Could Expanding Unemployment Insurance Hurt Louisiana’s Recovery?
Could Expanding Unemployment Insurance Hurt Louisiana’s Recovery?
Last week saw the release of some of best economic news for the state of Louisiana in a long time. According to the Department of Labor’s data for the week ending August 8, the number of Louisianans on unemployment insurance decreased by more than 53,000. This comes on the heels of a 27,000-person decrease during...
Officials Misusing the Term Monopoly to Further Political Goals
Officials Misusing the Term Monopoly to Further Political Goals
Last Wednesday’s Congressional antitrust hearing often had little to do with actual discussions of antitrust and instead, served as a platform for Congress to air their pet grievances to some of the nation’s largest tech firms. During the more than four-hour hearing, I couldn’t help thinking of the Inigo Montoya’s often quoted line from The...
Victory in Fight Against Lawsuit Abuse in Louisiana
Victory in Fight Against Lawsuit Abuse in Louisiana
On Thursday, Governor John Bel Edwards signed House Speaker Clay Schexnayder’s HB 57, which will help to lessen lawsuit abuse and lift the burden it places on Louisianans. With citizens across the state demanding solutions to lessen the harm caused by lawsuit abuse, this legislation earned widespread support in both the House and the Senate...
Major Win for Getting Louisianans Connected
Major Win for Getting Louisianans Connected
In a huge victory for connecting Louisianans to high-speed broadband internet, Governor John Bel Edwards signed Senator Beth Mizell’s SB 10 into law on Wednesday. SB 10 removes major hurdles to providing broadband access to people and businesses who sorely need it across the state. The following is a statement from Daniel Erspamer, chief executive...
July Sees Major Spike in Louisiana Unemployment Claims
July Sees Major Spike in Louisiana Unemployment Claims
Following the revelation that Louisiana suffered one of the worst Q1 economic declines in the nation, today’s weekly unemployment claims announcement contains even more bad news for Louisianans. Despite remaining steady over the past six weeks, the Department of Labor reports the week of July 4 saw a 45 percent increase in the number of...
While National Economy is Improving, Much of Louisiana is Still Lagging
While National Economy is Improving, Much of Louisiana is Still Lagging
Just in time for the Independence Day Holiday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released some good news for the American people. The national unemployment rate fell 2.2 percent, leading to a total of 11.1 percent in June. Most notably, an astounding 4.8 million Americans who were temporarily laid off are now back in the workforce....
Pelican Applauds Legislature on Passage of Significant Legal Reform
Pelican Applauds Legislature on Passage of Significant Legal Reform
Today, the Louisiana Legislature passed HB 57 by Speaker Clay Schexnayder, the Civil Justice Reform Act of 2020, in an overwhelming majority. HB 57 is a major victory for curbing lawsuit abuse and lessening the personal financial pain it causes, as well as its damaging effects to our state’s economy The following is a statement from...
School Choice Champions Earn Major Victory in SCOTUS’ Espinoza Decision
School Choice Champions Earn Major Victory in SCOTUS’ Espinoza Decision
Today, in a landmark victory for First Amendment and school choice champions, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) issued a ruling in one of the most anticipated cases of this term, Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue. At issue was whether Montana violated the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause by prohibiting families who choose to enroll...
Louisiana Wages Dropped by Nearly $500 Million in First Quarter
Louisiana Wages Dropped by Nearly $500 Million in First Quarter
The Bureau of Economic Analysis’ (BEA) latest report, which showed that Louisiana personal income grew in the first quarter by 2.2 percent, appeared to be a welcome sight for a state still reckoning with the fallout of COVID-19 and subsequent economic shutdown. However, a closer look at the numbers reveals the income growth is a...
Louisiana Economy Appears Stuck in Neutral
Louisiana Economy Appears Stuck in Neutral
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently reported that America gained 2.5 million jobs in the month of May, leaving many in Louisiana wondering how that would translate to the state’s economy. This morning’s BLS report showed Louisiana gaining almost 33,000 jobs in May, leading to a decline in the unemployment rate of 1.8 percent. The state’s...
Pelican Statement: Governor Vetoes Rural Broadband
Pelican Statement: Governor Vetoes Rural Broadband
On Friday, Governor John Bel Edwards’ vetoed an important piece of legislation for connecting Louisianans to high speed internet. SB 406 by Senator Beth Mizell would have removed government barriers that are preventing countless Louisianans from getting connected. The following is a statement from Daniel Erspamer, chief executive officer of the Pelican Institute, regarding Gov....
Pelican Statement: Governor Vetoes Key Legal Reform
Pelican Statement: Governor Vetoes Key Legal Reform
Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards vetoed a critical piece of legal reform legislation. Louisiana’s judiciary has adopted a practice to ignore legal liability limits and other protections, instead allowing aggressive plaintiffs to sue entrepreneurs of all sizes. This impacts everyone from small mom and pop shops to large oil and gas companies. HB 313 by Representative...
Section 230 Protects the Speech of Louisianans
Section 230 Protects the Speech of Louisianans
With COVID-19, the economic crisis, and the protests taking place across the country, Americans are feeling the need more than ever to communicate with their friends and family. Given all these circumstances, social media has become the go-to method of communicating for many. What many don’t know is that this ability to share our thoughts...
Pelican Files Brief in California Property Rights Case
Pelican Files Brief in California Property Rights Case
What if the government forced you to rent out property you own to a virtual stranger for his or her lifetime? The Pelican Institute’s Center for Justice recently filed an amicus curiae brief in support of Peyman Pakdel’s petition for rehearing en banc pending in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The lawsuit implicates the...