WASHINGTON —The U.S. Supreme Court today agreed to review the case of Robinson v. Callais, which could determine how congressional maps are drawn in Louisiana. The court will now consider whether Louisiana violated the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause when the state legislature redrew Louisiana’s congressional map in January 2024, after a federal court found the state’s 2022 map violated the Voting Rights Act (VRA). The court may also determine how much latitude state lawmakers have in considering politics or other legislative preferences when they draw districts to comply with the VRA.  “We look forward to continuing to defend the rights of Black voters to elect their candidates of choice,” said Stuart Naifeh, redistricting manager for the Legal Defense Fund (LDF). “Just in 2023, the Supreme Court recognized the ongoing vitality and necessity of the Voting Rights Act to protect voters of color from dilution of their votes in state redistricting decisions. Black voters have an unprecedented opportunity to make their voices heard in this year’s congressional elections because multiple federal courts, in our Robinson v. Landry litigation, applied that ruling and invalidated the state’s 2022 congressional map. Federal law requires Louisiana to have a fair map that reflects the power and voice of the state’s Black communities. The state recognized as much when it adopted a new map with a second majority-Black district in January. Now the Supreme Court must do the same.”...

Many Louisiana voters will be heading to a different location to cast their vote on November 5 after dozens of polling places changed across the state. Twenty parishes had polling location switches for the upcoming 2024 election. Residents casting their votes on election day are always assigned to a specific location. At the polls, Louisiana voters will have the opportunity to weigh in the presidential election, along with several other local races, and decide on a statewide constitutional amendment.  Early voting, which always takes place at a limited number of locations in each parish, ended on Oct. 29.  Use the searchable database below to see if your polling location has changed. You can search below by your precinct number or the name of your last known polling place. Did you recently move or just need to look up your polling place? Search for it on the Secretary of State’s office here....

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Details of Gov. Jeff Landry’s tax overhaul plan continued to trickle out at a House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday. It was the first time the tax-writing committee had met since the governor sent lawmakers a package of 10 bills outlining his goals. The Times-Picayune | Baton Rouge Advocate’s Alyse Pfeil reports that the plan calls for giving teachers a “permanent” pay raise through a constitutional change where the state would pay off debt in the teachers’ retirement system and require local school districts to use the resulting savings to finance salary increases. [Revenue Secretary Richard] Nelson said about $2 billion currently saved in constitutionally protected educational trust funds would go toward paying down the high-interest debt — known as unfunded accrued liability or UAL — that is owed to the Teacher’s Retirement System of Louisiana. This $2 billion debt payment would create savings of about $300 million annually, he said....

The chief proponent of Gov. Jeff Landry’s plan to revise Louisiana’s tax structure is touting what he considers some of its more progressive aspects, but some critics say the plan overall would benefit the wealthy at the expense of regular Louisiana taxpayers.  Louisiana’s richest residents would pay a larger share of the state’s income tax under the proposal, state Revenue Secretary Richard Nelson said, but the overall amount would still be less than what they currently pay. It’s among the specifics Nelson laid out Tuesday to the members of the House Ways & Means Committee, where all tax measures originate in the Legislature.  “That’s part of the motivation for making these changes,” Nelson told committee members.   Under Landry’s proposal, the richest 10% of Louisiana taxpayers will pay 61% of all the state’s income tax revenue. They currently pay about 55%, Nelson said. Additionally, the poorest 20% of taxpayers in the...

The State Constitution of Louisiana is not perfect; no state constitution is. But that doesn’t mean state constitutions should be tossed aside or arbitrarily opened with no clarity on the rationale for doing so. It takes time to craft a governing document, and it takes time to protect the individual liberties and basic rights of all. But in seeking to host a constitutional convention, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry is undermining democracy and putting Louisianians at risk.

Under House Bill 800, legislators would convene on May 20, write a new state constitution by June 15 and put it on the ballot during the 2024 presidential election. This narrow window would make it hard for Louisianians to understand the process, offer input, or ensure that their rights are protected. The convention itself, and the short timeline for it, would also compromise local governments and institutions.

