Michael Carroll News
New Louisiana law mandates companies to give workers time off for cancer screenings
A new Louisiana law requiring employers to give workers unpaid time off for cancer screenings and genetic testing will take effect Aug. 1.
Juveniles housed at Angola prison routinely do three days in isolation, court filing says
Juveniles being housed at Louisiana State Penitentiary routinely spend about three days in solitary confinement when they arrive there, leaving their cells for only eight minutes a day to shower, according to federal court records.
Edwards' veto of gender-care bill overridden by state lawmakers
A measure prohibiting gender-affirming care for Louisiana minors and altering appearance based on a minor’s perception of sexual identity was the sole bill to become law as a result of last week’s veto-override session.
Louisiana 6th among all states in new personal injury lawsuit study
Louisiana had the sixth highest share of personal injury lawsuits per capita among the 50 states during the year ending March 31, with 16.71 lawsuits being filed per 100,000 residents, according to a Florida law firm.
Federal appeals court declines to take up Louisiana sales tax complaint
A federal appeals court has dismissed a lawsuit brought by a small Arizona firm that argued Louisiana’s system for paying taxes on remote sales is so complex that it illegally stymies interstate commerce.
Court dismisses Tesla lawsuit challenging Louisiana's ban on direct car sales
A federal judge in Louisiana has pulled the plug on Tesla Inc.’s legal arguments that allege the state’s restriction on direct car sales to consumers violates constitutional protections and state law.
Louisiana veto-override session could get under way next week
A legislative veto-override session could begin as early as next week, depending on whether a majority of Louisiana lawmakers favor moving forward with such a session by a deadline coming up on Thursday.
2 women sue Baton Rouge PD, alleging sexual battery
Two women filed separate federal civil lawsuits this month against a former Baton Rouge police officer who was arrested on kidnapping, sexual battery and obscenity charges last September.
Louisiana lawsuit triggers ban on federal government-social media 'collusion'
Ruling on a lawsuit brought by the states of Louisiana and Missouri, a federal judge has muzzled communications between federal officials and social media companies over concerns about efforts to “censor” Americans’ free speech.
Challenge to Louisiana congressional districts can move forward after high court ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court last month breathed new life into a federal lawsuit challenging the legality of Louisiana’s current congressional district map.
Edwards vetoes proposed phase-out of corporate franchise tax
Gov. John Bel Edwards has vetoed a bill that would have phased out the state’s corporate franchise tax over four years, prompting criticism from business groups that said the phase-out would have made the state more competitive.
Court puts off ruling on legality of litigation extension for victims of child sex abuse
In a split decision late last month, the Louisiana Supreme Court stopped short of ruling on the constitutionality of recent state laws that allow victims of childhood sexual abuse an extended chance to file civil lawsuits seeking damages.
Biden administration ends industrial pollution bias probe in Louisiana
The federal Environmental Protection Agency has ended an investigation of civil rights violations stemming from industrial pollution in St. John the Baptist Parish that critics say disproportionately affects Black residents.
Louisiana voters to decide on constitutional amendment protecting worship from executive orders
In the wake of stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Louisiana Legislature has placed on the fall ballot a constitutional amendment calling the freedom to attend a service at a house of worship “worthy of the highest order of protection.”
New Louisiana law will shield teachers from litigation stemming from campus fights
A measure to protect teachers, principals and other school administrators from civil litigation stemming from interventions in fights involving students or school employees has been signed into law by Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards.
U.S. Supreme Court backs Biden administration on noncitizen deportation policies
Rebuffing arguments made by Louisiana and Texas, the U.S. Supreme Court last week rejected a challenge to the Biden administration’s immigration guidelines governing which noncitizens it decides to deport.
Adult entertainment group sues over Louisiana's age-verification law for explicit websites
Free-speech advocates have sued Louisiana officials to stop the enforcement of new laws that would require adult-content websites to verify that their Louisiana users are at least 18 years old.
Louisiana governor's race heats up as GOP governors group slams Democrat Shawn Wilson in video
In the latest salvo in the Louisiana governor’s race, the Republican Governors Association (RGA) blasted Democrat Shawn Wilson, a former secretary of transportation and development, for his “failed record on infrastructure” in a 30-second video.
Passage of insurance reform measures should benefit Louisiana policyholders, commissioner says
The regular Louisiana legislative session that ended June 8 “worked out in a very positive way” for insurance policyholders now bracing for the start of another hurricane season, the state’s insurance commissioner said last week.
ExxonMobil workplace in Baton Rouge hit with another racial bias lawsuit
ExxonMobil was hit with another racial discrimination lawsuit late last month by a Black employee who alleged that the company tolerated a hostile working environment at its Baton Rouge refining and chemical complex.