2022 is already shaping up to be a very active & potentially dramatic year for Louisiana politics. Kevin Gallagher elaborates…:
Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”
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The New Year brings new changes to how much state taxes you’ll pay. Kevin Gallagher has more…:
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”
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Louisiana medical marijuana patients now have the choice to get smokeable medical marijuana at one of the state’s nine licensed pharmacies. Michelle Southern has more…
Cut 3 (29) “…I’m Michelle Southern.”
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2022 is already shaping up to be an active year for politics in Louisiana. “LAPolitics.com” publisher Jeremy Alford says first up a redistricting session in February. Alford says partisan politics PLUS population losses will come into play as they redraw district lines for Congress, the legislature, Public Service Commission and state courts…:
Cut 4 (12) “….see some changes.”
Governor Edwards has said he wants a second majority-minority Congressional district, but Alford thinks GOP-led legislature will resist.
Next, it’s on to the 2022 regular legislative session, and Alford thinks we’ll see attempts to again pass legislation that did not make it into law last year. He says some of these are real hot-button topics we’ve heard about before…:
Cut 5 (09) “…criminal justice reform.”
Also in the coming year, the mid-term Congressional elections and the beginning of the run-up to the 2023 gubernatorial and statewide office elections. Alford says there are lot of people who’d like to move into the Governor’s Mansion…:
Cut 6 (10) “…run for governor.”
Alford expects to see and hear a lot of highly charged partisan debate and straight-up bickering in the year ahead.
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The New Year brings changes to the state’s tax code. Jason DeCuir (dih-KWEER) is a partner at Advantous, a tax consulting firm in Baton Rouge. He says a big change is with state income tax rates, after voters last fall approved lowering individuals’ tax rates in exchange for losing their deduction for federal taxes paid…:
Cut 7 (11) “…taxes that they pay.”
DeCuir says corporate state income taxes were also reduced.
Another change that he says should help smaller businesses in Louisiana is the phasing out the so-called Corporate Franchise Tax. He says this something business owners have wanted for years…:
Cut 8 (12) “…phased that tax out.”
There are some concerns that the tax changes will NOT be “revenue neutral” for many; particularly higher wage earners and those who itemize deductions. DeCuir says the tax code changes should be better for most of us, and will make for fewer state budget shortfalls, as state revenues are less tied to the federal tax code…:
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Embattled Lafayette City Court Judge Michelle Odinet has stepped down from the bench as a result of a viral video where she allegedly used a racial slur as her family watched a home security video of an attempted burglary. Odinet’s Attorney Dane Ciolino says the judge takes full responsibility…
Ciolino says in her resignation letter, Odinet says she’s sorry for the pain she’s caused to the community…
Odinet also asked for forgiveness in her resignation letter to the Louisiana Supreme Court. Ciolino says the judge knows forgiveness will not come quickly…
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The new year brings a change to the state’s medical-marijuana program as eligible patients can now buy it in smokeable form. Houma Representative Tanner Magee authored the legislation that made it legal for the state’s nine licensed pharmacies to dispense the flower form of marijuana…
Up until 2022, medical marijuana was available to patients with certain conditions in liquids, topical applications, inhalers, and edible gummies. Magee says since the smokeable form involves less processing, it should cost less for the consumer…
Louisiana launched its medical marijuana program in 2019 after lawmakers approved the dispensing framework in 2015. There are now 28-thousand patients who have a valid medical marijuana prescription. Magee says many of those individuals are over the age of 65
Cut 15 (10) “…find beneficial”
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Louisiana Tech men’s basketball is off to a 2-0 start in Conference USA play after a come from behind win over Western Kentucky on Saturday. The Bulldogs trailed by 17 points to the Hilltoppers but still won their 17th straight game in the Thomas Assembly Center by beating W-K-U 74-73. Tech head coach Eric Konkol…
Kenneth Lofton junior had 22 points and Tech is at UTEP on Thursday.
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The LSU football team has one more full day of preparation for Tuesday night’s Texas Bowl against Kansas State. They’ve been getting ready for the game in Houston and it’s still unknown to the public who will start at quarterback and the Tigers are without key players Damone Clark, Neil Farrell and Tyrion-Davis Price, who have opted out. Despite the key absences, interim head coach Brad Davis says the preparation has been good…
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The Saints kept their playoff hopes alive with an 18-10 win over the struggling Panthers. The defense led the way as they sacked Carolina quarterback Sam Darnold seven times. Defensive end Cam Jordan had 3.5 sacks and cornerback C-J Gardner-Johnson had the game sealing interception. Gardner Johnson credits the defensive line
The Saints offense struggled to run the football as the offensive line played without its start center and tackles. Quarterback Taysom Hill threw for 222 yards and one touchdown. Hill understands its the defense leading the way…
The win gives the Saints an 8-and-8 record heading into Sunday’s season finale at Atlanta. New Orleans offense has scored just one touchdown in the last three games and Coach Sean Payton credits the defense for keeping their playoff hopes alive…