Governor John Bel Edwards has filed a lawsuit defending his authority to issue and enforce public health restrictions against a legislative petition signed by Republicans in the state House of Representatives that claims to have stripped him of those powers. Edwards says the Louisiana Constitution does not allow for one chamber of the Legislature to terminate a public health emergency issued by the Governor.
Cut 4 (06) “unconstitutional”
The Governor also says state law requires the petition organizers to consult with state health officials before filing the petition, which Edwards says they did not do. House Speaker Clay Schexnayder says the governor’s restrictions are not solely about health, he says they are damaging the state’s economy and more than just one service area…
cut 7 (08) “…them away”

It’s the last day of early voting in Louisiana and despite record turnout and COVID mitigation efforts poll workers are getting rave reviews…
Cut 2 (28) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

According to the Louisiana Budget Project, the state saw a 28 percent increase in uninsured children from 2018 to 2019. Policy Director Stacey Roussel says 50,000 Louisiana children went into the pandemic without health insurance, and that number is expected to rise…
Cut 14 (08) “…hit”
2019’s number of 50,000 total uninsured kids was up 11,000 from 2018.