Louisiana Illuminator
Special education, income quotas could be removed for charter school enrollment
Louisiana charter schools might soon be able to remove certain enrollment requirements for students with disabilities and economically disadvantaged students. It’s a move that parents of those students feel limits their options in a school system based on choice. House Bill 708, authored by Rep. Barbara Freiberg, R-Baton Rouge, moved out of the Senate Education […] The post Special education, income quotas could be removed for charter school enrollment appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Pro-Palestinian students march for divestment at LSU
Roughly 100 pro-Palestinian LSU students marched across campus Friday, calling on the university administration to divest its endowment from Israel and companies supporting Israel. “We want them to have extra … transparency, honesty, disclose and immediate call for immediate ceasefire,” Ayah Hamdan, a spokesperson for the protest, said in an interview with the Illuminator. The […] The post Pro-Palestinian students march for divestment at LSU appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Plummeting balance in federal crime victims fund sparks alarm among states, advocates
WASHINGTON — States and local organizations that aid victims of sexual assault and other crimes are raising the alarm about a multi-year plunge in funds, a major problem they say Congress must fix soon or programs will be forced to set up wait lists or turn victims away altogether. Affected are rape crisis centers, domestic […] The post Plummeting balance in federal crime victims fund sparks alarm among states, advocates appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Computer science could become required to graduate in Louisiana
Computer science classes might be required for Louisiana high school graduates starting in the 2027-28 school year. House Bill 264, authored by Democrat Rep. Jason Hughes from New Orleans, passed without objection Wednesday out of the Senate Education Committee. The bill adds computer science requirements for every path to a high school diploma at Louisiana […] The post Computer science could become required to graduate in Louisiana appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Doctors plead with Congress to help improve U.S. maternal mortality rates
WASHINGTON — Doctors on Thursday urged Congress to pass legislation addressing the disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality throughout the country and to lower barriers that have hindered people of color from becoming medical professionals. During a hearing in the U.S. Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, a panel of five medical professionals detailed […] The post Doctors plead with Congress to help improve U.S. maternal mortality rates appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Voting irregularities lead to passage of bill targeting gov’t employee unions
State Rep. Jerome “Zee” Zeringue, R-Houma, flashed a thumbs-down Wednesday while away from the voting machine on his desk, indicating to the House speaker he was voting no on a controversial bill restricting union activities among government workers. The speaker acknowledged his vote, and his name lit up in red on the tally board. Moments […] The post Voting irregularities lead to passage of bill targeting gov’t employee unions appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
High price tag for education savings accounts leads to proposal overhaul
A broad survey of K-12 schools and how they use the public resources at their disposal would be undertaken before Louisiana implements a program that would allow families to use state money for private education, including tuition and tutoring, according to legislation advanced Thursday. The Senate Committee on Finance voted 4-3 in favor of Senate […] The post High price tag for education savings accounts leads to proposal overhaul appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem meets with Jeff Landry’s cabinet in Baton Rouge
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who’s in the midst of a controversy over admitting to killing her dog, was in Baton Rouge to meet with Gov. Jeff Landry’s cabinet Thursday at the Capitol, multiple attendees at the meeting confirmed to the Illuminator. Noem is reportedly still in consideration to be former President Donald Trump’s running […] The post South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem meets with Jeff Landry’s cabinet in Baton Rouge appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Biden backs peaceful protest, denounces campus ‘chaos’ over Gaza
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden responded Thursday to weeks of protest on college campuses calling for a ceasefire in Gaza with a brief statement that the right to protest should be protected, but “not the right to cause chaos.” “We are not an authoritarian nation where we silence people or squash dissent,” Biden said from […] The post Biden backs peaceful protest, denounces campus ‘chaos’ over Gaza appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
‘They made it up’: Landry’s juvenile justice nominee rejects abuse claims at facility he ran
Gov. Jeff Landry’s controversial pick to run state juvenile justice services declared a news investigation that exposed dozens of allegations of abuse and violence at the juvenile detention center he ran for decades was full of lies. “I wish I could erase that article, but I can’t,” said Kenneth “Kenny” Loftin, during his preliminary confirmation […] The post ‘They made it up’: Landry’s juvenile justice nominee rejects abuse claims at facility he ran appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Home-school curricula will still need state approval after La. House rejects changes
A proposal that would have allowed parents to bypass state approval for home-schooling programs to obtain a state-recognized high school diploma was rejected Wednesday in the Louisiana House of Representatives. Rep. Beryl Amedée’s House Bill 550 would have ended the required Board of Elementary of Secondary Education (BESE) approval of home-school curricula, meaning “nonapproved, nonpublic” […] The post Home-school curricula will still need state approval after La. House rejects changes appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Deceptive insurance practices that block medical treatment access need reform
