BATON ROUGE – The ACLU issued a letter to Louisiana school districts and superintendents saying they should not implement Louisiana’s law to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms to avoid litigation.
The letter, sent by four organizations including the ACLU and the ACLU of Louisiana, says public schools whose districts may not be parties in the lawsuit and isn’t subject to the district court’s injunction that prevents the parties involved in the lawsuit from displaying the commandments could still face litigation due to “an independent obligation to respect students’ and families’ constitutional rights.”
“Because the U.S. Constitution supersedes state law, public-school officials may not comply with [the law],” the ACLU said.
Additionally, the ACLU says the law conflicts with the Supreme Court’s ruling in Stone v. Graham in 1980, which struck down a “similar Kentucky statute” that required public schools to post a copy of the Ten Commandments in every classroom.
Advertisement
The current lawsuit has been appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth circuit, but it remains in full effect as the appeal proceeds after the appellate court rejected a request to temporarily suspend the lower court’s injunction.
Appellate oral argument in the case is currently set for Jan. 23, 2024 in New Orleans.
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:
Advertisement
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.
Advertisement
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.
Advertisement
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.
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.
Advertisement
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.
Advertisement
Click here to subscribe to our WAFB 9 News daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox.
