Displaying items by tag: Louisiana governor

In the last legislative session, Governor John Bel Edwards was successful in passing a package of laws that completely overhauled the state’s criminal justice system. The main reason for the legislative package was to reduce the state’s incarceration rate, which is the highest in the world.

As a result, starting on November 1, 1,900 “non-violent offenders,” became eligible for release from prison after serving at least 35% of their sentence. Before the release, Sheriffs and District Attorneys across the state expressed concern that violent criminals would be unleashed upon the innocent citizens of Louisiana. Not surprisingly, days after the state started releasing these “non-violent offenders,” an armed robbery was committed in Kenner by Tyrone “Smokey” White, one of the criminals set free.

Is Louisiana looking at another special session in 2018 to deal with—what seems to be the never-ending budget shortfall?  What is Governor John Bel Edwards doing to fix what appears to be an annual rite of spring—budgetary emergency management? And, just how bad is the budget bleeding going to be given that the state could fall off that proverbial fiscal cliff which near-fall was softened two years ago with a penny sales tax increase and other measures?

In part three of the November 2 interview with Stephen Waguespack, the President, and CEO of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, the leader of the largest business organization in the state discussed these and other issues confronting the state, once again.

Court throws out Edwards Order

Louisiana’s First Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled against Gov. John Bel Edwards on his executive order protecting gay and transgender Louisianans from discrimination in state employment and services.

State Attorney General Jeff Landry had challenged the 2016 order from the governor.  He won in a lower court and now has scored a victory in the Appeals Court, which upheld the lower court’s ruling.

Edwards calls GOP ‘obstructionists’

    Gov. John Bel Edwards did not mince words over the actions of some GOP House members who are members of the Joint Budget Committee.
    The Committee last week blocked lucrative contract extensions sought by Edwards for the managed-care companies that coordinate services for 1.5 million Medicaid patients in Louisiana.

Have Louisiana’s storms of budget slashes and revenue bloats come to an end?  Months ago, the Governor John Bel Edwards administration announced that the state’s revenues have increased, thus, the fiscal year ended with a, get this, a surplus of over one hundred million dollars.

Is it good state policy for foreign-owned companies to do business in Louisiana? Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards addressed this issue today, in Geismar Louisiana.  Below is a statement from his press office highlighting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI):

Governor John Bel Edwards has expressed his disappointment about a 1st Circuit Court Decision today involving job discrimination in his ongoing battle with the Attorney General Jeff Landry.  The Appellate Court today sided with Landry over the issue whether the Governor can protect gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people working for state government from discrimination, harassment, and firing.

We're roughly two years away from either re-electing John Bel Edwards for Louisiana Governor or selecting his successor. Louisiana, being that dark blood-rich red state comprising a majority of Democrats under Republican dominance, will have a choice.  Does it follow the rest of the Deep South and elect only Republicans for major statewide office or, does it buck the trend once again, and back the Democrat incumbent?

Louisiana business news for today: Baton rouge economic outlook, New Orleans tourism, Louisiana governor goes to Harvard

On the heels of an improving economy locally and nationally, Governor John Bel Edwards had some good news to promote--joblessness.