Chronic illnesses continue to burden communities across Louisiana, and patients living with these conditions need consistent access to the treatments they are prescribed. However, onerous insurance policies and other barriers to care are making it more difficult for patients to manage living with a chronic condition by delaying or blocking medication access. Over 2 million […] The post Deceptive insurance practices that block medical treatment access need reform appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Constitutional convention wouldn’t alter homestead exemption, school funding, supporters say
Backers of a proposed Louisiana constitutional convention indicated Wednesday they don’t intend to touch the state’s homestead exemption on property taxes or the K-12 public school funding structure if they overhaul the state’s foundational governing document. Rep. Beau Beaullieu, R-New Iberia, amended his legislation to call the convention in order to protect Louisiana’s popular homeowner […] The post Constitutional convention wouldn’t alter homestead exemption, school funding, supporters say appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Louisiana House committee shelves bills targeting libraries
In a contentious hearing, a Louisiana House Committee shelved two library bills Wednesday, including one that would have criminalized librarians for using public dollars with the nation’s preeminent professional organization for librarians. The House Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs involuntarily deferred two bills: House Bill 777 by Rep. Kellee Hennessy Dickerson, R-Denham Springs, […] The post Louisiana House committee shelves bills targeting libraries appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Louisiana House splits on vaccine ‘discrimination’ proposals
The Louisiana House of Representatives approved a proposal Tuesday to prohibit what its author considers “discrimination” at K-12 students on the basis of vaccination status. But lawmakers rejected a bill that would have placed similar restrictions on businesses and governmental entities. Both bills are authored by Rep. Beryl Amedee, R-Schriever, who has carried several pieces […] The post Louisiana House splits on vaccine ‘discrimination’ proposals appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
U.S. House approves definition of antisemitism as campus protests continue
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans Wednesday passed a bill, with heavy support from Democrats, that would define antisemitism for the Department of Education, amid nationwide college campus protests in which students are calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. The 320-91 vote would codify the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism in Title VI of […] The post U.S. House approves definition of antisemitism as campus protests continue appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
From crowded to quiet: Inside a clinic as Florida bans abortions after six weeks
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Anna’s period was only three days late when she took a pregnancy test just over a week ago. When she saw the positive result, she knew she wanted an abortion. A hospitality worker in north Florida, Anna earns barely $2,000 a month. She had only recently returned to work after the birth […] The post From crowded to quiet: Inside a clinic as Florida bans abortions after six weeks appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Louisiana governor could hire university system presidents under proposal
The Louisiana Legislature is considering a bill by Sen. Valarie Hodges, R-Denham Springs, that would give Republican Gov. Jeff Landry and his successors unprecedented power over higher education: the ability to directly hire university system presidents. The post Louisiana governor could hire university system presidents under proposal appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Marjorie Taylor Greene to force vote next week on ousting U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson
WASHINGTON — Two U.S. House Republicans, aggrieved by Speaker Mike Johnson’s bipartisanship amid divided government, said Wednesday they plan to force a vote next week on removing him from the leadership office — despite the extremely long odds of success. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie held a press conference just […] The post Marjorie Taylor Greene to force vote next week on ousting U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
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The Louisiana Illuminator is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization driven by its mission to cast light on how decisions are made in Baton Rouge and how they affect the lives of everyday Louisianians, particularly those who are poor or otherwise marginalized. Here readers will find in-depth investigations and news stories, news briefs and commentary, all of which is intended to help them make sense of how state policy is crafted, how it helps or hurts them and how it helps or hurts their neighbors across the state. Notwithstanding the way political reporting is often presented, we see politics as neither sport nor entertainment. There are quality-of-life consequences – even life-and-death consequences – to environmental permitting decisions, to health care policy, to income- and sales-tax rates, to budgetary cuts and to economic development plans. For those reasons, the Illuminator does not cover politics in a way that centers on politicians, their squabbles with one another or their career ambitions. Instead, we center on Louisianians from Ouachita to Calcasieu, from Plaquemines to Caddo who must live with the decisions their political leaders make. Though we’re located in Baton Rouge, we understand that the ramifications of decisions made in our capital are felt across the state and that those stories are often best told in cities, towns and parishes far from the halls of power. As our name indicates, our mission is to shine a bright light on Louisiana, to highlight the state’s successes and its examples of good and responsive government and to expose its failures and corruption. An affiliate of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers like you, the Louisiana Illuminator retains editorial independence.
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