To bring jobs and opportunity back to Louisiana, the state needs to ensure a friendly, fair, and legally consistent legal and regulatory environment. Louisiana’s history of litigation abuse and government red tape continues to stifle opportunities for job seekers and working families to find good-paying jobs as businesses flee Louisiana for states with fairer, more predictable policies. Louisiana’s burdensome regulations and state government overreach only hinders our ability to create quality jobs for hard-working Louisiana families. Regulatory reform that limit strict government oversight is necessary to prevent jobs and opportunity from fleeing Louisiana to neighboring states currently experiencing economic booms.
Last week, a three-judge panel from the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a state court must hear a lawsuit Plaquemines Parish brought against several oil companies. Plaquemines Parish alleges that drilling activity by Chevron, Exxon, and ConocoPhillips–that took place 80 years ago in support of the United States’ war effort–caused environmental damage. ...
Today, a judge in Louisiana’s Western District ruled that the federal government cannot mandate Head Start program teachers, staff, and volunteers in twenty-four states to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, nor can it require that adults and students wear masks. This ruling marks the second time the Pelican Institute and Liberty Justice Center clients have stopped...
In Louisiana, we have a knack for running job creators off to our neighboring states. One of the clearest examples of pushing businesses out of Louisiana is the slew of frivolous lawsuits levied against oil and gas companies that have caused countless jobs and opportunities to leave our state. A 2019 study found that two...
Louisiana’s 1974 constitution has outlived its usefulness. Since its ratification more than forty years ago, the Louisiana constitution has more than doubled its size through the amendment process. It contains over 72,000 words and voters have approved 203 amendments to date. By contrast, the U.S. Constitution, which was ratified in 1789 and provides a framework...
Originally Appeared in the Center Square For years, frivolous lawsuits levied by a few coastal parishes against hundreds of oil and gas companies have created a chilling effect that has stopped investment and pushed countless jobs out of Louisiana. While Louisiana’s coastline is a vital resource that protects our state from natural disasters, these lawsuits...
Fresh off a decisive re-election victory, New Orleans Mayor, LaToya Cantrell has decided to begin “coordinated sweeps” to crack down on unregistered food vendors operating pop-up venues across the city. The city is attempting to generate tax revenue by cracking down on these entrepreneurs. New Orleans has misdiagnosed the problem and failed to realize that...
The Pelican Institute’s report shows that despite claims that the proposed Freeport-McMoRan settlement would help the coast, there will be questionable impact on coastal restoration. For media inquires contact Ryan Roberts at ryan@pelicaninstitute.org NEW ORLEANS– Lawsuits targeting oil and gas companies with the promise of bringing dollars for coastal restoration have had a chilling effect that...
There are fewer policy topics more talked about, and less understood than antitrust. Many Americans are aware that the government has from time to time broken up companies when they have amassed too much power, but how do we know when that line has been crossed? How should market power be balanced against benefits to consumers...
Last week, A new report from FreedomWorks Foundation came out grading all 50 states on the openness and transparency of their regulatory processes. While laws are passed through the legislative process, regulations are created by government agencies not always subject to check by the people, even though most go through a comment period or some...
It’s official. As of midnight on Thursday, July 15, 2021, the Louisiana legislature is heading into its first-ever veto session. Legislators will meet to consider the 28 bills passed this session that were subsequently vetoed by the governor. Among the bills vetoed are a fiscal transparency requirement for school boards, a bill that would allow...
Louisiana’s public records statutes are designed to facilitate, rather than hinder, public access to records. In enacting these statutes, the legislature recognized that the public has a right to know about the decisions and deliberations that are part of the policy-making process. Unfortunately, a bill that would annihilate public access to government records is currently...
Louisiana has a long history of boards and commissions that lock out competition and exert enormous political pressure. The board that oversees river boat pilots on the Mississippi River is the clearest example of a system that hinders true government reform that our state desperately needs. Never heard of the river boat pilot board? You’re...