Louisiana
How much will Gov. Jeff Landry’s criminal justice changes cost? State officials can’t say. – Louisiana Illuminator
Gov. Jeff Landry has been clear about everything in his criminal justice package — except how much his proposals could ultimately cost Louisiana taxpayers.
At the behest of Landry, state lawmakers are swiftly pushing public safety bills through a special session of the Louisiana Legislature without knowing what the price tag for those tough-on-crime measures will be.
The Legislature’s financial analysts have not released cost estimates for Landry’s proposals, which are on a fast track to become law by the end of the week. Republican lawmakers sponsoring the bills have said the expense of the legislation ultimately isn’t relevant.
“I think people want to be safe and people are willing to spend money to be safe,” said House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jack McFarland, R-Jonesboro, who oversees state spending for the Legislature. “I’m inclined to think the benefits will outweigh the costs.”
But the budget impact of legislation from Landry’s crime special session looks to be substantial at a time where Louisiana is already coping with budget shortfalls.
The governor backs proposals to lengthen prison sentences and make it harder for incarcerated people to be released. The measures will likely increase Louisiana’s inmate population and cost the state more money for years to come.
Thirteen of Landry’s 21 criminal justice bills that are more than halfway through the legislative process would add to state spending, according to fiscal notes attached to the legislation. Budget analysts said those items would cause an “indeterminable increase” in the state’s financial obligations.
Bills to lengthen prison sentences for carjacking, increase penalties for illegal use of a weapon and almost entirely eliminate parole are among the most expensive. They could, in theory, grow the prison system’s expenses by more than $11 million each per year if the harshest sentences are almost always given out, according to the analysts.
‘We will find a way…’
Republicans backing the legislation say the costs are worth it because public safety is essential.
“Where there is a priority, we will find a way to pay for it,” said Rep. Debbie Villio, R-Kenner, a former prosecutor and sponsor of legislation to eliminate parole.
“I’m not touting this as a fiscally responsible bill, right?” Villio said during debate in the House of Representatives over her proposal last week.
Those added expenses for the prison system could exacerbate future state budget gaps.
Louisiana expects to face annual financial shortfalls of over half a billion dollars starting in 2025. A 0.45% portion of the state sales tax expires next year that will leave the state short on money, and Landry’s additional public safety spending would make it harder to close those budget holes.
Landry also has other expensive public safety measures in the works. He also launched a plan to add a state police troop in New Orleans that is expected to cost $10 million over just the next four months.
“My question is where are we going to find the money to pay for this?” Senate President Pro Tempore Regina Barrow, D-Baton Rouge, said.
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GOP cutbacks
Over the past year, Republicans have been willing to pick over several other budget proposals in the name of fiscal responsibility.
Due to the planned sales tax cut next year, Landry and GOP lawmakers have said they don’t think the state can afford to give public school teachers a permanent raise.
The governor also stripped funding for several programs, including domestic violence shelters, from his state budget proposal in an effort to cut public spending. Landry also issued an executive order last month directing state agency heads to look for savings and budget cuts within their own departments.
The governor’s own public safety bills haven’t been subjected to the same scrutiny.
“I haven’t seen that [cash] machine yet, but we’ve got some money coming from somewhere,” Sen. Gerald Boudreaux, D-Lafayette, joked last week during a discussion of the financial impact of Landry’s crime legislation. “I don’t want to get to the point where we ignore the fiscal part of these plans.”
Lawmakers are moving the governor’s public safety bills so fast that the fiscal analyses of proposals haven’t even been completed.
Legislative staff are still waiting on information from the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, the Louisiana Sheriffs Association and the Louisiana District Attorneys Association to finish their financial impact reports for nine bills, according to their notes.
‘They’ll issue a blank check’
The lack of data hasn’t stopped the legislation from moving forward. The proposals are expected to get their final votes before the end of the week.
“Conservatives, especially, when it comes to public safety, they’ll issue a blank check,” said Scott Peyton, director of Right on Crime, a conservative organization that advocates for less incarceration.
A few Republican lawmakers also said they expect the financial impact of lengthening prison sentences to not be as extreme as the legislative analyses suggest. More severe sentencing should deter people from committing crimes in the first place, they said.
“People should be less willing to commit crimes if the penalties are stiffened,” said Sen. Glen Womack, R-Harrisonburg, who is the head of the Senate Finance Committee that oversees the budget.
Studies show increasing criminal penalties doesn’t correlate to a safer public, however. Over the past 20 years, 19 states — including Texas and Mississippi — lowered their prison populations and crime rates by investing in rehabilitative programs for formerly incarcerated people and prison alternatives, according to the Vera Institute for Justice, an organization advocating for less incarceration.
“Research consistently shows that higher incarceration rates are not associated with lower violent crime rates,” wrote Don Stemen, with the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Loyola University Chicago, in a report for Vera.
Louisiana also tried the tough-on-crime approach for decades with little success. For 30 years, legislators ramped up penalties and prison sentences to try to make the state safer, but the states continued to have one of the country’s highest crime rates.
