NEW: The Supreme Court has granted the Callais plaintiffs’ request to expedite the sending down the certified opinion, ending the court’s stay of the district court’s opinion. www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25p...

Louisiana lawmakers will begin the work of adopting a new congressional map on Friday. The Republican Chairman of the committee overseeing redistricting predicted dropping to a single majority Black district that would be based in Baton Rouge #lalege #lagov

UPDATE: Two legal challenges have already been filed to allow the elections to move forward. More in the story below ⬇️

Gov. Jeff Landry on Thursday postponed primary elections for Louisiana’s six U.S. House seats following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision Wednesday to throw out the state’s existing congressional map. #lalege #lagov

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill said Thursday that they plan to cancel Louisiana’s May 16 party primary elections for its six U.S. House seats following SCOTUS’ decision in Callais #lalege #lagov

Policy wonk Nick Albares fights against ‘moral failure’ in bid for US Senate #lalege #lagov

Following Supreme Court decision, La. Republicans weigh canceling US House primary elections #lalege #lagov

The U.S. Supreme Court struck down Louisiana’s existing congressional map Wednesday as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander in a ruling that may have implications for core tenets of the Voting Rights Act. #lalege #lagov

Louisiana could soon replace all references to “gender” in state law to “sex” under proposed legislation advancing in the state Legislature. #lalege #lagov

The Louisiana Legislature is advancing a bill intended to protect faculty free speech and academic freedom, but without a provision that would have punished universities for violating their rights. #lalege #lagov

New #LSU System President Wade Rousse said LSU might need to consider an enrollment cap in a wide-ranging, exclusive interview. Part two of this interview will be out Friday and covers athletics #lalege #lagov

A Louisiana legislative committee has advanced a bill that would add the creation of deepfakes to a list of punishable offenses for college students and employees. #lalege #lagov

The Louisiana Legislature is deciding whether to reduce, redefine or abolish the state’s higher education oversight board as multiple state universities struggle through budget crises and the federal government probes minority student completion goals. #lalege #lagov

Louisiana lawmakers have advanced a bill that would prohibit colleges and universities from punishing professors for their research, teaching controversial subjects or free speech outside of the classroom. #lalege #lagov

A Louisiana legislative committee advanced a bill Tuesday that would require students to repay their state-funded TOPS scholarship awards if they lose eligibility for the program with poor grades or by leaving school. #lalege #lagov

Opponents of a bill to shield how Louisiana’s public universities spend their revenue on college athletes warn it’s a slippery slope, as it would be the first time the state hides how public money is spent from public view. #lalege #lagov

Louisiana bill would protect employees who misgender people at work #lalege #lagov

Louisiana colleges have adhered to the standards of a regional accreditation group going back more than a century, but a conservative movement is progressing to allow the schools to seek another option. #lalege #lagov

As state lawmakers call for increased transparency into university finances in Louisiana, a legislative committee has advanced a bill that would hide how much public money is being paid to college athletes. #lalege #lagov

Sen. Gerald Boudreaux (D) has filed a bill that creates financial reporting requirements for universities and requires corrective plans for those in distress. It also moves LUMCON to the LSU system legis.la.gov/legis/BillIn... #lalege #lagov

Rep. Chuck Owen (R) has filed a far-reaching higher ed bill that, among other things, requires an annual review of required courses and allows university presidents to select the head of the faculty senate legis.la.gov/legis/BillIn... #lalege #lagov

Rep. Lauren Ventrella (R) has introduced a bill that would prohibit employers from punishing a medical professional for declining to engage in any healthcare service that goes against their religious, moral or ethical beliefs legis.la.gov/legis/BillIn... #lalege #lagov

Rep. Raymond Crews (R) has filed a bill that would prohibit private and public employers from punishing an employee for misgendering an employee or “improper use” of their pronouns legis.la.gov/legis/BillIn...

The Louisiana Senate has voted 36-2 to pass a bill that would exempt certain university records, including leadership job applications and donor names, from the public records law. Bill goes next to a house committee legis.la.gov/legis/BillIn... #lalege #lagov

AD Verge Ausberry: “LSU is a charity. Like (Skip Bertman) used to say, LSU as an athletic department is a charity. So that’s the way we’re looking at this.”

