speed enforcement cameras to designated school zones during specified hours.
Hamilton Spectator
2 hours ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Trump to meet NATO secretary general as plan takes shape for Ukraine weapons sales
BRIDGEWATER, NJ (AP) — NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is set to meet President Donald Trump this week on the heels of the U.S. leader announcing plans to sell NATO allies weaponry that it can then pass on to Ukraine. NATO in a statement said Rutte will be in Washington on Monday and Tuesday and would meet with Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio , and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as well as Congress . The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the visit. The visit comes as Trump last week teased that he would make a 'major statement' on Russia on Monday and as Ukraine struggles to repel massive and complex air assaults launched by Russian forces . Rubio said Friday that some of the U.S.-made weapons that Ukraine is seeking are deployed with NATO allies in Europe. Those weapons could be transferred to Ukraine, with European countries buying replacements from the U.S., he said. 'It's a lot faster to move something, for example, from Germany to Ukraine than it is to order it from a (U.S.) factory and get it there,' Rubio told reporters last week during visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia . French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu in an interview published Sunday in La Tribune Dimanche said that European officials have been making the case to the Trump administration to bolster air defense capabilities with any coming packages. He added that France is in a 'capacity hole' and will have to wait until next year before being able to provide Ukraine new ground-air missiles. Trump is also facing calls from Republicans and Democrats as well as European allies to support legislation in the Senate that aims to cripple Russia's oil industry and hit Moscow with U.S. sanctions for its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The legislation, in part, calls for a 500% tariff on goods imported from countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other exports. It would have an enormous impact on economic behemoths China and India, which account for roughly 70% of Russia's energy trade . That revenue is critical in helping keep the Russian war machine humming as the U.S. and Europe have imposed significant import and export bans on a wide range of goods to and from Russia, affecting sectors like finance, energy, transport, technology, and defense. Trump for months had threatened, but held off on, imposing new sanctions against Russia's oil industry. But the Republican leader has become increasingly exasperated with Putin in recent days and has laid into the Russian leader for prolonging the war. 'We get a lot of bull—— thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth,' Trump said last week in an exchange with reporters . 'He's very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.' Congress has been prepared to act on the legislation, sponsored by Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Democrat Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, for some time. The bill has overwhelming support in the Senate, but Republican leadership has been waiting for Trump to give the green light before moving ahead with it. The White House had expressed some reservations about the legislation. Trump made clear he wants full authority over the waiver process to lift the sanctions, tariffs or other penalties, without having to cede control to Congress. Under the initial bill, the president 'may terminate' the penalties under certain circumstances, but immediately reimpose them if the violations resume. Graham has said the president would be allowed to waive the sanctions, for 180 days, and could also renew a waiver. ______ Associated Press writer Angela Charlton in Paris contributed reporting. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
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First Post
2 hours ago
- Politics
- First Post
Trump's ‘big bill' reshapes 2026 House races, sparks fierce fight for control
From California's Central Valley to Midwestern battlegrounds and northeastern suburban districts, the new law is already influencing the 2026 midterm struggle for House control. The conclusion will shape Trump's last two years in office read more The debate over President Donald Trump's massive budget and policy package has concluded on Capitol Hill. The debate has now expanded to the national level. From California's Central Valley to Midwestern battlegrounds and northeastern suburban districts, the new law is already influencing the 2026 midterm struggle for House control. The conclusion will shape Trump's last two years in office. Democrats require a net gain of three House seats to break the GOP's stranglehold on Washington and re-establish a power centre to resist Trump. There is extra urgency to flip the House since midterm Senate races are concentrated in Republican-leaning areas, making it more difficult for Democrats to recapture the chamber. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Republicans believe they have already achieved massive tax cuts, unprecedented spending in immigration enforcement, and significant limits on social safety net programs. Democrats see a measure that reduces health-care access and hikes expenses for middle-class Americans while lowering taxes mostly for the wealthy, reducing green energy projects, and limiting certain workers' organising rights. 'It represents the broken promise they made to the American people,' said Rep. Suzan DelBene, a Washington Democrat who chairs the party's House campaign arm. 'We're going to continue to hold Republicans accountable for this vote.' Parties gear up for a fight Whether voters see it that way will be determined on a district-by-district level, but the battle will be more intense in some places than others. Among the 435 House districts, only 69 contests were decided by less than 10 percentage points in the 2024 general election. