Police reform sat on the backburner while tort reform dominated the recent special session but a Baton Rouge lawmaker says that will not be the case next time the next time lawmakers head to the Capitol…
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COVID is not only detrimental to people’s health but it’s also testing relationships. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”
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The largest auto insurer in Louisiana is giving drivers a decrease, but it has nothing to do with recent tort reform legislation. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
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There was little action on police reform in the recent special session but reform advocates say that is not going to be the case in the fall or 2021 session.
Baton Rouge Representative Ted James they will revive an effort to revoke qualified immunity for officers. He says the effort to allow cops to be held liable for misbehavior in civil court will be a major part of reform discussions. He says right now…
A push to end qualified immunity did not get out of committee in the recent session.
James says they’ll also be pushing to build on current laws that stop bad cops from department hopping after they get in trouble. Right now a cop who is convicted of excessive force can’t get rehired in Louisiana, but…
The one police reform-related item that passed was a resolution creating a 20+ member study group to study policing policy.
The special session took place as George Floyd protests began. Discussions of the issues at the heart of those protests, like police brutality, were restrained, but James says they won’t be next time.
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The coronavirus is putting stress extra on relationships and many are calling it quits. In addition to family practice lawyers seeing an increase in business, the pandemic is also having another effect on divorces. Baton Rouge Attorney Nancy Sue Grégoire says those who were already in the process of a divorce before the pandemic began are having even more complications.
Grégoire says the pandemic has caused many to lose their employment and healthcare and it is making the process of divorce even more difficult. She has advice for those who are in the middle of ending their relationship.
Instead of going to a courtroom and using ZOOM for court proceedings, Grégoire believes for some they don’t understand the reality of the situation.
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State Farm auto insurance policyholders can expect nearly a 10% decrease in their rates. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says the drop is not linked to recent tort reform.
State Farm is the largest auto insurer in the state, with a million policyholders. Donelon says the rate decrease can be attributed to people staying at home and off the roads during the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
Cut 11 (07) “…at home orders.”
Donelon says this decrease, combined with three other rate decreases in the last couple of years has resulted in a 23% total rate decrease. If history is any indication, Donelon anticipates other insurers will be following State Farm’s lead.
Cut 12 (07) “…driven by competition.”
The effective date of State Farm’s current reduction is August 24.
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Legislation is awaiting the Governor’s signature that would allow electric co-ops to create their own hi-speed internet networks in rural areas that lack broadband access.
Franklinton Representative Beth Mizell (My-Zell) says the pandemic has put a spotlight on the serious problems her rural constituents face with their current non-broadband services.
If signed into law co-ops would be able to make broadband companies under separate entities from their current power companies so that utility funds were not used for internet service.
The FCC has committed to spending over 20 billion dollars on expanding rural broadband. Mizell says after that commitment her effort gained a lot of support.
Mizell made the comments on Talk Louisiana.
Mizell says many of her lower-income constituents could benefit greatly from broadband in ways they might not expect.
Mizell says she has received assurances that Edwards will sign this legislation into law.