Innovation – and the technology that comes from it – has made all of our lives better in almost incalculable ways. Whether its access to clean water, transportation that can take us anywhere we want to go, or the information revolution, many of us would be lost without these technologies. Yet when it comes to technology advancements, government often gets in the way. Rules and regulations make it difficult for innovators to improve our lives. Louisiana often lags behind in embracing new technology stifling innovation and job creation while also hurting consumers in the process.
Hurricane Ida brought some of the worst destruction our state has seen in over a decade. As recovery efforts continue, drones are proving to be a valuable technology in building back Louisiana. Just a day after Ida struck Louisiana, President Biden announced that he asked the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to allow utility companies “to...
The debate over the trillion-dollar, 2000-page infrastructure package is heating up in Congress, but not for the reason everyone thought. Despite fears over rising debt and inflation, one of the most controversial parts of the legislation revolves around cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. While there are various cryptocurrencies, the most commonly known one is Bitcoin. Bitcoin...
There is a bipartisan agreement in Washington D.C. that the federal government should take steps to expand broadband access. However, many of these ideas involve spending billions of dollars while the country faces unprecedented levels of debt and deficits. Furthermore, most of these plans only address the access issue when adoption continues to be a major...
Why are successful and innovative companies moving south but not to Louisiana? The states outdated and expensive tax structure plays a major factor, but so does Louisiana’s desire to protect the status quo from innovation. Look no further than how Louisiana is treating Tesla, one of the most innovative and valuable companies in the world....
There is major movement on the broadband front in Louisiana. Not only will the Federal Communications Commission spend over $300 million to provide access to previously unserved areas over the next six years, Louisiana is also poised to spend $180 million on broadband projects due to federal funds. With tens of millions of dollars on...
The Louisiana economy is struggling with more than 100,000 lost jobs since the start of 2020. To return jobs and opportunity to Louisiana, policymakers should be using all the tools at their disposals. One industry ripe to provide economic benefit to Louisiana is aerial drones. Aerial drones are a rapidly advancing technology across the world....
The pandemic has proven how important innovation is to staying safe and living our lives during a difficult time. However, innovation is also important to a state’s economic health. Regulatory sandboxes are policies that can jumpstart innovation and encourage job growth and opportunities in Louisiana. Regulatory sandboxes are an alternative regulatory framework for businesses that...
Sandboxes are alternative regulatory frameworks for companies with innovative products or business models. These companies still have to meet consumer protection requirements, but don’t have to work through years of red tape. Sandboxes have been introduced both across the country and the world. States like Utah, Wyoming, and Florida have all embraced sandboxes. A study...
Louisiana has the potential to be a tech and innovation destination. During the Pelican Institute’s recent “(BIG) Solutions (mini) Summit(s),” our expert keynote speakers and panelists offered several proven solutions to make Louisiana into the “Silicon Bayou.” If you missed the Summit(s), take a look at the videos below to learn how we can achieve...
Louisiana’s state and local governments will be receiving approximately $5.18 billion from the federal government because of the American Rescue Plan of 2021. Part of that $5.18 billion is earmarked for water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure projects. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted that many rural areas still struggle with broadband internet access. Louisiana policymakers should invest...
If you have been paying attention to the debate over online speech and conservative censorship, you have probably heard about Section 230. Section 230 was once a little-known piece of telecommunications law, but it always had large importance, allowing the internet as we know it to exist today. It reads: (1) Treatment of publisher or...
by Eric Peterson, Director, Pelican Center for Technology and Innovation Policy It seems nearly every week that some controversy or debate arises on the impact of social media in our lives. These debates took center stage this week when multiple big tech companies made a moderating decision about a major news outlet’s story this week....
One of the hottest topics in public policy today is the world of technology and innovation. At no cost to your organization, we have provided a few one-pagers and studies on important policy areas like broadband and antitrust, as well as some social media graphics to which we are happy to add your organization’s logo...
There is no question that more Louisianans are in need of broadband internet connections. With children relying on broadband to attend school, employees counting on it to work, and many needing it to see their doctor, getting connected is more important than ever before. Unfortunately, many of the proposed solutions to get this don’t are...