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has so far identified 26 Democratic-held seats it must defend vigorously, along with 34 GOP-held seats it believes could be ripe to flip. Republicans' campaign arm, the National Republican Congressional Committee, has so far listed 18 GOP incumbents as priorities, plus two districts opened by retirements. There are a historically low number of so-called crossover districts: Only 13 Democrats represent districts Trump carried in 2024, while just three Republicans serve districts Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris carried. Both committees are busy recruiting challengers and open-seat candidates and more retirements could come, so the competitive map will evolve. Still, there are clusters of districts guaranteed to influence the national result. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD California, despite its clear lean to Democrats statewide, has at least nine House districts expected to be up for grabs: three in the Central Valley and six in southern California. Six are held by Democrats, three by the GOP. Pennsylvania features four districts that have been among the closest national House races for several consecutive cycles. They include a suburban Philadelphia seat represented by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, one of just two House Republicans to vote against Trump's bill and one of the three GOP lawmakers from a district Harris won. Fitzpatrick cited the Medicaid cuts. Vice President JD Vance plans on Wednesday to be in Republican Rep. Rob Bresnahan's northwest Pennsylvania district to tout the GOP package. Bresnahan's seat is a top Democratic target. Iowa and Wisconsin, meanwhile, feature four contiguous GOP-held districts in farm-heavy regions where voters could be swayed by fallout from Trump's tariffs. Democrats fight to define the GOP Beyond bumper-sticker labels – Trump's preferred 'Big Beautiful Bill' versus Democrats' 'Big Ugly Bill' retort – the 900-page law is, in fact, an array of policies with varying impact. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Democrats hammer Medicaid and food assistance cuts, some timed to take full effect only after the 2026 midterms, along with Republicans' refusal to extend tax credits to some people who obtained health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 11.8 million more Americans would become uninsured by 2034 if the bill became law; 3 million more would not qualify for food stamps, also known as SNAP benefits. 'Folks will die here in Louisiana and in other parts of the country,' House Minority Leader Jeffries warned last week during a town hall in Republican Speaker Mike Johnson's home state of Louisiana. Jeffries singled out vulnerable Republicans like California Rep. David Valadao, who represents a heavily agricultural Central Valley district where more than half the population is eligible for the joint state-federal insurance program. California allows immigrants with legal status and those who are undocumented to qualify for Medicaid, so not all Medicaid recipients are voters. But the program helps finance the overall health care system, including nursing homes and hospitals. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Republicans highlight the law's tightened work requirements for Medicaid enrollees. They argue it's a popular provision that will strengthen the program. 'I voted for this bill because it does preserve the Medicaid program for its intended recipients — children, pregnant women, the disabled, and elderly,' Valadao said. 'I know how important the program is for my constituents.' Republicans hope voters see lower taxes The law includes $4.5 trillion in tax cuts. It makes permanent existing rates and brackets approved during Trump's first term. Republicans and their allies have hammered vulnerable Democrats for 'raising costs' on American households by opposing the bill. GOP campaign aides point to the popularity of individual provisions: boosting the $2,000 child tax credit to $2,200 (some families at lower income levels would not get the full credit), new deductions on tip and overtime income and auto loans; and a new deduction for older adults earning less than $75,000 a year. 'Everyone will have more take home pay. They'll have more jobs and opportunity,' Johnson said in a Fox News Sunday interview. 'The economy will be doing better and we'll be able to point to that as the obvious result of what we did.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Democrats note that the biggest beneficiaries of Trump's tax code are wealthy Americans and corporations. Pairing that with safety net cuts, Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz concluded, 'The cruelty is the point.' Immigration, meanwhile, was Trump's strongest issue in 2024. NRCC aides say that will continue with the new law's investments in immigration enforcement. Democrats believe the Trump administration has overplayed its hand with its push for mass deportation. Playing the Trump card The president is a titanic variable. Democrats point to 2018, when they notched a 40-seat net gain in House seats to take control away from the GOP. This year, Democrats have enjoyed a double-digit swing in special elections around the country when compared to 2024 presidential results. Similar trends emerged in 2017 after Trump's 2016 victory. Democrats say that reflects voter discontent with Trump once he's actually in charge. Republicans answer that Trump's job approval remains higher at this point than in 2017. But the GOP's effort is further complicated by ongoing realignments: Since Trump's emergence, Democrats have gained affluent white voters -– like those in suburban swing districts -– while Trump has drawn more working-class voters across racial and ethnic groups. But Republicans face a stiffer challenge of replicating Trump's coalition in a midterm election without him on the ballot. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Democrats, meanwhile, must corral voters who are not a threat to vote for Republicans but could stay home. Jeffries said he's determined not to let that happen. 'We're going to do everything we can until we end this national nightmare.'
