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Reform before the Storms: Can Louisiana’s New State Leaders Fix the Homeowners Insurance Crisis?

While crime took center stage throughout the 2023 campaign cycle, the availability and rising cost of homeowners insurance was a close second. After a record 2020-2021 hurricane season, many insurance providers did not return to Louisiana. Over a dozen writers withdrew from the state or declared insolvency, creating a vacuum that the insurer of last...

By Hope Schumaker

Federal Court Rules Louisiana’s Mandatory Bar Dues Violate First Amendment

The Pelican Institute Center for Justice, joined by the Goldwater Institute and Loyola College of Law professor Dane Ciolino, just scored a major court victory for freedom of speech and association. On Tuesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that Louisiana must stop forcing New Orleans attorney Randy Boudreaux to pay...

Op-ed: Louisiana needs dynamism to fuel an economic comeback

This piece originally appeared on The Center Square. Last year, personal income growth was 0.0%, the lowest in the country. And Louisiana had the third highest net out-migration in the country. Louisiana is in desperate need of a comeback. Current so-called “solutions” to the problem are unlikely to work. The Legislature increased spending to an unnecessary extent, ignored calls...

Louisiana Bumps Toward the Bottom of Yet Another List

Louisiana dropped one spot from Number 39 to 40 on the Tax Foundation’s 2024 State Business Tax Climate Index, showing what many businesses and individuals already know: the state’s tax climate needs an overhaul. The report ranks all fifty states based on the collective burdens of each state’s corporate income tax, individual income tax, sales...

By Jamie Tairov

Economic Report October 2023

Our new report highlights Louisiana’s economic situation based on the most recent data. The report is based on several key factors that indicate how the economy, labor market, and public policy influence the lives of everyday Louisianans. While some of these data indicate a relatively strong labor market–such as the historically low unemployment rate–there are...

By Vance Ginn, Ph.D.

The Economy Isn’t All that Rosy–Louisiana Economic Situation October 2023

At first glance, you might think that Louisiana’s economy is doing great. After all, the state’s September 2023 jobs report shows record lows for the unemployment rate at 3.3% and and people unemployed at 67,930. Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards cheered these data in a press release: “Louisiana continues to set records for low unemployment....

A Little Constitutional Housekeeping Is in Order

We recently outlined what’s at stake with each of the Constitutional amendments on the November 18th ballot. Of those, the Pelican Institute has a position on just one: we recommend a yes vote on Constitutional Amendment Two. Early voting starts Friday, November 3rd and ends on November 11th. Election day is October 14th. It’s a big football weekend...

By Jamie Tairov

Peli-Guide to the Constitutional Amendments, Part II

The legislature approved eight new constitutional amendments this past spring that will need voter approval to go into effect. Luckily, they are not all on the ballot at the same time! Four were on the October primary ballot, while the remaining four will be on the November 18th runoff election ballot. This is the second in a...

By Jamie Tairov

Sugarcane Farmer, Maritime 100-ton captain, alligator hunter & PLA Alumn

Name: Robert L. Allain III Location: Franklin, LA What class were you in, what year? 2022T ell us a little about your background and bio so our readers can get to know you. I am a sugarcane farmer, Maritime 100-ton captain, and a commercial alligator hunter. I started my marine company from scratch shortly before Covid...

Expanding Options Within Louisiana’s Electricity Market: Could Lower Electricity Bills Be on the Way?

Louisiana has struggled to keep people and businesses from leaving the state. Between July 2021 and July 2022, about 30,000 more people left than entered the state for the third most net outbound as a percentage in the country. The Pelican Institute recently released a bold tax reform plan that, combined with our full Comeback...

By Team Pelican

Beth Billings: PLA Alumni to State Representative Elect

Are you a community leader in Louisiana looking to deepen your understanding of free-market policy solutions, expand your network, or build up important skills? If so, Pelican Institute’s Leadership Academy is for you, and we will begin accepting applications for the 2024 class in October. In the weeks leading up to the opening of the application window,...

Should The Government Run the Internet?

What is the biggest issue with the internet in Louisiana? For most people in the Pelican State, it’s ensuring that they have access to reliable and affordable internet. As we wrote last week, Louisiana is getting one billion dollars to build out more internet infrastructure. With the focus rightly on expanding access, why is the...

By Team Pelican

Should Louisiana Award High School Diplomas to Students Who Fail State Tests?

Yes, you read that right. It’s shocking, but true. Louisiana’s State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education is planning to take a final vote next week on a proposal to allow students who fail state LEAP tests required for graduation to receive a diploma if they complete a portfolio project. About 30 years of having...

By Erin Bendily, Ph.D.

The FTC’s Radical Case Against Amazon

A recent survey found that 25 out of 100 Americans buy items on Amazon at least once per week. But the Biden administration’s Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) decision to sue Amazon in federal court for supposedly violating antitrust law last week could change that for consumers. Specifically, the FTC claims that “Amazon’s ongoing pattern of...

By Vance Ginn, Ph.D.

Reform before the Storms: Can Louisiana’s New State Leaders Fix the Homeowners Insurance Crisis?

Reform before the Storms: Can Louisiana’s New State Leaders Fix the Homeowners Insurance Crisis?

Federal Court Rules Louisiana’s Mandatory Bar Dues Violate First Amendment

Federal Court Rules Louisiana’s Mandatory Bar Dues Violate First Amendment

Op-ed: Louisiana needs dynamism to fuel an economic comeback

Op-ed: Louisiana needs dynamism to fuel an economic comeback

Louisiana Bumps Toward the Bottom of Yet Another List

Louisiana Bumps Toward the Bottom of Yet Another List

Economic Report October 2023

Economic Report October 2023

The Economy Isn’t All that Rosy–Louisiana Economic Situation October 2023

The Economy Isn’t All that Rosy–Louisiana Economic Situation October 2023

A Little Constitutional Housekeeping Is in Order

A Little Constitutional Housekeeping Is in Order

Peli-Guide to the Constitutional Amendments, Part II

Peli-Guide to the Constitutional Amendments, Part II

Sugarcane Farmer, Maritime 100-ton captain, alligator hunter & PLA Alumn

Sugarcane Farmer, Maritime 100-ton captain, alligator hunter & PLA Alumn

Expanding Options Within Louisiana’s Electricity Market: Could Lower Electricity Bills Be on the Way?

Expanding Options Within Louisiana’s Electricity Market: Could Lower Electricity Bills Be on the Way?

Beth Billings: PLA Alumni to State Representative Elect

Beth Billings: PLA Alumni to State Representative Elect

Should The Government Run the Internet?

Should The Government Run the Internet?

Should Louisiana Award High School Diplomas to Students Who Fail State Tests?

Should Louisiana Award High School Diplomas to Students Who Fail State Tests?

The FTC’s Radical Case Against Amazon

The FTC’s Radical Case Against Amazon

Learn How We Can Write Louisiana's Comeback Story!