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Archive of Louisiana on Wednesday May 07, 2008
Silver Alert helps rescue lost seniors
When an elderly person with dementia is lost, seven states can trigger a Silver Alert to let the community know. Proposals in Congress would expand the successful missing persons program to all 50 states. Read More
Jindal -- Nation's noticing work
Gov. Bobby Jindal, who spent last week making appearances on "The Tonight Show" and in front of the National Press Club in Washington, said America is taking notice of Louisiana. Read More
Senate bill boosts debt collection exemptions
Legislation to better protect homes from debt collectors passed a Senate panel Tuesday. Read More
Panel votes to repeal helmet law
Less than one week into Motorcycle Safety Month, a House committee has voted to lift the law requiring motorcycle riders to wear safety helmets. Read More
Legislature delays start of ethics law
The Legislature has agreed to delay the start of a new law requiring outside, third-party groups that try to influence elections to detail their contributors and their expenses. Read More
Jindal's key bill on move
Work-force development -- the key piece of Gov. Bobby Jindal?s legislative package -- sailed through the state Senate Tuesday. Read More
Student test scores increase statewide
LEAP and GEE scores released by the state Department of Education on Tuesday show an overall improvement statewide, but locally, the news may not be as good. Read More
Committee crawfishes on imported seafood disclosure
A weakened bill prohibiting restaurants from misrepresenting that they serve Louisiana shrimp or crawfish when they use the imported variety unanimously cleared the House Commerce Committee Tuesday, the first time in almost a decade a seafood disclosure bill has made it to the full House for debate. Read More
Inmates think twice about escaping from here
NEW ORLEANS - The way the warden sees it, the more than 400-pound black bear living in the middle of the sprawling Louisiana State Penitentiary is an extra layer of security. Read More
Aid for elderly, disabled urged
WASHINGTON -- Three Gulf Coast senators are pushing legislation to aid thousands of disabled or elderly residents who remain uprooted nearly three years after they were left homeless by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Read More
Juvenile records could be public
The criminal records of some juveniles could become public record under legislation passed by a Senate committee on Tuesday. Read More
Sex offenders? retirement penalty fails
The House on Tuesday sidelined a proposed constitutional amendment that would strip retirement benefits from school employees convicted of felony sex crimes involving students. Read More
No tales about tails' origin
Restaurants would have to be open about the country of origin of crawfish and shrimp they use under a bill that cleared a House panel Tuesday. Read More
Senate passes bill allowing statewide cable franchises
Legislation that would allow companies such as AT&T to get a statewide franchise to offer television service cleared the Senate on Tuesday. Read More
Cazayoux takes oath, joins House
WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Don Cazayoux, a small-town lawyer and former state representative, was sworn in Tuesday as the new congressman for Louisiana's 6th Congressional District. Read More
Panel seeks shift in helmet requirement
Louisiana's requirement that motorcyclists wear protective helmets should be repealed for riders 18 and older, a divided House committee decided Tuesday. Read More
Legislative notebook -- Cell phone use continues to dominate debate
Bans on certain types of cell phone usage while driving won Senate approval Tuesday, as lawmakers continue to debate an array of bills that would restrict cell phone use by drivers. Read More
Panel OKs sale of bonds for Entergy's storm costs
The State Bond Commission voted 9-3 Tuesday to authorize two Entergy companies to issue more than $1 billion in bonds to pay for damages caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita as well as stashing away about $200 million in reserves for the upcoming hurricane season. Read More
Lawmaker wins 1st fight against secret contracts
Rep. Cameron Henry began his first regular session aiming to outlaw a unique component of Louisiana civil law, the practice of using counter letters as a way to conduct certain business deals without leaving a public paper trail. Read More
Northeastern Louisiana states case at 'Exposure'
More than 400 business and community leaders from throughout northeastern Louisiana packed the Louisiana State Museum here Tuesday for Northern Exposure. Read More
Phone measures aim to enhance traffic safety
A divided Senate on Tuesday approved a bill that would outlaw text-messaging while driving and would ban young drivers from using cell phones unless they're hands-free devices. Read More
Execution is first since ruling
Georgia executed killer William Earl Lynd last night, ending a more than seven-month nationwide hiatus on capital punishment prompted by the Supreme Court's examination of lethal injection. Read More
Will states fix 2012 primary process?