Today, shortly after Will Wade's introductory press conference, #LSU AD Verge Ausberry went over the structural changes he's made to the athletic department, and how those adjustments will help pay the bills. "This is a new day and age." www.nola.com/lsu-athletic...

In Louisiana, sex crime survivors and their family members may get the power to sue the government or individuals who post information about them on the internet including their address, birth date, place of worship, marital records or employment location. #lalege lailluminator.com/2026/03/30/s...

Bills that seek to either eliminate or lower personal income tax rates in Louisiana all voluntarily deferred in House Ways & Means. Legislative leadership has discouraged moving these proposals since the state is still learning the impacts of the recent tax rewrite. #lalege

The House has agreed to create a new public records exemption to shield GPS data on wildlife or aquatic life collected or held by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries that would reveal the location of individual animals. Vote was 98-0. HB858 heads to the Senate. #lalege

Rise of ‘manfluencers’ leads Louisiana to propose update to its in-person recording rules #lalege #lagov

State lawmakers have advanced a bill to make it easier for Louisiana colleges and universities to punish individuals and organizations that engage in hazing that ends with death or serious harm. #lalege #lagov

Louisiana legislators have advanced a bill to combat college hazing by increasing penalties, training and reporting requirements for schools and campus organizations. #lalege #lagov

Rep. Chuck Owen (R) has filed legislation that would make it illegal for universities to retaliate against faculty for their speech, research or teaching of controversial subjects #lalege #lagov legis.la.gov/legis/BillIn...

CARBON CONUNDRUM: Republican officials in Louisiana, a state long friendly to the fossil fuel and petrochemical sectors, are scattered along the spectrum with their views on CO2 capture and sequestration. @eplunk.bsky.social reports

Can we please put a line item for a new senate press desk chair in HB1

The Louisiana Senate is currently debating a bill that would criminalize protests at churches. The bill is a response to the so-called Don Lemon protest (where Lemon was arrested) in Minneapolis. Background from @piperhutch.bsky.social #lalege lailluminator.com/2026/03/10/l...

A Louisiana state representative has withdrawn his bill to allow guns on college campuses, killing the proposal for the year. #lalege #lagov

Breaking news: An air traffic controller pleaded with the driver of an emergency vehicle to stop in the seconds before the deadly crash on the runway of LaGuardia Airport and said afterward that he had been focused on an unrelated crisis and “messed up.”

The House just voted 68-26 for a bill to name the new capital-area Mississippi River bridge after President Trump. Nobody spoke in opposition to the bill legis.la.gov/legis/BillIn... #lalege #lagov

SCOTUS reverts to norm on qualified immunity today, summarily reversing a denial of QI for cop who manhandled a protester in Vermont and declining to hear appeal of a citizen journalist in Texas who was was arrested for soliciting information from a police officer.

Crime in dorms increases as ULPD scales back operations because of budget cuts, The Vermilion reports. Incredible stuff in here about how ULL's budget cuts is impacting student safety. thevermilion.net/2026/03/18/c...

If you have a flight today, prepare for long security lines. Here’s what we know.

ICE agents arrive at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport on Monday, March 23, 2026, as federal officials deploy added personnel to assist TSA operations and ease long security lines.

Breaking news: The Supreme Court appeared likely to embrace a conservative challenge to tallying mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day, a move that could upend election procedures as voters prepare to cast ballots in the midterms.

Do we think it’s unprofessional to use a Goodnight Moon stamp to send a check to pay for public records

Happy Monday, capitol folks. This week’s treat is brownies. Three different types since I’m a sucker for special requests. Stop by the Illuminator office to grab one! #lalege #lagov

Southern University System asks legislature for $19 million in one-time money #lalege #lagov

After three consecutive years of standstill state budgets, Louisiana’s public colleges and universities are struggling with the effects of inflation and bloating athletics budgets. #lalege #lagov #laed

The Louisiana Illuminator relies on public records requests for our reporting, but we’re often thwarted by high fees or slow responses. This #SunshineWeek, could you chip in to help us keep Louisiana’s government accountable? lailluminator.com/donate/

Students from Louisiana’s universities presented their research to lawmakers, lobbyists and others at the State Capitol this week to demonstrate the impact of undergraduate research. #lalege #lagov #laed