Atlanta, not New Orleans will host Super Bowl 53 in 2019. The Big Easy made a proposal to NFL owners who are meeting in Charlotte today, but the vote went Atlanta’s way. Some considered New Orleans a long shot, because Atlanta is in the process of building a new stadium.

House-approved legislation that sought to penalize so called “sanctuary cities” died in a Senate committee today. The legislation was designed to force New Orleans and Lafayette to follow federal immigration laws. New Orleans Police Superintendent Michael Harrison spoke out against the bill..
cut 7 (10) “…sanctuary city”
Attorney General Jeff Landry supported the legislation as he would have authority to determine which municipalities should be defined as sanctuary cities.

A Senate committee voted down the “Pastor Protection Act” which would have provided legal protections for clergy who refuse to perform a same sex marriage ceremony. Bossier City Representative Mike Johnson tried to argue that his legislation is necessary, because of last year’s US Supreme Court decision that legalized gay marriage…
cut 5 (08) “…thiese issues”
But democratic senators on the committee argued the legislation is not needed and the Act is actually putting discrimination into the law.

Fifth District US Representative Ralph Abraham says he’s introduced legislation that attempts to stop President Obama’s order that calls on public schools to let transgender students use the bathroom consistent with their gender identity. Abraham says there’s support for his legislation…
cut 15 (09) “…to it”
Abraham’s bill clarifies in federal law that the term “sex” refers to a person’s biological sex, not their gender identity.