Paul Braun

After three hours of debate Tuesday, Louisiana lawmakers advanced legislation to devote $45 million to the Insure Louisiana Incentive Program, the bill that serves as the centerpiece for the legislature’s one-week special session to address the state’s property insurance crisis.

As Louisianans across the state grapple with surging property insurance premiums amid an ongoing industry crisis, state lawmakers convened a special session Monday in the hope of luring new insurers to the state with cash incentives.

Louisiana lawmakers are headed back to the capitol months ahead of schedule. On Monday they will gavel in a seven-day special session with one agenda item – to set aside $45 million for cash incentives to lure insurance companies back to the state. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says it’s an essential step in addressing the state’s soaring premiums for homeowners, but lawmakers aren’t so sure.

The Louisiana Public Service Commission approved Entergy’s plan to have its more than 1 million customers in the state pay $1.4 billion to improve the company’s grid and repair damage caused by Hurricane Ida.

Republican U.S. Senator John Kennedy will not run for Louisiana’s open governorship in 2023, eliminating the biggest name from the field of potential candidates to replace the term-limited Gov. John Bel Edwards.

Gov. John Bel Edwards told reporters Monday that he has no regrets about his actions following the violent death of Ronald Greene in Louisiana State Police custody for which five law enforcement officers are now facing criminal charges.

Five Louisiana law enforcement officers have been charged in Ronald Greene's death, who died in 2019 after police said he resisted arrest. Bodycam video shows the officers beating Greene.

In a stunning upset, Davante Lewis defeated three-term incumbent Lambert Boissiere III to become the Public Service Commissioner for Louisiana’s 3rd district. He is the first openly LGBTQ Black person to be elected to public office in state history.

Election day is over and results are in for the handful of races this fall that needed to be settled in a runoff. Voters weighed in on three proposed amendments to the state constitution, one of the most highly anticipated public service commission races in state history, and in key local races.

If passed, the amendments would clarify who can vote in state and local elections and would give the state Senate the opportunity to weigh in on the governor’s appointment to certain state oversight panels.