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• Concealed gun permits could get more protection Play Video

  May 7, 2013 5:55 PM

  BATON ROUGE- A law that would add penalties to anyone who publishes or releases the names of people with concealed carry gun permits got some backing at the Capitol today. The Senate Judicary Committee C voted favorably on HB 8 by Rep. Jeff Thompson (R) of Bossier City. ... more »

• Federal lawmakers support Internet sales taxes

  March 22, 2013 8:33 PM

  WASHINGTON- Senators supported a law, giving states the power to collect taxes on purchases you make on the Internet. The Nonbinding vote could pave the way for a proposal later this year. Nationally, states miss out on an estimated $20 billion in sales taxes. Louisiana loses about $800... more »

• Gun background checks drop by 10 percent in Jan.

  February 5, 2013 8:44 AM

  WASHINGTON - The number of federal background checks for firearm sales declined unexpectedly last month following a surge toward the end of the year as Washington considered new gun control measures. An Associated Press analysis of new FBI data published early Tuesday shows the National Instant Criminal Background Check system... more »

• Obama launches push for immigration overhaul

  January 29, 2013 6:19 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is reviving his stalled proposals for overhauling the nation's immigration laws, calling for a pathway to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants, improvements to the legal immigration system and more effective mechanisms for helping employers verify the status of workers. The president will launch his... more »

• Biden: Limit on magazine rounds a bigger priority

  January 25, 2013 6:14 AM

  WASHINGTON - Vice President Joe Biden says he's more concerned about limiting the number of rounds in a gun magazine than about banning assault weapons that account for a small percentage of gun deaths. The vice president participated in an online chat Thursday on Google Plus. He says... more »

• Experts back NYC's link of gun laws, lower crime

  January 23, 2013 1:02 PM

  NEW YORK - Mayor Michael Bloomberg is an outspoken advocate for gun control. He touts historic crime lows in New York City as an outcome of strict gun laws that are strictly enforced. And criminologists say for the most part he's right. As proof, they cite the all-time low number... more »

• In letters, children ask Obama to change gun laws

  January 16, 2013 8:02 AM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says President Barack Obama will be joined by children who sent letters expressing concern about gun crimes when he announces proposals today to reduce gun violence. The White House shared three of the letters with The Associated Press. Three days after 26 students... more »

• Obama to unveil gun violence measures today

  January 16, 2013 5:19 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's broad effort to reduce gun violence will include proposed bans on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines, as well as more than a dozen executive orders aimed at circumventing congressional opposition to stricter gun controls. Obama will announce the measures today at a White... more »

• Panel's proposals protect voters from ID theft

  January 10, 2013 7:46 AM

  BATON ROUGE - The State Board of Election Supervisors has recommended changes in state election laws. One of the proposals would make it a felony to copy or otherwise reproduce a completed voter registration application. The change would protect the confidentiality of such information as the individual's full date... more »

• Tax filing season starts Jan. 30 for most filers

  January 8, 2013 1:19 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Internal Revenue Service says late changes to federal tax laws should mean only a short delay for most taxpayers to file their 2012 returns. The agency said Tuesday that more than 120 million taxpayers - about 80 percent of all filers - should be able to start... more »

• New drilling operation near fiery I-10 blowout site

  November 20, 2012 9:43 PM

  RAMAH- Drilling crews have returned to an area where a drilling disaster happened in 2007. Then, a blowout preventer failed and ignited a fireball. The inferno shutdown the I-10 Basin Bridge for ten days. Since then, rules have been changed. Now, a company has received a permit to... more »

• Web site targets distracted driving

  October 11, 2012 10:05 PM

  WASHINGTON, D.C.- Federal leaders have set-up a website devoted to distracted driving. It's meant to curtail dangerous habits. Distraction.gov features information on the forms of distracted driving. Habits that aren't illegal, alone, but in an accident could be serious. A man in Livingston Parish faces charges after a... more »

• No decision on Sunday alcohol sales in Baton Rouge

  October 10, 2012 10:25 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Metro Council did not make a decision on changing the Sunday alcohol sales law. After debating for more than an hour, city leaders decided to push the discussion back to the next meeting- in two weeks. Councilwoman Alison Gary proposes easing regulations on Sundays, making that... more »

• AG: Price gouging laws in effect ahead of Isaac

  August 26, 2012 4:12 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Attorney General Buddy Caldwell said price gouging laws are now in effect, after Gov. Bobby Jindal declared a state of emergency ahead of tropical storm Isaac. The state's price gouging statute locks commodity prices at pre-emergency levels unless there's a national or regional market shortage. Affected... more »

• More than 500 laws to take effect Wednesday

  July 31, 2012 2:17 PM

  BATON ROUGE - More than 500 new laws take effect Wednesday. Among the changes, impersonating someone on Facebook and other online sites can land someone in jail. Selling dogs and cats along roadsides or at flea markets is banned. Everyone in a sport utility vehicle must wear a seat belt.... more »

• Obama campaign sues over Ohio early voting law

  July 17, 2012 3:42 PM

  COLUMBUS, Ohio - President Barack Obama's re-election campaign is suing Ohio's top elections official in a dispute over a state law that restricts early, in-person voting during the three days before Election Day. The lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court in Columbus follows a series of election law changes cleared... more »

