Louisiana
Political Chatter (06.04.24)
—BIG NEWS: FIRM SELECTED FOR DOTD OVERHAUL: As first reported in LaPolitics Weekly last month, the Louisiana Coalition to Fix Our Roads is leading a privately-funded assessment of DOTD, and the outfit of contractors will announce this morning it has hired the Boston Consulting Group to steer the ship. Gov. Jeff Landry asked for the assessment of the Department of Transportation and Development, and recommendations are expected before the end of the year . “For as long as anyone can remember, we have been talking about the issues that stop us from having a good transportation system in Louisiana,” said LCFOR President Erich Ponti. “Governor Landry is determined to stop the talking and start fixing Louisiana’s transportation infrastructure. LCFOR is answering his call and is excited to be working with BCG to get this done.” BCG is an international strategic management consulting firm with “specific expertise in reforming state departments of transportation.”
—IT’S OVER: Lawmakers gave final passage to most of the major spending bills on Sunday, a day early. Legislators voted for stipends for teachers and a cut to early childhood education, while diverting more than $700 million that would have been deposited in the Revenue Stabilization Fund for one-time expenses such as road improvements, water infrastructure and criminal justice needs spurred by legislation approved in the crime special session.
—NOT SO FAST: Despite high hopes during the session’s final weeks for an early finish, lawmakers didn’t sine die until minutes before the 6 p.m. deadline. HB 781, the judiciary funding bill, was approved in the final hour after amendments clarified that judges would get a pay stipend, rather than a permanent raise, and only after a judicial workload study has been completed.
—FINISHING TOUCHES: Lawmakers on Monday approved last-minute changes to HB 767 to ban out-of-state residents from seeking public records from the governor’s office. They also passed HB 952, which creates for one year a regulatory framework for hemp THC products; expect to hear more about that subject next year. HB 906, which raises the contribution limits for candidates and PACs, also was sent to the governor’s desk.
—CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS: Legislators on Monday again took up SB 181, which would have given the governor more control over the Civil Service Commission, but the result was the same and the measure failed to get the needed two-thirds vote in the House. HB 300, SB 119 and SB 177 all passed and will go to the voters. Those instruments will join HBs 48 and 49 on ballots this fall; you can read more about those measures in LaPolitics Weekly.
—NEXT STEPS: Gov. Jeff Landry’s efforts to reshape state government administration has emerged as an offseason topic to watch. Changes at the Department of Energy and Natural Resources, the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, the Department of Transportation and Development and Louisiana Economic Development all are underway or at least being discussed, as LaPolitics has reported.
—MFP DIES IN SENATE: The instrument to create a new state funding formula for K-12 education never got a hearing in the Senate, which means the previous formula stays in effect.
—REGISTRATION NUMBERS: Democrats lost 1,783 registered voters during May, while Republicans gained 903 and 1,253 people registered without joining one of the two major parties, leaving the Democrats with a 110,892-voter plurality, pollster and consultant John Couvillon reports. The latest numbers were released Saturday. A recent LaPolitics analysis found that Republicans are likely to have a registration plurality in two to four years, based on current trends.
—LATEST PODCAST: Alfred “Butch” Speer, a member of the state Ethics Board and the former clerk of the House of Representatives, has survived constitutional conventions and more than one round of redistricting. He’s also forgotten more about regular sessions than most of us will ever learn, which made him a perfect guest for the LaPolitics Report podcast. (Spotify/Apple) Recorded in February 2015, this episode features a terrific overview of how Speer landed one of the Legislature’s most high-profile gigs. Also in this episode are a set of practical tips for mastering the House process. Plus, this episode kicks off with a job description for “Being Louisiana Governor,” delivered by late Gov. Edwin Edwards.
Know the most important news affecting Louisiana
Get our free weekly newsletter that covers government, policy and politics that impact your everyday life—in 5 minutes or less.
Content on this page may include affiliate links. If you click and sign up/place a wager, we may receive compensation at no cost to you.
New legislation in Baton Rouge would reclassify some illegal gaming-related offenses as racketeering law violations, elevating potential consequences.
Louisiana has already stepped up its enforcement of its gaming laws related to potential illegal gaming but a new bill in the state legislature would give prosecutors’ actions more teeth. The proposal would elevate certain crimes involving unlicensed gaming in the state to a racketeering charge with more severe penalties linked to convictions.
If you’re in a legal online casino state, claim 500 bonus spins plus up to $1,000 in casino credit at Golden Nugget by clicking here:
Louisiana bill changes classification of gaming-related charges
Louisiana Rep. Bryan Fontenot has pre-filed HB 53, which could rewrite the state code as it pertains to unlicensed gaming sites. The legislation has been provisionally assigned to the House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice, as the 2026 session does not begin until March 9.
