Louisiana Politics

Parties ‘targeting Louisiana’ for redistricting

Republican strategist Karl Rove is expecting a “heckuva battle” over redistricting and the legislative races that will precede the process, according to an op-ed he wrote in The Wall Street Journal last week, and Louisiana will certainly be in the mix.

Gubernatorial campaigns make hires

As January gives way to February, the three declared candidates for governor are building up their staffs in anticipation of the campaign to come. Incumbent Gov. John Bel Edwards is shouldering the additional burden of having to juggle personnel in his own administration.

Capitol’s revolving door continues to swing

n what is snowballing into a legislative record of sorts, both chambers of the Louisiana Legislature have so far concluded 10 special elections, including a single-candidate House race from last week’s qualifying period.

Following earlier start, turnout still looks bleak

First the bad news. Secretary of State Tom Schedler said in an interview that he fears turnout could be as low as 10 percent for this month’s runoff elections on Nov. 18. Now for something with more of a positive spin.

Lawmakers consider reforms

When lawmakers debate taxes and spending during the next session another budget issue should be added to the mix. And that would be departmental reforms, according to Senate Natural Resources Chairman Norby Chabert, R-Houma.

As fiscal year begins, 31 new laws enacted

Part of the policy yield from six lawmaking sessions held over the past 18 months came into view this past weekend when several new laws were enacted. That included the official state budget, which weighs in at $28 billion and took effect on July 1, the start of the 2017-2018 fiscal year.

When’s the next session?

After convening three different times this year, the Louisiana Legislature isn’t scheduled to go into another lawmaking session until March 12, 2018. That’s when the House and Senate will begin their annual regular session — just like the one that was concluded in early June.

State school superintendent job challenged in district court suit

By Jeremy Alford LaPolitics.com Despite pleas to hold a hearing before the regular session ends, 19th Judicial District Court Judge William Morvant appears prepared to wait until August to address a lawsuit that questions the employment status of Education Superintendent John White.

Study: Louisiana hosted largest tax increase in U.S.

Louisiana implemented the largest tax increase in the United States in 2016, according to a 50-state survey compiled by the National Conference of State Legislatures. The report estimates the overall increase in Louisiana at $1.

Rural jobs bill unites unlikely political allies

In what could be described as an exercise in star-crossed politics, the left-leaning Louisiana Budget Project and the right-leaning Americans For Prosperity officially joined forces on Monday to oppose the creation of a rural jobs tax credit.