The Louisiana Legislature is seeing a high turnover rate as the AP reports 22 state lawmakers, roughly 15%, have left office without completing their terms since January 2016. The state has held ten legislative sessions in three years, and Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says low pay and no bennies make public service an unappealing career option.
Cut 10 (12) “…statewide elected official”
The new 116th Congress begins tomorrow, and they do so in the shadow of a partial federal government shutdown. Republicans and Democrats are divided over border security funding. President Donald Trump is seeking five-billion dollars to build a wall between Mexico and the US. Louisiana Congressman Mike Johnson says there are some in Congress who do not want to give President Trump a win.
Johnson says it’s the worst partisanship since the Civil War.
Gasoline prices continue to fall. According to Triple-A, the statewide average for a gallon of regular gasoline is a $1.95. Triple-A fuel analyst Don Redman says gas prices should remain below two-dollars until March, when refineries begin the switch to summer grade gasoline. He says until then, the supply of gasoline on the market is strong.
Gas is 20 cents lower than it was last month.
Hospitals are now required to put a master price list online for all of their services. It’s a mandate from the 2010 Affordable Care Act that aims to get consumers more involved in their healthcare, but Louisiana Hospital Association President Paul Salles cautions if you have insurance, those prices won’t be your final bill.
The prices are also referred to as “charges”, or “standard charges”.