9:30 LRN Newscast

Next year, the legislature will take another stab at reining in soaring auto insurance premiums. Pollack Representative Gabe Firment, the chairman of the House Insurance Committee, says two things that are NOT factors in our large auto insurance premiums are natural disasters and the conditions of our roads.

Cut 13 (08)  “…not the case.”

Firment points out that Louisiana litigates bodily injury claims at a much higher rate than the national average. Ben Riggs, the executive director of Real Reform Louisiana, says limiting drivers’ ability to sue is not the answer. He says a bigger factor is auto insurance companies basing their premiums on credit scores, which he says have nothing to do with whether someone is a good driver or not.

Cut 16 (13) “…premiums in Louisiana.”

Lawmakers either returning to Capitol Hill for the 119th Congress or going there for the first time are honing their agendas for the session that starts a week from tomorrow. That includes Senator John Kennedy, who says one of his priorities is energy independence, saying he thinks Congress will move quickly on policies so that America won’t have to rely on other countries for energy.

Cut 7 (05) “…with our friends.”

Kennedy says he also wants to secure the southern border and to renew the tax cuts from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that are set to expire.

When the calendar flips to 2025 next week, new laws governing the sale of CBD and THC products will go into effect. Ernest Legier (le-ZHAY), the commissioner of Louisiana alcohol and tobacco control, says one of those changes has to do with where you can buy those products.

Cut 12 (13) “…to June 2024.”