Author: manshipxgr

Publsihed: April 25, 2025

By: Avery Sams |LSU Manship School News Service

BATON ROUGE — Gov. Jeff Landry and Louisiana insurance commissioner Tim Temple are at odds over how to fix the state’s insurance cost crisis–one of the most important issues being debated in the 2025 legislative session.

Tensions have been high as the two men have held competing news conferences and took turns testifying before a House committee, and the fight could hit the House floor as early as Monday. Landry testified before the House Committee on Insurance on April 16 in support of House Bill 576, which would give Temple more power to block excess insurance rates.

Read more at American Press.

Published: April 25, 2025

By: Grace Thompson (LSU Manship School News Service)

BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana Senate Health and Welfare Committee advanced legislation this week aimed at closing gaps in child abuse investigations at early learning centers.

The bill moved forward following a heartbreaking testimony from a family whose 3-year-old daughter was sexually assaulted by a classmate at an unlicensed private school.

Senate Bill 41, introduced by Sen. Regina Barrow, D-Baton Rouge, aims to clarify who holds responsibility for investigating child-on-child abuse in early education settings and strengthen oversight of unlicensed early learning centers.

Read more at WRKF.

Published: April 17, 2025

By:  Anna Puleo (LSU Manship School News Service)

BATON ROUGE—The House Education Committee on Wednesday advanced a bill to update funding for TOPS college scholarships and create a new award for the highest-scoring students.

It also advanced a proposal to offer TOPs scholarship to Louisiana residents who leave the state for their undergraduate years but return to go to medical or dental school.

TOPS awards for undergraduate students at state schools are now linked to tuition rates from the 2016-2017 academic year. The bill, House Bill 77, would update the amounts to match tuition rates starting in the 2025-2026 school year, with awards ranging from $3,000 to $11,300 based on students’ award level and the type of school they attend.

Read more at WRKF.

Published: March 31, 2025

By: Ella Armstrong and Caroline Burk (LSU Manship School News Service)

New Orleans native Mary Baudouin trekked across Capitol Hill last week to the offices of the top Republicans from Louisiana—House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senators Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy.

She and other Louisiana residents were volunteers for Jesuit Refugee Service, a Catholic group seeking reinstatement of funds for humanitarian aid.

Read more at WWNO.

Published: March 18, 2025

By: Ella Armstrong, Caroline Burk, Ty Cazeaux and Christian Gladne, LSU Manship School News Service

Bailey Tillman began her freshman year at McNeese State University in 2021 after new NCAA rules allowed college athletes to start making money. Attending a small school in a lesser-known conference, Tillman, a volleyball player, was not sure if local businesses would want to use her name or image in ads and other promotional activity – and national connections seemed impossible. 

            But by reaching out to companies on her own, she was able to scrounge up several so-called name, image and likeness, or NIL, deals. She earned $100 writing reviews for Twanie’s Terrific Treats, a cookie store in Lake Charles. And Avoli, a women’s volleyball brand, sends her products in exchange for her posting videos on Instagram of her taking them out of the box.

Read more at Lafourche Gazette.

Published: March 19, 2025

By: Grace Thompson and Gracelyn Farrar, LSU Manship School News Service

BATON ROUGE–With President Donald Trump slashing the federal education budget, Louisiana school superintendents are scrambling to determine if they will lose any of the $2.7 billion in federal K-12 funding that has supported local school districts for years.

“We don’t have any backup for the funds if they were cut,” said Johnnie Adams, the school superintendent in Catahoula Parish. “Anything they cut, there’s a very slim chance we would have any other way to continue that program. Or if we did, we would be cutting money from something else.”

Read more at WWNO.

Published: February 21, 2025

By: Quinn Marceaux and Avery Sams, LSU Manship School News Service

Gov. Jeff Landry’s top budget and tax officials presented a plan for the coming fiscal year to a joint committee of the Legislature on Thursday, despite growing uncertainty over how potential federal funding cuts could affect the state’s finances.

With more than 50% of Louisiana’s budget relying on federal funds, potential cuts by the federal government to higher education, healthcare and infrastructure funding could create significant financial gaps for the state. Lawmakers also remain uncertain about budget items tied to the outcome of a state-wide vote in March over Constitutional Amendment 2, which was approved by the Legislature last November.

If voters pass the amendment on March 29, it would free up additional funding, allowing lawmakers to continue funding the $2,000 teacher stipend, which is currently not accounted for in the 2025-2026 budget.

Read more at WWNO.

Published: February 26, 2025

By: Morgan Carter and Madeline Waltman, LSU Manship School News Service

Louisiana’s reliance on federal funds for half of the state budget leaves it vulnerable as President Donald Trump and congressional leaders push for substantial cuts in federal spending.

Federal funds provided $21.4 billion, or 50.8%, of the $42.1 billion Louisiana state budget in fiscal 2024. Louisiana is usually ranked within the top five states with the greatest percentage of their budgets coming from federal funding, and residents who depend on Medicaid for health insurance or on food stamps could be particularly vulnerable.

Read more at Acadiana’s NewsChannel.

Published: November 26, 2024

By: Ella Ray, LSU Manship School News Service

BATON ROUGE – It’s not often that Louisiana leads the country in any category. But for several years, the state has gone above and beyond in one category: sales tax. 

Friday marked the end of a special tax session in the Legislature, which cut income taxes and raised average sales taxes to 10.11% when state and local sales taxes are combined.          

Before the session, Louisiana’s average combined state and local sales tax was 9.56%, and the highest in the state was 11.45%, depending on local taxes. The highest possible rate now is 12%.

Read more at Lafourche Gazette.

Published: November 26, 2024

By: Ella Ray, LSU Manship School News Service

BATON ROUGE – It’s not often that Louisiana leads the country in any category. But for several years, the state has gone above and beyond in one category: sales tax.

Friday marked the end of a special tax session in the Legislature, which cut income taxes and raised average sales taxes to 10.11% when state and local sales taxes are combined.

Before the session, Louisiana’s average combined state and local sales tax was 9.56%, and the highest in the state was 11.45%, depending on local taxes. The highest possible rate now is 12%.

Read more at KATC.