Less than a week after the Republican National Committee unveiled a “historic” new program to monitor the polls for fraud, a top lawyer with the committee was reportedly among those indicted for an alleged scheme to use false fraud claims to overturn the results of Arizona’s presidential election. Indeed, the lawyer, RNC senior counsel for […] The post Top GOP ‘election integrity’ lawyer said to be charged in Arizona fake elector scheme appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.

Editor’s note: This is the first in a series about a group of Wisconsin residents trying to come up with policies to address abortion and its root causes that could be applied nationwide. MADISON, Wis. — Thomas Lang, 61, is white, deeply Catholic and opposes abortion. “Each one of us has a beginning, and that […] The post Can 14 strangers from Wisconsin help America find common ground on abortion? appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.

State lawmakers advanced a bill Tuesday that intervenes in a land dispute and threatens to block construction of an interstate power line at the behest of a small group of north Louisiana landowners, including the wealthy owner of a large pharmaceutical company that made billions during the opioid crisis.   Paul Dickson Sr. is a principal […] The post Lawmakers advance bill to intervene in land dispute for wealthy drug distributor appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.

Louisiana lawmakers are considering a bill that would crack down on the proliferation of dubious emotional support animal certifications, which people are misusing to get their pets aboard commercial flights or to skirt no-pet policies at apartments and hotels.  House Bill 407, sponsored by Rep. Joe Stagni, R-Kenner, cleared the Senate Health & Welfare Committee […] The post Louisiana senator wants to curb spread of emotional support animals appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday released a sweeping set of rules aimed at cutting air, water and land pollution from fossil fuel-fired power plants. Environmental and clean energy groups celebrated the announcement as long overdue, particularly for coal-burning power plants, which have saddled hundreds of communities across the country with dirty air and […] The post New EPA rules will force fossil fuel power plants to cut pollution appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.

WASHINGTON — U.S. House lawmakers will no longer be able to request earmarked funding for some nonprofits under a change in eligibility made by the Republican chairman of the Appropriations Committee on Thursday. The alteration is related to an uproar during last year’s annual government funding process, when House Republicans, who are in the majority, […] The post U.S. House GOP bars earmarks for certain nonprofits, after controversy over LGBTQ projects appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry wants a new constitution. He wants it soon, but he won’t say what he wants in it.  During a press conference Thursday at the Capitol, Landry defended attacks on his proposed constitutional convention, in which he wants legislators and 27 delegates he will appoint to meet for two weeks to rewrite […] The post Landry praises Louisiana’s 1973 constitutional convention. His could not be more different.  appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.

The Louisiana House of Representatives voted to approve a nearly $48 billion state budget plan Thursday that cuts public school teacher compensation, even after several legislators vowed to make the educators’ previous pay hike permanent this year. The plan also does not specify that the teacher stipend funding needs to be distributed evenly to all […] The post Louisiana House passes budget with uncertainty on how much pay teachers will receive appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court appeared skeptical Thursday of former President Donald Trump’s argument he is immune from criminal charges that he tried to overturn his loss in the 2020 election. But conservatives who dominate the court appeared open to returning key questions to a trial court, possibly delaying Trump’s prosecution beyond the November […] The post U.S. Supreme Court floats return to trial court for Trump in presidential immunity case appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.

Even if you have health insurance, you might expect to be charged a copayment for some routine care, like office-based exams and consultations. But you probably don’t expect to receive a bill a few weeks later charging you an extra $100 or more. That’s the situation an increasing number of state lawmakers are looking to change. In most states, a “hospital facility […] The post You’ve covered your copayment; now brace yourself for the ‘facility fee’ appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.

In a move alarming to journalists, First Amendment lawyers, and good-government watchdog groups, the Louisiana Legislature is moving to significantly narrow the state public records law with legislation that could remove the majority of government activity from public view. Sen. Heather Cloud, R-Turkey Creek, introduced Senate Bill 482, which includes language that “provides as an […] The post Legislature moves to gut public records law, restrict access to most government activity appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.

Gov. Jeff Landry will discuss his push for a constitutional convention with reporters Thursday morning as the proposal to pull together lawmakers and his appointed delegates for a thorough update of the foundational document for state government advances in the Legislature. The Landry administration’s point man for an update to the Louisiana Constitution used words […] The post Constitutional convention bill advances despite time crunch, clarity concerns appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.

Several changes could be in the works for how special education programs at Louisiana’s K-12 public schools are monitored. They include a deadline to install video cameras in classrooms that the state funded two years ago.  The Senate Committee on Education gave unanimous approval Wednesday to  House Bill 153, authored by Rep. Tony Bacala, R-Prairieville. […] The post Lawmakers push for more special education accountability appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.

The House Health and Welfare Committee advanced a bill Wednesday that would require seafood sellers to clearly market whether the seafood is local or imported from other countries such as China.  Sen. Patrick Connick, R-Marrero, showed an image of a package of frozen crawfish sold at a local supermarket. Connick explained that the item named […] The post Stricter labeling standards for imported seafood move forward appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson decried antisemitism and raised the possibility of calling in the National Guard to disperse student protesters during a trip to Columbia University in New York City on Wednesday. Students on that campus, as well as others throughout the country in recent days, have hosted large anti-war rallies calling on the […] The post House Speaker Mike Johnson confronts anti-war protesters at Columbia University appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.

A state program to allow K-12 students access to more classes faces revisions this legislative session.  The Course Choice Program, also referred to as the Supplemental Course Academy, allows students to take classes they cannot typically access. Created in 2012, the program is offered to K-12 students who want to supplement their course load or […] The post Parents could soon have say over superintendents for K-12 supplemental courses appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Wednesday new rules that will put refunds quickly back into air travelers’ pockets for canceled or delayed flights. The agency estimated that the new regulations will save consumers over a half billion dollars every year in airline fees. Under the new rules, which will go into effect beginning […] The post Feds require airlines to automatically refund passengers for canceled or delayed flights appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.

A playground. A high school athletic foundation. A golf foundation. A Catholic church. A local Knights of Columbus chapter. An etiquette organization. A local youth sports complex.   Louisiana lawmakers have allocated $406 million in state funding for pet projects like these since 2020, according to an Illuminator review. But two-thirds of that money is in […] The post Louisiana lawmakers’ pet projects could create $100 million worth of ‘bad debt’ appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.

U.S. Supreme Court justices spent two hours Wednesday debating whether a federal law about emergency treatment encompasses abortion care even in states with strict abortion bans, with no clear indication of how they may ultimately rule. A decision could come as soon as the end of June to decide whether Idaho’s near-total abortion ban means […] The post Supreme Court justices appear split over whether to protect abortion care during emergencies appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan emergency spending law Wednesday to provide an additional $95 billion in aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, ending months of behind-the-scenes maneuvering and public pleas for Congress to approve the funding. The package also included a measure requiring the popular app TikTok be sold by its Chinese […] The post Biden signs $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan into law appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.