• More teachers filing suit to stop education changes Play Video

  June 21, 2012 3:27 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Teachers say new education laws touted by Governor Bobby Jindal do not support them, despite what Jindal's administration may say, and they're filing a lawsuit to stop the laws from going into effect. The Louisiana Association of Educators plan to file the suit tomorrow morning in... more »

• Another law suit against education reform laws

  June 21, 2012 12:19 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Another law suit is about to be filed against Governor Jindal's education reform laws. Leaders of the Louisiana Association of Educators will officially file suit, tomorrow, Friday 6/22, challenging the constitutionality. The education reform bills were approved during 2012 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature.... more »

• Gov. Jindal vetoes bills to change video poker laws

  June 5, 2012 5:33 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Gov. Bobby Jindal has vetoed a package of bills that would have tweaked the state's video poker laws, after the conservative Louisiana Family Forum asked him to scrap the changes. In a letter sent to the governor, Family Forum leader Gene Mills said the bills would deregulate... more »

• AG defends opposition to some state voter ID laws

  February 28, 2012 11:26 AM

  WASHINGTON- Attorney General Eric Holder is defending the Justice Department's opposition to some state laws requiring voters to present photo IDs when they go to the polls. At a House appropriations subcommittee hearing, Holder says the federal government must think long and hard about the negative impact that photo identification... more »

• New laws impact abortion clinics, sex offenders

  August 15, 2011 2:31 AM

  BATON ROUGE- More than 230 new laws take effect Monday after being passed by legislators earlier this year. Among the changes, abortion clinics must post new signs about adoption options and child support. Certain sex offenders have to shut down their Facebook and MySpace pages. Hunters can shoot wild pigs... more »

• New laws impact abortion clinics, sex offenders

  August 14, 2011 9:15 AM

  BATON ROUGE- More than 230 new laws, from the arcane to the attention-grabbing, take effect Monday after being passed by legislators earlier this year. Among the changes, abortion clinics must post new signs about adoption options and child support. Certain sex offenders have to shut down their Facebook and... more »

• Lawmakers hope to match laws to census data

  March 21, 2011 11:04 AM

  BATON ROUGE, La. - Hundreds of state laws governing individual localities in Louisiana are up for revisions during the redistricting special session. That's because many statutes are tied to state population estimates - and with the latest census data, some of the laws no longer match the municipalities and... more »

• La. abortion clinics sue over state law

  November 18, 2010 6:46 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A third challenge to Louisiana's new abortion-clinic laws has been filed in Baton Rouge federal court. Five abortion clinics in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Metairie and Bossier City allege in their civil suit filed Wednesday that state regulatory officials now can shut them down for any alleged... more »

• CIO accused of bypassing bid laws for EBR crime cameras

  September 30, 2010 6:30 PM

  The parish chief information officer is accused of bypassing contract bid laws and giving preferential treatment to certain companies that installed and maintain the city’s crime surveillance camera system. Donald Evans has been added to a lawsuit challenging the cameras. Millions of dollars have been spent on the surveillance equipment,... more »

• Bill would let schools waive education laws

  May 6, 2010 3:56 PM

  A House committee has backed one of Gov. Bobby Jindal's signature education bills that would let public schools function more like charter schools, allowing them to waive state laws and education policies. The bill by Bossier City Rep. Jane Smith would let school superintendents apply for a four-year waiver... more »

• Gov. Jindal addresses La. legislature

  March 29, 2010 3:17 PM

  Gov. Bobby Jindal addressed a joint session of the House and Senate this afternoon and outlined his vision for balancing the budget. The governor said the greatest challenge Louisiana and the country face is the economy and rising unemployment rates. While Jindal recognized that Louisiana is doing better than the... more »

• La. legislative session begins

  March 29, 2010 12:50 PM

  Louisiana lawmakers opened their annual regular session Monday, grappling with deep budget problems and nearly 2,000 pieces of legislation that propose everything from college tuition increases to looser gun restrictions and a red light camera ban. Gov. Bobby Jindal will outline his vision for balancing the budget when he... more »

• State lawmaker targets texting while driving

  March 7, 2010 12:13 PM

  A Louisiana state lawmaker is taking a stand against texting while driving. State Senator Butch Gautreaux, from Morgan City, thinks the current law is "ridiculous." Gautreaux wants to change the current Louisiana law, making texting a primary offence rather than secondary. The current law does not allow... more »

• New traffic laws take effect

  October 1, 2009 10:19 AM

  Louisiana State Troopers are enforcing new rules of the road. Starting today, everyone in a vehicle must wear a seat belt. On multi-lane roadways, drivers are not allowed to travel in the left lane. There are some exceptions, such as passing another vehicle traveling under the posted speed... more »

• Ethics Board attorney named to lead agency

  October 1, 2009 7:47 AM

  The Louisiana Board of Ethics has chosen longtime ethics attorney Kathleen Allen to be its top administrator. Allen has been deputy general counsel, the No. 2 position at the agency. The Baton Rouge native and LSU law school graduate has been with the ethics agency for 12 years. She... more »