We believe every Louisianan should
have the opportunity to flourish.

Join us to promote individual liberty and free enterprise, turning great ideas into change in Louisiana.

Our Tangled Safety Net Needs an Overhaul

The Louisiana Workforce Commission’s (LWC) mission, “put people to work”, should be made as simple as possible. Complexity in the safety net often leads to fraud and a web of requirements that ensnare people who are trying to rebuild their lives. Along with the entangled net of state programs, the LWC manages unemployment programs under...

By Ryan Roberts

Statement: Occupational Licensing Reform Signed Into Law

For media inquiries please contact Ryan Roberts (504) 481-9931 or ryan@pelicaninstitute.org. Baton Rouge — CEO of the Pelican Institute, Daniel Erspamer released the following statement after Governor Edwards signed two bills that will reform Louisiana’s occupational licensing laws and restore the right to earn a living for Louisianans: “Louisiana is one of the most onerously licensed...

By Ryan Roberts

Statement: Governor Edwards Vetoes Education Options for Disabled Kids and Struggling Readers

For media inquiries please contact Ryan Roberts (504) 481-9931 or ryan@pelicaninstitute.org. Baton Rouge — CEO of the Pelican Institute, Daniel Erspamer released the following statement after Governor Edwards vetoed education savings account bills that would’ve helped kids with disabilities or struggling to read have a tailored education: “We are disappointed that Governor Edwards has vetoed HB194...

By Ryan Roberts

Government Report Shows Why Billions in Spending Haven’t Closed Digital Divide

One of the few policy agreements across state capitols and in Washington D.C. is the need to close the digital divide. COVID-19 laid bare the fact that too many rural Americans lack the ability to work from home or attend virtual learning due to poor broadband infrastructure. Despite the federal and state governments already spending...

By Eric Peterson

Shannon Mejia-Flores, Denham Springs Parent

“My oldest daughter, Sierra, was born in 2007. She was beautiful and the best thing that ever happened to me. Her biological father was arrested when she was six weeks old, sentenced to 10 yrs in prison, then deported & I have had sole custody of her. I have never received any financial assistance or...

Lawyer Fighting for First Amendment Rights Gets His Day in Court

New Orleans attorney Randy Boudreaux will finally get his day in court when his challenge to Louisiana’s mandatory bar membership requirement for Louisiana lawyers goes to trial on June 21, 2022. He is represented by lawyers from the Pelican Institute’s Center for Justice, the Goldwater Institute, and Loyola College of Law professor Dane Ciolino. Numerous...

By Sarah Harbison

Randy Boudreaux, New Orleans Lawyer

“I was born and raised in the New Orleans area and have been a lawyer since 1995. For years, I did some insurance defense work for a firm in downtown New Orleans. I’ve been involved in things like my own practice, a mobile notary service, other things.” “Right now, membership in the Bar Association is...

Social Media is Likely Headed to the Supreme Court

Last week, the United States Supreme Court granted an emergency stay preventing a Texas social media law from going into effect. Previously the Fifth Circuit ruled against the social media companies leaving them scrambling to figure out if they could comply with the law’s provisions. The decision by the Supreme Court means that the decision is...

By Eric Peterson

Tax Reform Continues

The big theme of the 2021 legislative session was Tax Reform. Voters kicked off the journey to reform by simplifying the tax code and lowering rates with their approval of Constitutional Amendment 2 on last year’s ballot. That was a big win, but only the first step. We cannot stop there. While most of the...

By Daniel J. Erspamer

Louisiana Legislature Approves Education Savings Accounts

For media inquiries please contact Ryan Roberts (504) 481-9931 or ryan@pelicaninstitute.org. Baton Rouge —CEO of the Pelican Institute, Daniel Erspamer released the following statement after the Louisiana Legislature passed HB194 to create education savings accounts for kids with disabilities: “Right now, there are families across Louisiana who have a child with a disability that require...

By Ryan Roberts

STATEMENT: Louisiana Legislature Passes the Right to Earn a Living Act

For media inquiries please contact Ryan Roberts (504) 481-9931 or ryan@pelicaninstitute.org. Baton Rouge — CEO of the Pelican Institute, Daniel Erspamer released the following statement after the Louisiana legislature passed HB1062, the Right to Earn a Living Act: “Countless Louisianans give up pursuing their dreams every day because of arbitrary roadblocks and hurdles. Occupational licensing reform is about...

By Ryan Roberts

RELEASE: Senate Passes Occupational Licensing Reform for Justice-Involved Citizens

For media inquiries please contact Ryan Roberts (504) 481-9931 or ryan@pelicaninstitute.org. Baton Rouge — CEO of the Pelican Institute, Daniel Erspamer released the following statement after the Louisiana Senate passed HB639: “Louisianans who are exiting the justice system often face countless barriers as they try to get their lives back together. We applaud the Senate for...

By Ryan Roberts

Louisiana Legislature Stands Strong for Charter Schools

School choice has definitely been front and center during the 2022 legislative session, but not just because of the proposed new education savings account programs. The Louisiana Legislature has considered several bills related to charter schools that would either help or hinder their ability to serve students throughout Louisiana. Charter schools are public schools authorized...

By Erin Bendily

Louisianans Deserve a Fair Chance at an Occupational License

We often talk about barriers to employment and how hard it can be for people to follow their chosen career path in Louisiana. This is especially the case when it comes to people exiting the justice system. They often face ambiguous “good character” provisions that disqualify them from occupational licensure whether their conviction is directly...

By Ryan Roberts

Our Tangled Safety Net Needs an Overhaul

Our Tangled Safety Net Needs an Overhaul

Statement: Occupational Licensing Reform Signed Into Law

Statement: Occupational Licensing Reform Signed Into Law

Statement: Governor Edwards Vetoes Education Options for Disabled Kids and Struggling Readers

Statement: Governor Edwards Vetoes Education Options for Disabled Kids and Struggling Readers

Government Report Shows Why Billions in Spending Haven’t Closed Digital Divide

Government Report Shows Why Billions in Spending Haven’t Closed Digital Divide

Shannon Mejia-Flores, Denham Springs Parent

Shannon Mejia-Flores, Denham Springs Parent

Lawyer Fighting for First Amendment Rights Gets His Day in Court

Lawyer Fighting for First Amendment Rights Gets His Day in Court

Randy Boudreaux, New Orleans Lawyer

Randy Boudreaux, New Orleans Lawyer

Social Media is Likely Headed to the Supreme Court

Social Media is Likely Headed to the Supreme Court

Tax Reform Continues

Tax Reform Continues

Louisiana Legislature Approves Education Savings Accounts

Louisiana Legislature Approves Education Savings Accounts

STATEMENT: Louisiana Legislature Passes the Right to Earn a Living Act

STATEMENT: Louisiana Legislature Passes the Right to Earn a Living Act

RELEASE: Senate Passes Occupational Licensing Reform for Justice-Involved Citizens

RELEASE: Senate Passes Occupational Licensing Reform for Justice-Involved Citizens

Louisiana Legislature Stands Strong for Charter Schools

Louisiana Legislature Stands Strong for Charter Schools

Louisianans Deserve a Fair Chance at an Occupational License

Louisianans Deserve a Fair Chance at an Occupational License

Learn More About Restoring Louisianans' Right to Earn a Living