Emergency Powers Bill Passes Committee, Statement from Pelican CEO

By Daniel J. Erspamer
10/01/2020
Today, the Louisiana House and Government Affairs Committee passed House Bill 4, which will add checks and balances to Louisiana’s emergency declarations process. Pelican Institute CEO Daniel Erspamer released the following statement in response to the passage of the legislation: “Balancing executive power in Louisiana’s emergency declarations process has become one of the most consequential issues...

TAGS: checks and balances, Constitution, COVID-19, emergency declaration, Freedom

Protect Life and Liberty in a Pandemic

By Sarah Harbison
09/02/2020
Did Louisiana’s government infringe on the rights of its citizens with its COVID-19 mandates? Today, the Pelican Institute released a report to answer that question and offer approaches for addressing the ongoing pandemic and future disasters while safeguarding both public health and individual liberty. In future legislative sessions, lawmakers should consider the lessons learned from...

TAGS: Constitution, COVID-19, Economic Freedom, Freedom, Liberty

Pelican Responds to State Plan to Reopen Louisiana’s Economy

05/11/2020
Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Louisiana will begin implementing Phase 1 of the federal government’s reopening guidelines on May 15. Pelican released the following statement from CEO Daniel Erspamer regarding the state’s plan to reopen Louisiana’s economy and ease lockdown restrictions. “For the last month, the Pelican Institute has urged Louisiana leaders to begin...

TAGS: COVID-19, economic policy, Economy, Freedom, Get Louisiana Working, jobs and opportunity, Liberty

Lawyer, CNN Commentator Joins PeliCast to Talk Constitutional Role During COVID-19

04/01/2020
CNN political analyst Sarah Isgur recently joined Pelican Institute General Counsel Sarah Harbison on the PeliCast to discuss whether state and local governments’ emergency responses to the COVID-19 outbreak pass constitutional muster. In New Orleans, Mayor LaToya Cantrell issued an executive order on March 16 cancelling all public and private gatherings. Governor John Bel Edwards...

TAGS: Constitution, Freedom, Liberty, U.S. Constitution

Meatless Mondays on Nanny State Menu

By Jennifer Moreale
04/12/2010
It seems that many government officials believe that their responsibilities include determining how people should live their lives. They try to influence people’s preferences and behavior by determining what foods people should eat, what activities they should engage in, and what should be allowed to transpire in privately owned restaurants and bars. Is it any...

TAGS: Freedom, San Francisco Board Of Supervisors