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Legislation that would have allowed — but not required — parishes to add early voting locations failed Tuesday in a Louisiana House committee, with opponents concerned about its cost and local election staffing. House Bill 538 from Rep. Sam Jenkins, D-Shreveport, includes guidelines that set out the minimum number of early voting locations a parish should have based on its population and area. Lawmakers on the House and Governmental Affairs Committee discussed how population shifts in their parishes show a need for new polling sites, and how some rural parish residents have to cover long distances to reach an early voting location. ...

Policy Will Curb Discrimination by City Contractors Against Job Applicants with Prior Convictions BATON ROUGE, LA—The East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council voted 7-5 to approve an ordinance Wednesday that will require employers receiving money from the Parish to engage in “fair chance” hiring practices. The policy builds on a 2016 ordinance aimed at providing opportunities to apply for Parish jobs to formerly incarcerated persons or people with former convictions and expands it to cover public contractors as well. Under the ordinance, these employers will be required to first consider applicants on their merits—removing the “prior conviction box” from application forms and only conducting a background check if a conditional offer is presented. “A prior conviction should not be a scarlet letter that causes employers to shut the door on qualified job applicants,” said Lynda Turner, Baton Rouge Fair Chance member, who is formerly incarcerated. “This ordinance means more Baton...

BATON ROUGE – After deferring the Fair Chance Ordinance two weeks ago, the ordinance passed through the Metro Council by 7-5. The ordinance aims to help convicted criminals get a job with contractors in the City-Parish by stopping employers from asking potential hires about their criminal record until a proper assessment of their skills....

Private businesses that want to work with East Baton Rouge’s city-parish government will have to change their hiring process to comply with a new ordinance that advocates say will provide more opportunities for formerly incarcerated people.  The ordinance, which the Metro Council narrowly approved in a 7-to-5 vote Wednesday, bars contractors and sub-contractors doing work with the city-parish from asking job applicants about their criminal history until late in the hiring process....

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – Abortion rights advocates came together to talk about how the ban on abortions in Louisiana has affected their lives. Speakers came together at the Louisiana State Capitol for “We Have a Vision: Louisiana Reproductive Justice Day at the Capitol.” The event started at 9:20 a.m. and some of the speakers who were scheduled to attend included those listed below: https://d-12833587732725203327.ampproject.net/2304132133000/frame.html...

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – The legislative session kicks off the second week with advocates pushing against legislators to pass voting access and to offer more support to incarcerated people. As the fiscal session ramps up, advocacy groups want to make sure the state is investing in bills that will expand voting access, criminal justice reform and community resources. The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice is partnering with the Voice of the Experienced to push bills that create access to mental health services for incarcerated people, as well as create more early voting locations in each parish....

A special session of the Louisiana Legislature ended last June with lawmakers failing to sign off on a new congressional map for the state that included a second majority-Black district. Almost a year later, a group of progressive activists gathered at the State Capitol Monday to decry that outcome, advocating for various measures they said would increase voting access for disabled Louisianans and people of color — access they say has not improved enough in recent years....

For Immediate Release: April 3, 2023 The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice started their annual legislative roadshow on March 28th in New Orleans and March 30th in St. James. This legislative roadshow is aimed at being a space where legislators, advocates, and communities can come together to discuss the upcoming legislative session and the issues and policies that are of importance.  Community members will have an opportunity to learn more about the intricacies of the legislative session; such as the process of delivering testimony and the different house and senate committees. Legislators and advocates will share the legislation they are working to advance and answer any questions from the community.  “Not only is this year’s legislative session a fiscal session, it is also preceding an election where many seats are up for re-election, ” says Ashley Shelton, Founder, and CEO of the Power Coalition. “We want to empower community members...

As the nation pauses to recognize the 40th installment of the annual federal holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr., a number of racial and social justice leaders are spreading awareness of the civil rights icon’s legacy by urging policymakers to emulate the good reverend doctor while working in their official capacities....