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Oh say, is that banner made in the U.S.A.?
Lawmakers in 10 states have taken steps to require that American flags bought with state funds be manufactured in this country. While not all the legislation has passed, one state’s new law even bans the sale of foreign-made American flags in that state. Read More
WORTH NOTING: Voters' guide promotes phone sex
An Oregon voters’ guide lists a very wrong number. California’s governor insults rural legislators. And Pennsylvania considers selling wine in vending machines. In case you missed those stories this week, “Worth Noting” fills you in. Read More
Parents turn to states for autism help
(UPDATED 4 p.m. EDT, Thursday May 1) One of the toughest problems facing autism patients, their families and policymakers is paying for treatment. Families are increasingly relying on states to help them cope with the financial, medical and educational needs. Read More
Fairness of death-penalty panels questioned
Death-penalty supporters are raising questions about the fairness of state commissions charged with studying how capital punishment is carried out in Maryland and Tennessee, claiming the panels will issue reports that ignore their views. Read More
Legislators prod Congress on Medicaid, Real ID
As some states tumble into what they fear is a recession, state lawmakers from across the country are pushing Congress for relief from impending federal rules that would force states to pick up more Medicaid costs and spend billions to make drivers’ licenses more secure. Read More
With justices' OK, voter ID moves ahead
A decision Monday (April 28) by the U.S. Supreme Court to let Indiana demand photo identification from voters paves the way for other states to do the same during November’s presidential election, experts say. Read More
More states offer choice in long-term care
More states are poised to offer a successful alternative to traditional Medicaid plans that allows elders and the disabled to avoid moving to a nursing facility by hiring friends, neighbors or family members to look after them in their own homes. Read More
Credit crunch hits states' college loans
(Updated 11:55 a.m. EDT, April 23, 2008)
The credit crisis has led some state lending agencies to suspend their federal and private student loan programs, forcing thousands of students to search elsewhere for money to pay for college. Read More
Partisan mix in R.I., Conn. poses challenges
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Will Democrats grow legislative edge in '08?
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Gay marriage decisions ripe in Calif., Conn.
More than four years after its historic court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage, Massachusetts stands alone in blessing gay marriages — more than 10,000 to date — and its example has spurred no imitators but lots of backlash. All eyes now are on the highest courts in California and Connecticut. Read More
'Purple' states turn a little more 'blue'
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Governors pitch ambitious programs
Billion-dollar deficits in California, New York and Arizona haven’t stopped governors there and elsewhere from proposing big-ticket items for 2008. Stateline.org looks at proposals from governors’ 2008 "state of the state" speeches and provides an exclusive summary of all the addresses so far.
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Commentary: Govs beat White House hopefuls as agents of change
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Iraq casts shadow on 2008 state races
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Democratic mid-term gains affecting policy
So complete was the Democratic rout in the 2006 midterm elections that the party even gained legislative influence in Alaska, Idaho, North and South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming – states long dominated by the Republicans. And those gains, though small, are translating into policy achievements. Read More
WORTH NOTING: Illinois gov runs up travel tab
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s commuting costs start to add up. South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds settles a dispute with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over a cranky game warden. Read More
Embryonic stem cell research divides states
President Bush’s second veto of a bill to allow federal funding of stem cell research puts the ethical issue squarely in states’ hands. So far, seven states have moved to fund the research, six have banned it, three have affirmed its legality but do not fund it and a handful of others continue to debate the issue. Read More
States outpace feds on minimum wage
When the new federal minimum wage takes effect July 24, 30 states will require employers to pay hourly workers more than federal law requires. Read More |
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