San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Trump to meet NATO secretary general as plan takes shape for Ukraine weapons sales
BRIDGEWATER, NJ (AP) — NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is set to meet President Donald Trump this week on the heels of the U.S. leader announcing plans to sell NATO allies weaponry that it can then pass on to Ukraine. NATO in a statement said Rutte will be in Washington on Monday and Tuesday and would meet with Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as well as Congress. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the visit. The visit comes as Trump last week teased that he would make a 'major statement' on Russia on Monday and as Ukraine struggles to repel massive and complex air assaults launched by Russian forces. Rubio said Friday that some of the U.S.-made weapons that Ukraine is seeking are deployed with NATO allies in Europe. Those weapons could be transferred to Ukraine, with European countries buying replacements from the U.S., he said. 'It's a lot faster to move something, for example, from Germany to Ukraine than it is to order it from a (U.S.) factory and get it there,' Rubio told reporters last week during visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu in an interview published Sunday in La Tribune Dimanche said that European officials have been making the case to the Trump administration to bolster air defense capabilities with any coming packages. He added that France is in a 'capacity hole' and will have to wait until next year before being able to provide Ukraine new ground-air missiles. Trump is also facing calls from Republicans and Democrats as well as European allies to support legislation in the Senate that aims to cripple Russia's oil industry and hit Moscow with U.S. sanctions for its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The legislation, in part, calls for a 500% tariff on goods imported from countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other exports. It would have an enormous impact on economic behemoths China and India, which account for roughly 70% of Russia's energy trade. That revenue is critical in helping keep the Russian war machine humming as the U.S. and Europe have imposed significant import and export bans on a wide range of goods to and from Russia, affecting sectors like finance, energy, transport, technology, and defense. Trump for months had threatened, but held off on, imposing new sanctions against Russia's oil industry. But the Republican leader has become increasingly exasperated with Putin in recent days and has laid into the Russian leader for prolonging the war. 'We get a lot of bull---- thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth,' Trump said last week in an exchange with reporters. 'He's very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.' Congress has been prepared to act on the legislation, sponsored by Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Democrat Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, for some time. The bill has overwhelming support in the Senate, but Republican leadership has been waiting for Trump to give the green light before moving ahead with it. The White House had expressed some reservations about the legislation. Trump made clear he wants full authority over the waiver process to lift the sanctions, tariffs or other penalties, without having to cede control to Congress. Under the initial bill, the president 'may terminate' the penalties under certain circumstances, but immediately reimpose them if the violations resume. Graham has said the president would be allowed to waive the sanctions, for 180 days, and could also renew a waiver.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Trump to meet NATO secretary general as plan takes shape for Ukraine weapons sales
BRIDGEWATER, NJ (AP) — NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is set to meet President Donald Trump this week on the heels of the U.S. leader announcing plans to sell NATO allies weaponry that it can then pass on to Ukraine. NATO in a statement said Rutte will be in Washington on Monday and Tuesday and would meet with Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as well as Congress. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the visit. The visit comes as Trump last week teased that he would make a 'major statement' on Russia on Monday and as Ukraine struggles to repel massive and complex air assaults launched by Russian forces. Rubio said Friday that some of the U.S.-made weapons that Ukraine is seeking are deployed with NATO allies in Europe. Those weapons could be transferred to Ukraine, with European countries buying replacements from the U.S., he said. 'It's a lot faster to move something, for example, from Germany to Ukraine than it is to order it from a (U.S.) factory and get it there,' Rubio told reporters last week during visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu in an interview published Sunday in La Tribune Dimanche said that European officials have been making the case to the Trump administration to bolster air defense capabilities with any coming packages. He added that France is in a 'capacity hole' and will have to wait until next year before being able to provide Ukraine new ground-air missiles. Trump is also facing calls from Republicans and Democrats as well as European allies to support legislation in the Senate that aims to cripple Russia's oil industry and hit Moscow with U.S. sanctions for its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The legislation, in part, calls for a 500% tariff on goods imported from countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other exports. It would have an enormous impact on economic behemoths China and India, which account for roughly 70% of Russia's energy trade. That revenue is critical in helping keep the Russian war machine humming as the U.S. and Europe have imposed significant import and export bans on a wide range of goods to and from Russia, affecting sectors like finance, energy, transport, technology, and defense. Trump for months had threatened, but held off on, imposing new sanctions against Russia's oil industry. But the Republican leader has become increasingly exasperated with Putin in recent days and has laid into the Russian leader for prolonging the war. 'We get a lot of bull—- thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth,' Trump said last week in an exchange with reporters. 'He's very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.' Congress has been prepared to act on the legislation, sponsored by Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Democrat Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, for some time. The bill has overwhelming support in the Senate, but Republican leadership has been waiting for Trump to give the green light before moving ahead with it. The White House had expressed some reservations about the legislation. Trump made clear he wants full authority over the waiver process to lift the sanctions, tariffs or other penalties, without having to cede control to Congress. Under the initial bill, the president 'may terminate' the penalties under certain circumstances, but immediately reimpose them if the violations resume. Graham has said the president would be allowed to waive the sanctions, for 180 days, and could also renew a waiver. ______ Associated Press writer Angela Charlton in Paris contributed reporting.