Under the proposal, the state’s definition of racketeering would expand to include “gambling, gambling by computer, gambling on cockfights, gambling by electronic sweepstakes, unlawful wagering, and bribery of sports participants.” Under current statutes, racketeering convictions carry penalties of fines of “not more than one million dollars, or imprisoned at hard labor for not more than 50 years, or both.”
Additionally, racketeering convictions that result in sentences of fines of at least $10,000 revoke recipients’ eligibility for parole. The enactment of this bill as currently composed could have a significant impact on the operation of sweepstakes-based online casino sites for real money in Louisiana.
At the same time, many of the companies in that space have already ceased potentially infringing actions within Louisiana.
Tap here to get a $40 credit plus 500 bonus spins at FanDuel Casino:
Louisiana has already been off-limits for sweepstakes casinos
In 2025, Louisiana gaming regulators and law enforcement took multiple actions to restrict residents’ access to unlicensed platforms for playing casino games online. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill shared a public notice about the illegality of sweepstakes-based online gaming sites, in addition to issuing cease-and-desist orders to the companies affiliated with those sites. As a result, many of the operators of those sites geofenced Louisiana out of their service areas.
The Louisiana Gaming Control Board supplemented that action with its additional cease-and-desist letters. Fontenot’s bill could add additional weight to these demands if it becomes law.
There is currently no legal framework for playing online casino games or redeeming casino bonus codes in Louisiana. While online sports wagering is legal in most of the state, officials in Baton Rouge have not yet tackled the issue of iGaming.
Even if voters in Louisiana someday do clear the way for the utilization of Fanatics Casino promo codes, that would involve licensed gaming and not affect the implementation of Fontenot’s bill. However, such deliberations do not seem imminent.
If you’re in a legal online casino state, claim 1,000 bonus spins on Triple Cash Eruption at Fanatics Casino when you click here:
If HB 53 becomes law, Louisiana could levy some of the toughest penalties for illegal gaming activity in the United States. Many potential targets of prosecution have already pulled out of the state.
Driving Louisiana Forward Program
Commerical Driver’s License (CDL) Training
In partnership with the Louisiana Workforce Commission and South Louisiana Community College, this program aims to provide African American males with financial assistance to obtain Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training, strengthening the resilience and contributions of this key demographic and improving equitable access to workforce opportunities. This initiative aims to reduce high unemployment rates within this community but also focuses on ensuring participants come from rural and economically disadvantaged areas.
Earn your CDL Class A license with this comprehensive classroom and behind-the-wheel program to drive tractor[1]trailers, dump trucks, tow trucks, delivery trucks, tanker trucks, and flatbed trucks.
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Gov. Jeff Landry is asking Louisiana’s congressional leaders to amend the state’s federal judicial districts, citing caseload growth and public safety concerns.
Landry sent letters to Speaker Mike Johnson, Sen. John Kennedy, Congressman Cleo Fields, and Congresswoman Julia Letlow requesting the change.
The request
Louisiana is currently divided into three federal judicial districts: Eastern, Middle, and Western. Landry is asking that West Feliciana Parish be moved from the Middle District to the Western District.
In the letters, Landry cited significant growth in the Middle District and an increased caseload for its judges. He said a major driver of the Middle District docket is Louisiana State Penitentiary.
Public safety argument
Landry said moving West Feliciana Parish into the Western District would improve judicial efficiency and better address public safety needs in East Baton Rouge Parish and the state.
He said East Baton Rouge Parish continues to battle violent crime. According to the Baton Rouge Police Department, recent numbers show violent crime in the parish has decreased.
Click here to report a typo. Please include the headline.
Click here to subscribe to our WAFB 9 News daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox.
Watch the latest WAFB news and weather now.
Copyright 2026 WAFB. All rights reserved.
Idaho CBD retailers navigating uncertainty under new hemp rules
Wisconsin man, woman killed in head-on Wadsworth crash involving semi ID’d: officials
Is Darryn Peterson Trying to Avoid Indiana?
The One Game That Will Define Iowa’s 2026 Season
Suit challenges Kansas law that revoked trans people’s updated IDs
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
Where Iran’s ballistic missiles can reach — and how close they are to the US
Has India’s influence in Afghanistan grown under the Taliban?
Bill Clinton to testify before House committee investigating Epstein links
Read Judge Schiltz’s Order
Vulnerable House Dem lashes out at Trump’s ‘racist’ SOTU challenge: ‘That was uncomfortable’
-
World2 days agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts2 days agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Montana1 week ago2026 MHSA Montana Wrestling State Championship Brackets And Results – FloWrestling
-
Oklahoma1 week agoWildfires rage in Oklahoma as thousands urged to evacuate a small city
-
Louisiana5 days agoWildfire near Gum Swamp Road in Livingston Parish now under control; more than 200 acres burned
-
Technology6 days agoYouTube TV billing scam emails are hitting inboxes
-
Denver, CO2 days ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Technology6 days agoStellantis is in a crisis of its own making