A federal judge in Texas declares the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional, because of the federal mandate that requires Americans to buy health insurance or face an additional tax if they do not comply. Judge Reed O’ Connor says now that Congress has removed the penalty for not having coverage, the individual mandate is unconstitutional.

Governor Edwards is disappointed. He says hundreds of thousands of Louisianans could lose their health insurance, if the ruling stands through the appeals process. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry applauds the decision and says he’ll work with the state legislature to make sure those with pre-existing conditions can obtain coverage.

Today is the final day to sign up for coverage through the A-C-A and the law remains in place despite last night’s ruling. Fewer people are signing up and Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon credits an improving economy…
cut 4 (10) “…uninusred”

The holidays can be a dangerous time on the roadways so law enforcement is stepping up patrols as part of the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. Deputy Director of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission Dortha Cummins says in the last five years, 139 people have died during the Christmas and New Year’s Eve holiday period.
Cut 10 (08) “…happened involved alcohol.”
Cummins says if you use Lyft during the holidays and type in the promo code Ride Smart LA, you can receive 5-dollars off on your ride home.

On Monday night, the Saints will face a struggling Carolina Panthers team. New Orleans has won back-to-back NFC South titles, but Carolina quarterback Cam Newton hints that the Saints franchise is more known for its losing…
cut 24 (13) “…own too”
Kick-off Monday is at 7:15.

A federal judge in Texas rules that Obamacare is unconstitutional and Governor John Bel Edwards says it creates uncertainty for nearly 850-thousand Louisianans with a pre-existing health condition as they could lose their health insurance. But Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry says this case is about federal overreach and patients should come first in health care, not a bureaucracy. Landry says if this ruling stands through the appeal process, he’ll work with the legislature to make sure those with pre-existing conditions obtain coverage.
Today is the deadline to sign up for health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act. There are fewer people signing up as last year Congress approved legislation that removes the penalty for not having health insurance….
cut 5 (09) “….those penalties”
That’s Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon.

Former state superintendent of education Paul Pastorek will lead an investigation into allegations that T-M Landry College Prep in Breaux Breaux falsified college applications so their students can attend Ivy league schools. The New York Times reports one of the co founders of the school, Michael Landry, also abused some of the children. State Police is looking into the abuse claims.

A Houston-based natural gas company moved a step closer to receiving a one-billion dollar plus property tax break as a result of a vote by the Louisiana board of Commerce and Industry…
cut 2 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

Today is the deadline to enroll or re-enroll for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Matt Doyle reports fewer people are signing up…
Cut 1 (28) “I’m Matt Doyle”

A federal judge in Texas has ruled the Affordable Care Act is “invalid” but the nation’s health care law will remain in place during the appeals process. Judge Reed O’ Conner says when Congress eliminated the penalty for not having coverage, it knocked the constitutional foundation from under “Obamacare.” It’s a lawsuit Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry supports.

Tax season is right around the corner and that means tax refunds. The financial technology company, SmartAsset, says just over 1.5 million taxpayers in the state will receive a refund, with the average being right around $3,300. VP of Financial Education at SmartAsset AJ Smith says you may be losing out on opportunities to make money on the money that is being withheld. If you want to make adjustments to your withholdings, you should speak with someone in HR at your job.
Cut 11 (07) “…throughout the year.”

Governor John Bel Edwards was the commencement speaker at graduation ceremonies at UL Lafayette and UNO yesterday. Edwards says these graduates are now equipped with the diverse set of skills that will be necessary to navigate the five or more different jobs many of them will have throughout their life.
Cut 13 (11) “…your success”

A state board approves a one-billion dollar-plus property tax break for a Houston company planning to build a nearly 16-billion dollar liquefied natural gas export facility in Calcasieu Parish. There’s been a push to postpone today’s vote, so more information can be provided to local taxpayers, but Jason French of Tellurain, which is developing the project says that would be a bad idea…
cut 8 (11) “…in louisiana”
The Edwards administration is expected to support the tax break as well.

According to SmartAsset, just over 1.5 million Louisiana taxpayers will be owed a federal refund next year, with the average refund around $3,300. SmartAsset’s AJ Smith says the refunds are based on allowances and how much someone claims throughout the year.
Cut 9 (11) “…at tax time.″

Obamacare individual health insurance market signups are down 10 percent in Louisiana, and 20 percent nationally. Matt Doyle looks at why that might be.
cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

An 83-year-old Vietnam vet receives his doctorate from LSU today. Johnnie Jones says he now plans to get a law degree so he can have more knowledge.

The state Board of Commerce and Industry agrees to give a developer planning to build a massive liquefield natural gas export facility in Calcasieu Parish a tax break that could eventually reach two-billion dollars. The advocacy group, Together Louisiana, objected. Broderick Bagert says local government taxing bodies did not give residents enough information about the project…
cut 6 (08) “…asking for”
But the board voted 17-2 in favor of the tax break. Governor John Bel Edwards must give final approval.

Despite lower premiums, Obamacare individual market signups are down 10 percent in Louisiana on the eve of the December 15th deadline for enrollment. State Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says proponents of Obamacare are pointing towards a lower investment in advertising for the service, but he thinks locally there’s a more obvious answer.
Cut 3 (09) “.policies”
He also credits an improving economy for bringing down the numbers, as more indviduals are on employer based health plans.

Former Congressman Charles Boustany says the trade war with China is failing, and Louisiana taxpayers have paid so far an additional 85-million dollars in additional tariffs, 19-million dollars in October alone. Boustany says the trade war is a hurricane, and we’re starting to feel the first bands of bad economic weather…
Cut 10 (10) “…get hurt”
Boustany is a spokesman for Tariffs Hurt the Heartland.

The Loyola University New Orleans Jesuit Social Research Institute finds Louisiana has the second highest rate of food insecurity. An estimated 784-thousand residents struggle with hunger and contributing to the problem is food deserts, the lack of grocery stores in low income, minority neighborhoods. Father Fred Kammer..
cut 9 (08) “…national trend”
The report concludes Louisiana needs to make food policy a higher priority.

A former Louisiana Republican Congressman says the trade war is failing, and its draging down the Louisiana economy….
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

Louisiana ranks 50th in America’s health rankings. Thirty-five different areas of health determine the overall ranking. Dr. Rhonda Randall with the United Health Foundation says among the areas of concern, child poverty, where Louisiana ranks last.
Cut 4 (08) “…the nation, it improved.″
A report out of Loyola University in New Orleans says Louisiana has the second highest rate of food insecurity in the country, a result of the state’s substantial poverty rate, and proliferation of food deserts where residents don’t have access to, or can’t afford healthy food. Jesuit Social Research Institute Director Father Fred Kammer says food deserts can be found in urban and rural areas.
Cut 7 (12) “…our cities.”
The report concludes that food insecurity in Louisiana must be understood as a social injustice issue of the highest priority, requiring attention from all levels of government.

According to the Associated Press, the Secretary of State’s office could not spend 90-thousand dollars to upgrade software for businesses registrations and other computer systems, because that money went towards settling the sexual misconduct settlement involving former Secretary Tom Schedler.