Cassie Schirm
Investigative Reporter
Louisiana legislators ready to tackle insurance crisis during legislative session
THIS GO AROUND. YEAH, RANDY, WHEN WE’RE TALKING ABOUT HUNDREDS OF BILLS, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT MORE THAN 900 BILLS HAVE BEEN PRE-FILED FOR THIS YEAR’S SESSION. A LOT OF DIFFERENT TOPICS, REALLY IMPORTANT ONES. BUT I WANTED TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE ONES THAT SOME OF THE LAWMAKERS SAY WILL BE BIG TALKERS FOR THIS SESSION. AS WE GET THROUGH THIS. NOW, LET’S TALK ABOUT THE FIRST ONE, INSURANCE. NOW WE KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO HOMEOWNERS OR INSURANCE, THAT’S ALWAYS BEEN A BIG TOPIC. EVERY EVERY LEGISLATIVE SESSION, BUT ANOTHER ONE THAT’S GOING TO BE TALKED ABOUT IS LOWERING AUTO INSURANCE RATES. IT’S SET TO BE A KEY PRIORITY. NOW, FORBES REPORTED THAT LOUISIANA DRIVERS PAY, ON AVERAGE, $3,718 ANNUALLY FOR AUTO INSURANCE. THAT’S 75% HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE AND TRIPLE WHAT DRIVERS PAY IN VERMONT, WHICH IS THE LOWEST COST IN STATE. ANOTHER FOCUS IS ON HEALTH. NOW IN THE BOOKS, A SWEEPING NUTRITION BILL THAT WILL BAN THE PURCHASE OF SOFT DRINKS USING FEDERAL FOOD AID PAYMENTS AND PROHIBIT THE USE OF ULTRA PROCESSED INGREDIENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THEN THERE IS A HIGH PROFILE ELEMENT IN THE RECENTLY FAILED AMENDMENT TWO, WHICH WAS A PLAN TO PERMANENTLY INCREASE SALARIES FOR TEACHERS BY $2,000, AS THE STATE IS EXPECTED TO HAVE A NEARLY $200 MILLION SHORTFALL FOR FUNDING. THERE’S ALSO AN EFFORT TO, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE PARTY LINES, TO RESTRUCTURE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND FOCUS ON SPENDING AND SPEEDING UP PROJECTS, TIMELINES AND STREAMLINING PROCEDURES AS WELL. NOW, THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION HERE STARTS AMIDST A LOT OF CONCERNS OVER WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON, D.C. WITH THE FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS, ESPECIALLY THE POSSIBILITY OF SOMETHING HAPPENING TO MEDICAID. AND SO IN MEDICARE. SO THAT’S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT LAWMAKERS HERE TELL ME THEY’RE SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT WHILE THEY’RE MAKING THESE DECISIONS HERE IN THE HOUSES. SO WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS VERY CLOSELY. AND FOR MORE ON SOME OF THE BILLS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN PRE-FILED, YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE, WDSU.COM, REPORTI
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Louisiana legislators ready to tackle insurance crisis during legislative session
Cassie Schirm
Investigative Reporter
Lawmakers in Louisiana have pre-filed nearly 900 bills for the new legislative session, with a focus on lowering auto insurance rates, health, and restructuring the Department of Transportation and Development. Louisiana's regular legislative session begins Monday. The first key priority is lowering auto insurance rates. Forbes reports that Louisiana drivers pay an average of $3,718 annually for auto insurance, which is 75% higher than the national average and triple what drivers pay in Vermont, the lowest-cost state. Before the session started, there had already been some drama between the governor and the insurance commissioner.Another focus is on health. There is a sweeping nutrition bill that would ban the purchase of soft drinks using federal food aid payments and prohibit the use of ultra-processed ingredients in public schools.Additionally, there is a high-profile element in the recently failed Amendment 2, which was a plan to permanently increase salaries of teachers by $2,000. This comes as the state is expecting a nearly $200 million shortfall for funding.There is also an effort on both sides to restructure the Department of Transportation and Development, with the focus on speeding up project timelines. This legislative session comes as there have been dramatic federal funding cuts and fears that Congress will slash Medicaid spending. The session begins at noon and must end no later than 6 p.m. June 3.
BATON ROUGE, La. —
Lawmakers in Louisiana have pre-filed nearly 900 bills for the new legislative session, with a focus on lowering auto insurance rates, health, and restructuring the Department of Transportation and Development.
Louisiana's regular legislative session begins Monday.
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The first key priority is lowering auto insurance rates. Forbes reports that Louisiana drivers pay an average of $3,718 annually for auto insurance, which is 75% higher than the national average and triple what drivers pay in Vermont, the lowest-cost state.
Before the session started, there had already been some drama between the governor and the insurance commissioner.
Another focus is on health. There is a sweeping nutrition bill that would ban the purchase of soft drinks using federal food aid payments and prohibit the use of ultra-processed ingredients in public schools.
Additionally, there is a high-profile element in the recently failed Amendment 2, which was a plan to permanently increase salaries of teachers by $2,000. This comes as the state is expecting a nearly $200 million shortfall for funding.
There is also an effort on both sides to restructure the Department of Transportation and Development, with the focus on speeding up project timelines.
This legislative session comes as there have been dramatic federal funding cuts and fears that Congress will slash Medicaid spending.
The session begins at noon and must end no later than 6 p.m. June 3.
