Michael Carroll News
Louisiana bill to create closed primary elections for federal offices signed into law
A Louisiana measure that will create closed primary elections for federal elective offices, state Supreme Court justices and members of two state boards has been signed into law by Gov. Jeff Landry.
Governor signs new congressional map into law, ending voting rights lawsuit
Gov. Jeff Landry on Monday signed into law a new congressional redistricting map that creates two majority-minority districts in the state, ending a years-long legal battle by plaintiffs who said the previous map violated the federal Voting Rights Act.
Hospital associations file brief supporting Louisiana law mandating drug manufacturer discounts
Hospital groups have filed a legal brief urging a federal court to reject drug manufacturers’ challenge to a Louisiana law that allows state hospitals to receive drug discounts dispensed at community pharmacies under a federal program.
New report charts cost of excessive civil litigation in Louisiana metro areas
Excessive litigation in the New Orleans-Metairie area results in a “tort tax” of $3,039 per person, while the Baton Rouge area residents carry a burden of $1,263 per person, new economic reports show.
Federal lawsuit alleges illegal racial quotas in Louisiana medical board appointments
A group of medical professionals has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that some appointments to a Louisiana medical board amount to racial quotas in violation of the Constitution’s equal protection clause and the 14th Amendment.
Louisiana high court justices, governor call on state lawmakers to redraw their electoral districts
Louisiana House members this week will debate a proposal to redraw the boundaries of state Supreme Court electoral districts in a way that provides two majority-minority districts and offers a path to end more than four years of litigation.
Former LSU athletics administrator seeks recusal of judge after $200,000 legal sanction
A former Louisiana State University athletics administrator has filed a motion to have state Judge Beau Higginbotham recused from her sexual harassment case after the judge ordered the plaintiff and her legal team to pay nearly $200,000 in sanctions.
New election to be held for Caddo Parish sheriff after Louisiana high court declines appeal
The Louisiana Supreme Court has declined to take up the issue of the Caddo Parish sheriff’s race, which was decided on Nov. 18 by a single vote, meaning a special election will decide the contest on March 23.
Business groups back EPA's decision to give Louisiana authority over carbon-capture projects
Business groups are reacting positively to the recent federal Environmental Protection Agency announcement that the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be the lead agency in the state for approving carbon-capture projects.
Pipeline firms accuse Energy Transfer of anti-competitive actions in Louisiana lawsuits
Pipeline companies have been suing energy giant Energy Transfer LP in Louisiana courts, accusing Energy Transfer of anti-competitive actions by blocking proposed north-south pipelines from crossing an Energy Transfer conduit running through northern Louisiana.
Cameron Parish, energy firms settle coastal erosion dispute, but details remain confidential
Parties in the multibillion-dollar coastal erosion lawsuit against oil and gas companies that had been set for trial in Cameron Parish have settled their differences, but the details remain hidden by a confidentiality agreement.
Jury rejects lawsuit accusing LSU officials of retaliating against former athletics administer
A former Louisiana State University athletics administer who alleged LSU officials retaliated against her for reporting sexual harassment complaints against a former head football coach has questioned the conduct of jurors who rejected her allegations.
New Orleans coroner sued over alleged failures to identify, preserve body
An alleged failure of the New Orleans Coroner’s Office to fingerprint and identify a missing man’s body – and the way the body was allowed to decompose and turn into “soup” – has prompted the man’s father to file a lawsuit in civil district court.
Louisiana is least affordable state for auto, homeowners insurance, new report finds
Due to high insurance premium costs, high rates of litigated claims and a low median income, Louisianans now pay auto and property insurance rates that are the least affordable in the nation, according to new data from the Insurance Research Council (IRC).
Louisiana federal judge rejects Novo Nordisk bid to dismiss Ozempic lawsuit
A federal lawsuit filed by a Louisiana woman who said she vomited to the point of losing teeth after using the type-2 diabetes drug Ozempic can move forward now that a judge has largely rejected drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk’s motion for dismissal.
U.S. Justice Department intervenes in lawsuit challenging Louisiana state legislative boundaries
The U.S. Justice Department has intervened in a federal lawsuit that challenges the legality of Louisiana’s state legislative boundaries, prompted by the Secretary of State's challenge to the constitutionality of a section of the federal Voting Rights Act.
Louisiana finishes among top 10 states for GDP growth in second quarter
Louisiana’s gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 3.2% in the second quarter of this year, putting Louisiana in the top 10 among the 50 states for its rising value of goods and services, the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reported.
Appeals court rejects Louisiana GOP officials' arguments on congressional redistricting
In a two-sentence opinion, a federal appeals court has shot down a bid by attorneys for Louisiana’s Republican legislative leaders, attorney general and secretary of state to reconsider the need for the state to have two Black-majority congressional districts.
Louisiana leads legal challenge to new EPA rule expanding water-quality regulations
Louisiana is leading a legal effort by 11 states to challenge a federal rule that plaintiffs in the lawsuit say makes sweeping, unlawful changes to how states make water-quality certifications for projects under the Clean Water Act.
Louisiana lawmakers given until end of January to OK new congressional map
The outlines of a timeline to decide the legality of Louisiana’s congressional district map are coming into focus now that a federal district judge has given state lawmakers until Jan. 30 to produce a new map that’s in sync with provisions of the federal Voting Rights Act.