Latest Louisiana Headlines
All the headlines from our Louisiana Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Federal Officials Say Engineer Intentionally Derailed LA Train Near Hospital Ship
Apr 3 2020 // A train engineer intentionally drove a speeding locomotive off a track at the Port of Los Angeles because he was suspicious about the presence of a Navy hospital ship docked there amid the coronavirus crisis, federal...
Louisiana Spillway May Have to Be Opened for a Record 3rd Year in a Row
Apr 2 2020 // A major flood control structure on the Mississippi River may have to soon be opened up to ease pressure on New Orleans levees, federal authorities said on March 31. The river is expected to crest above 17 feet (5.2 meters)...
Federal Disaster Declaration Approved for Louisiana Due to COVID-19
Mar 27 2020 // President Donald Trump has granted a federal disaster declaration in Louisiana and ordered assistance to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by COVID-19. Louisiana’s governor asked the White House to...
Louisiana’s Dwight Andrus Insurance Opens New Office in Shreveport
Mar 25 2020 // Dwight W. Andrus Insurance Inc., based in Lafayette, Louisiana, has opened a new office in Shreveport. Dwight Andrus Insurance – Shreveport is led by Market President Parker G. Stough. Stough has been with Dwight Andrus...
Louisiana Flood Victims Sue State for More Than $300M
Mar 25 2020 // A group of Louisiana flood victims who have been owed over $300 million for the past decade have filed a lawsuit against the state for failure to pay. The Advocate reports that Tangipahoa Parish home and small business...
Louisiana Governor Seeks Federal Disaster Declaration for State
Mar 25 2020 // Louisiana’s governor has asked the White House to declare a major disaster in his state to free up more direct federal aid to cope with the surging coronavirus outbreak, warning that the New Orleans area could run...
Louisiana Expands Access to Telemedicine, Federal Aid for Small Businesses
Mar 24 2020 // Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon has issued Emergency Rule 37, which aims to expand access to telehealth services during the COVID-19 health emergency. The Louisiana Department of Insurance summarized the...
Centauri Insurance’s Rating Under Review After Termination of Avatar Acquisition
Mar 23 2020 // The Financial Stability Rating (FSR) of A, Exceptional, assigned to Louisiana’s Centauri National Insurance Co. by Demotech Inc. may be subject to change as Centauri National’s parent company, Centauri...
Lighthouse to Acquire Prepared Insurance of Florida
Mar 23 2020 // Lighthouse Property Insurance Corp. plans to acquire its sister carrier, Prepared Insurance Company (Prepared), from Prepared Holdings Group. Lighthouse is a Louisiana-domiciled property and casualty insurance carrier...
Louisiana Suspends Legislative Session
Mar 20 2020 // Louisiana has suspended its 2020 regular legislative session until March 31. State senators, representatives, stakeholders and citizens with an interest in legislative proposals have been instructed by House and Senate...
Restaurant Suit Tests Business Interruption Insurance for Coronavirus Shutdowns
Mar 19 2020 // A restaurant in the heart of the New Orleans tourism district filed a lawsuit on Monday asking a state judge for a declaratory judgment that its business-interruption policy will cover its damages if it is ordered to close...
Louisiana Chemical Plant Asks Regulators to Allow Higher Emissions of Potential Toxin
Mar 18 2020 // A Louisiana chemical plant that agreed to lower its emissions of a potentially harmful toxin now wants to raise them based on research indicating the compound is safe at much higher levels than what federal environmental...
Louisiana Governor Requests Federal Small Business Disaster Loans for 2 Parishes
Mar 17 2020 // Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has requested that the Small Business Administration (SBA) provide Economic Injury Disaster Loans for Orleans and Jefferson parishes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. While this request...
Workers’ Comp Dockets Temporarily Closed in Oklahoma; Louisiana WC Court Appearances Still On
Mar 17 2020 // The Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission (WCC) said it is striking all commission dockets in Oklahoma City and Tulsa set during the week of March 16, and has closed the administrative offices in both Oklahoma...
Prepared Insurance of Florida to be Acquired by Lighthouse Property Insurance Corp.
Mar 16 2020 // Lighthouse Property Insurance Corp. plans to acquire its sister carrier, Prepared Insurance Company (Prepared), from Prepared Holdings Group. Lighthouse is a Louisiana-domiciled property and casualty insurance carrier...
Louisiana Doctor Sentenced to Prison in $500K Workers’ Comp Fraud Case
Mar 13 2020 // A Baton Rouge, Louisiana, doctor has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after being convicted of participating in a workers’ compensation fraud scheme in which he submitted more than $500,000 in false...
Louisiana Governor Backing Bills Prohibiting Discrimination in Insurance Rate Setting
Mar 11 2020 // There’s no doubt that auto insurance will be a dominant theme during this year’s legislative session in Louisiana. So far most of the buzz has been aimed at tort reform as a method of bringing down the cost of...
Louisiana Republicans, Business Aligned on Auto Insurance, Tort Reform
Mar 10 2020 // Business groups see an opportunity with the new, more conservative Republican-led Louisiana Legislature to gain traction on a top goal, to rein in civil lawsuits and damage awards against them. GOP lawmakers have made the...
Louisiana Contractor Pays $495K in Back Wages in Misclassification Case
Mar 6 2020 // A southwest Louisiana contractor that provides nondestructive testing in Louisiana, Texas and Florida has paid $495,900 in back wages to 411 workers, the U.S. Department of Labor said. Versa Integrity Group Inc. of Sulphur...
Auto Insurance Reform, Minimum Wage Hike on Louisiana Governor’s Legislative Agenda
Mar 4 2020 // Gov. John Bel Edwards said on March 2 that he would renew his fight to raise Louisiana’s minimum wage in the upcoming legislative session, but he offered little insight into whether he would agree to Republican...
