LSU Manship School Statehouse Bureau

Published: February 18, 2026

By: Avery White, LSU Manship School News Service

BATON ROUGE–Every time legislation is on the floor, there are always voices echoing through the chambers, firing off questions and pushing perspectives not in lockstep with the majority.

These days, the opposing voices in the sea of noise are usually Democrats, who total only 39 of the 137 members of the Louisiana Legislature. Making up just under 30% of the collective, they are almost always outvoted now.

Their numbers have dwindled since Louisiana began to shift in the early 2000s from a majority Democratic state to majority Republican. And so has their ability to be involved in compromises since Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards gave way to Republican Gov. Jeff Landry in early 2024.

Yet, they keep fighting, whether it’s to stand up for their constituents on issues like education or health care or to lay the groundwork for legal challenges to some new laws.

“You’re fighting for the people that sent you there, and as long as they see you fighting, it’s important that we continue to tell their stories,” said Rep. Venessa LaFleur, D-Baton Rouge. “That we continue to fight for them, knowing what the outcome is. But that doesn’t lessen the fight that is within us.”

Read more at KATC.

Published: February 16, 2026

By: Kylah Babin, LSU Manship School News Service

BATON ROUGE — When people think of Jack McFarland, they think of the clean-cut, white-haired logger from Winnfield who knows the state budget inside and out as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. What many don’t know is that his career in politics came from something as simple as doing others’ laundry.

When McFarland worked behind the drive-thru window at his dry-cleaning business in Winnfield, Louisiana, he would strike up conversations with customers, including the mayor and sheriff.

“It puts you in the middle of all the politics,” McFarland said. “I met a lot of people.”

He would listen to the complaints the officials had about one another. Then, he would help negotiate solutions.

Read more at The Daily Advertiser.

Published: February 11, 2026

By: Courtney Bell, LSU Manship School News Service

BATON ROUGE–Julie Emerson was only 27 when she became the youngest Republican woman elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives. 

Over the last two years, she emerged as one of Gov. Jeff Landry’s floor leaders, helping to push through ambitious proposals to flatten personal income tax rates, expand state funding for private school tuition and redesign how Louisiana holds some of its elections. On Tuesday, Landry brought Emerson, now 37, into his administration as his new chief of staff.

How did Emerson, who also was the first woman to chair a finance committee in the Legislature, accomplish so much at such a young age?

Lawmakers say she thinks big and sweats the details. She likes to talk things over with other lawmakers to try to get them on the same page. And though deeply conservative, she has been willing to reach out to Democrats to discuss their concerns.

“Julie’s a legislator that has just a very unique ability to bring legislation that is transformative to our state and actually see it all the way through to become law,” House Speaker Phillip DeVillier, R-Eunice, said in a recent interview.

Read more at Biz.

Published: February 10, 2026

By: AnnMarie Bedard, LSU Manship School News Service

BATON ROUGE–After running into resistance from lawmakers last year, Gov. Jeff Landry is once again asking the Legislature to double the size of a program to let parents use state funding to send their children to private schools.

Landry sought $93.5 million last year for the LA Gator voucher program but received only $43.5 million. He is asking the Legislature to add $44.2 million to that amount in this spring’s session.

But key lawmakers, including State Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, remain skeptical about committing additional funds. And teachers’ unions oppose the plan out of fear that it will lead to cutbacks in public school funding around the state.

With the budget expected to be tight in the upcoming session, LA GATOR will serve as an important measure of Landry’s influence over the Legislature, where his fellow Republicans hold more than two-thirds of the seats.

Read more at KATC.

Published: February 9, 2026

By: Veronica Camenzuli and Sheridan White, LSU Manship School News Service

BATON ROUGE – State officials say they will prioritize maintenance projects, especially on rural roads and bridges, as they seek to reduce an estimated $19 billion backlog in highway projects.

They also are counting on the Office of Louisiana Highway Construction, an entity created by the Legislature last year, to speed up the contracting process.

Rep. Ryan Bourriaque, R-Abbeville, the chairman of the House Transportation Committee, said the new office represents “a litmus test to make sure that we’re not going to repeat issues that we’ve had in the past where funds were appropriated but projects were not implemented.”

Read more at The Advertiser.

Published: October 29, 2025

By: Kylah Babin, AnnMarie Bedard and Veronica Camenzuli, LSU Manship School News Service

BATON ROUGE – Gov. Jeff Landry blasted LSU’s athletic leadership for negotiating an overly generous contract for the head football coach whom LSU fired on Sunday.

The governor expressed his frustration over a range of bad decisions by LSU Athletics but singled out the Athletics Director Scott Woodward for the eye-popping contract that brought Brian Kelly to LSU from Notre Dame in 2021. The contract was for nearly $100 million over 10 years of which Kelly coached less than four years.

“I can tell you right now, Scott is not selecting the next coach. Hell, I’ll let Donald Trump select the next coach before I let him do it,” Landry said.

Read more at KTBS.

Published: October 29, 2025

By: Gracie Thomas, Kylah Babin, Avery White and Sheridan White, LSU Manship School News Service

BATON ROUGE — The state Legislature ended the special session on Wednesday by voting to delay the statewide primary election next year for one month while the U.S. Supreme Court considers the legality of the state’s two so-called majority-minority congressional districts.

The final vote came in the state House, where lawmakers cleared the election delay in a 73-29 vote, which broke along similar lines with the state Senate in its 27-9 vote on Saturday. The vote in both houses reflected hard opposition from Black lawmakers who contended that the change is premature and will result in confusion and chaos among voters.

This legislation will move the spring primary election for Republicans and Democrats running in a party primary to May 16 from April 18. The voting date for five state constitutional amendments is also delayed about a month. A second party primary, or runoff, if needed, will occur on June 27 instead of May 30. Candidate qualifying dates were pushed back as well, and signatures on nominating petitions from Sept. 16 remain valid.

Read more at American Press.

Published: October 29, 2025

By: Courtney Bell, Avery White and Sheridan White, LSU Manship School News Service

BATON ROUGE — As the state Legislature finished its special session Wednesday, it requested $150 million to temporarily fund SNAP food benefits in November because the federal government shutdown could cut off benefits beginning Saturday.

The Senate passed a resolution also urging the federal government to refund the state the $150 million it will pay to continue SNAP benefits starting Saturday. Otherwise, there will be no funding for the program, leaving almost 800,000 Louisiana residents without benefits.

Read more at American Press.

Published: October 28, 2025

By: Kylah Babin and Gracie Thomas, LSU Manship School News Service

BATON ROUGE — Louisiana Democrats rallied on the steps of the Capitol on Monday in favor of the two existing Black-majority congressional districts that are under review by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Several hundred people gathered to hear the two Democratic members of Congress from Louisiana. Members of the Black Caucus in the state Legislature also urged state officials to preserve the “four-two” congressional district map.

The state has a total of six congressional districts, four of which are held by white Republicans, including U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-Bossier City, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Metairie. Almost a third of the state’s population is Black

Read more at KATC.

Published: October 27, 2025

By: Gracie Thomas, Kylah Babin, Margaret Liner and Sheridan White, Manship School News Service

BATON ROUGE – The Legislature faces tight deadlines this week to keep food assistance flowing to 17% of the state’s residents and to adjust next spring’s election timetable.

The Louisiana House has approved an urgent request to repurpose $150 million by Friday to cover SNAP benefits for nearly 800,000 residents. The Senate plans to vote on the measure Wednesday.

Read more at KATC.