Latest Louisiana Headlines

All the headlines from our Louisiana Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Judge: La. Road Home Suit Should Name State as Well as Contractor

Jul 26 2007 // Sue the state as well as its contractor for Louisiana’s troubled Road Home problem, a federal judge in Baton Rouge, La., told the attorney who filed a class-action lawsuit alleging the contractor is cheating...

La. Officials Report Requests for Insurance Tax Credit Lagging

Jul 24 2007 // More than a million Louisiana homeowners apparently have overlooked a large tax refund due to them as state reimbursement on their insurance premiums following Hurricane Katrina, state officials say. The claim is available...

La. Gov. Vetoes Bill to Sell All State-Backed Insurer Policies

Jul 23 2007 // Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco on July 20 vetoed legislation to sell off all policies covered by the state “insurer of last resort,” a bill that conflicted with her own plan to reduce the size of the firm. The...

After Formaldehyde Complaints, FEMA to Test Air Quality in Trailers

Jul 23 2007 // Federal agencies will test air quality in trailers housing Gulf Coast hurricane victims, an official said July 20, a day after documents revealed that government lawyers discouraged investigating reports of high...

The tale of two states

Jul 23 2007 // For years the insurance industry has fought desperately to reduce or eliminate burdensome governmental regulation, insisting that competitive market forces will adequately regulate the industry. Deregulation has dominated...

Package of insurance measures passes La. legislature

Jul 23 2007 // Louisiana’s Legislature in June approved a package of insurance bills promoted by Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco and Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon. Among the bills passed were one that provides for...

The tale of two states

Jul 23 2007 // For years the insurance industry has fought desperately to reduce or eliminate burdensome governmental regulation, insisting that competitive market forces will adequately regulate the industry. Deregulation has dominated...

La.’s Gov. Blanco Vetoes Minimum Auto Insurance Legislation

Jul 20 2007 // Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco has vetoed legislation that could have increased auto insurance costs for over 1 million Louisiana motorists, her office said. The Legislature in June 2007 approved the bill by Sen. Mike...

Four in La. Accused of Torching Apartment for Insurance

Jul 19 2007 // A 26-year-old woman has been accused of hiring men to set fire to her public housing apartment in Reserve, La., for $20,000 in insurance. After the men allegedly torched two other apartments by mistake, the renter hired...

Identity Theft Ring Arrested in La.

Jul 19 2007 // The Louisiana State Police reported that detectives with its Special Crimes Unit arrested three individuals on July 17 who are thought to be part of an identity theft ring operating in the Baton Rouge area. State Police...

Nearly 18K in La. Interested in Buying FEMA Trailers, Mobile Homes

Jul 17 2007 // Nearly 18,000 occupants of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) travel trailers and mobile homes in Louisiana have shown interested in purchasing their units, the agency has reported. In an effort to help displaced...

LWCC Appoints Breard as Claims Operations Manager

Jul 13 2007 // Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation (LWCC) announced that Jill Breard has joined the company as operations manager in the risk management services (RMS) division. In this position, Breard will be responsible...

Group Seeks Site for Hurricane Center in Southwest La.

Jul 13 2007 // Though unsure exactly where it would be built or when, backers of a proposed National Hurricane Museum and Science Center in southwest Louisiana say they’re confident the $100 million project will become reality. The...

Judge in La. Won’t Force Prosecutor to Enter Katrina Whisteblower Case

Jul 11 2007 // A federal judge in New Orleans on June 9 withdrew an order challenging U.S. Attorney David Dugas for not intervening in a whistleblowers’ lawsuit that accuses insurance companies of overbilling the federal government...

Insurer Group Asks La. Gov. to Veto Hike in Minimum Insurance Limits

Jul 5 2007 // The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) announced it has requested that Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco veto SB 233, which the insurer group says would dramatically raise the state’s minimum...

Insurer Group: La. Legislature Acts to Revive Marketplace

Jul 2 2007 // The Louisiana Legislature adjourned last week after sending to the governor a series of bills including one that abolishes the state’s insurane rating board. The enactment of HB 960, which abolishes the Louisiana...

La. Theriot: Auditors Now Have Access to La. Citizens’ Records

Jun 29 2007 // Louisiana’s legislative auditor said officials who run the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp. are giving investigators access they need to inspect the state-backed company’s records. Steve Theriot had...

La. Proposal Would Create State-chartered Bank for Hurricane Recovery

Jun 28 2007 // A Louisiana state-chartered bank would be created, touted as a way to spur private investment in the rebuilding of public infrastructure devastated by Hurricane Katrina, under a bill nearing final legislative passage. The...

La. Senate Adds Homeowner Tax Breaks to $100M Insurance Plan

Jun 27 2007 // If Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco is offering $100 million to insurance companies, then homeowners deserve a $93 million tax break on the premiums they’ve paid since the 2005 hurricanes, the Senate voted June...

La. House Agrees to Raise Minimum Car Insurance Rates

Jun 26 2007 // Louisiana should have higher minimum car insurance coverage requirements for drivers, the state House of Representatives decided June 22, approving a bill that would boost the costs of insurance for thousands of drivers...