In a 13-minute speech kicking off the 2013 legislative session, Gov. Bobby Jindal said he still wants the legislature to get rid of the income tax in Louisiana, but he let go of his plan for doing so with a big sales tax hike, an increased tobacco tax and the removal of some tax breaks. Listen to the speech in its entirety.
Louisiana State Police say a sport utility vehicle carrying Gov. Bobby Jindal was hit by a large truck, but the governor was not hurt.
State police said in a news release Sunday night that a second SUV swerved to avoid the large rental truck and then hit a utility pole. The release says the trooper driving that SUV had minor injuries, but no one else was hurt in the wreck that happened around 5 p.m. in Baton Rouge.
Originally published on Wed February 13, 2013 3:34 pm
Bobby Jindal, once one of the most popular governors in the country, has seen his approval ratings slide over the past two-and-a-half years to just 37 percent, according to a report released today by the Public Policy Polling organization.
Nearly $52 million in state cuts to Medicaid services go into effect Friday, Feb. 1. The reductions are part of the Dept. of Health and Hospitals’ response to a mid-year shortfall in Louisiana’s general fund.
The cuts include the elimination of dental benefits for pregnant women and a healthy parenting program for first-time mothers who qualify for Medicaid. Additionally, the rate paid to hospitals and physicians for non-primary care services through Medicaid will be dropped by 1 percent.