Former Gov. John Bel Edwards decided to change that approach in 2017, when he and state lawmakers decided to cut prison sentences and greatly expand parole and probation opportunities. The new bipartisan strategy allowed the state to save millions of dollars on incarceration expenses over seven years, while diverting money into crime prevention programs and victim services.
Yet Landry has blamed Edwards crime justice overhaul for the spike in violent crime that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Republicans are also frustrated by ongoing problems with teenagers in the juvenile justice system who have destroyed and escaped from state facilities around Louisiana.
“We keep talking about the financial costs of these bills… but investing in these bills is investing in saving lives,” said Sen. Heather Cloud, R-Turkey Creek, who supports Landry’s criminal justice package.
The future North Lafayette library will expand learning opportunities while honoring the lifelong impact of the Louisiana education and civil rights leader.
Watch Lafayette Parish Schools break ground on Paul Breaux K-8 School
Groundbreaking for $50M Paul Breaux K-8 in North Lafayette — with 1,300 students, 66 classrooms and an 18-month timeline.
Lafayette Consolidated Government (LCG) has officially designated the Northeast Regional Library as the Norman C. Francis Library, recognizing the lifelong legacy of one of Louisiana’s most influential educators and civil rights leaders.
The Lafayette Parish Council approved the naming, cementing a tribute to the late Francis, whose decades of leadership in higher education and public service helped shape opportunities for generations of Louisianans.
The new library will serve as the cornerstone of North Lafayette’s ongoing revitalization efforts through the Holy Rosary Redevelopment initiative while expanding access to educational resources, technology and community programming.
“By bringing a new chapter of opportunity for residents on the Northside of Lafayette, this library stands as a fitting tribute to one of the most influential educators and civic leaders in Louisiana’s history,” Lafayette Mayor-President Monique B. Boulet said.
Boulet added that Francis dedicated his life to expanding access to education and creating opportunities for others.
“It is only fitting that this library, a place of learning, discovery, and community, bears his name for generations to come,” Boulet said.
Norman C. Francis’ legacy honored in Lafayette
Born in Lafayette in 1931, Francis dedicated his life to expanding educational access and advancing social justice.
In 1952, he became the first African American to enroll at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. After earning his law degree, he joined Xavier University of Louisiana in 1957 before serving as the university’s president from 1968 through 2015, making him one of the longest-serving university presidents in the United States.
His influence extended far beyond higher education. Francis advised eight U.S. presidents, led the Louisiana Recovery Authority following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush in 2006.
Francis died in February 2026 at the age of 94, but community leaders say his impact continues to inspire future generations.
Northeast Regional Library’s Upgrades
Conceptual design plans for the new Northeast Regional Library were presented to the Lafayette Public Library System Board on June 29.
The planned facility will encompass 20,533 square feet on a 6.5-acre site and include:
- Space for 44,000–53,000 library materials.
- 37 public computer stations.
- Children’s and teen areas.
- STE(A)M learning and maker spaces.
- Study rooms and quiet reading areas.
- Walking paths and music garden.
- Interactive displays.
- 119 parking spaces, including six ADA-accessible.
Community leaders celebrate library naming
State Sen. Gerald Boudreaux said the designation reflects years of work by local leaders and residents to bring the long-planned Northside library to fruition.
“I would like to thank the Boulet Administration, the Lafayette City and Parish Councils, and most importantly the many community members and organizations that remained committed for years to making this vision a reality,” Gerald Boudreaux said. “Dustin Cravins and the Holy Rosary Redevelopment Committee have developed a master plan that will positively transform this historic property while honoring the remarkable legacy of Dr. Norman C. Francis.”
City Council Chair Kenneth Boudreaux said the project represents a decades-long investment in North Lafayette.
“Seeing this library become a reality is deeply personal. I was honored to help secure the initial funding for this project years ago because I believed the north side of Lafayette deserved a first-class library that would serve generations to come,” Kenneth Boudreaux said. “To now see it bear the name of Dr. Norman C. Francis, a man whose life was defined by education, opportunity, and service, is a powerful reminder of what can happen when a community refuses to stop believing in its future.”
Parish Councilman Abraham “AB” Rubin Jr. called the naming a symbol of perseverance.
“There were times when this project faced real uncertainty, but our community never gave up because we knew this library was worth fighting for,” Rubin, Jr said. “Dr. Norman C. Francis spent his life opening doors for others and believing in possibilities that many thought were out of reach. Naming this library in his honor reflects that same spirit of perseverance and hope to future generations.”
City Councilman Elroy Broussard said the library will become an educational anchor for North Lafayette.
“As a former member of the Lafayette Parish School Board, I know that libraries are not just brick and mortar, but are gateways to learning and opportunity,” Broussard said. “This library will touch countless lives across the northern parts of Lafayette, and there is no more fitting namesake than Dr. Norman C. Francis, whose extraordinary legacy will remind every young person who will walk through its doors that education has the power to transform lives.”
For additional information about the Northeast Regional Library project and design plans, visit the Lafayette Public Library’s Northeast Regional Library information page.
Aaron Gonsoulin is the General Assignment/Trending Reporter for The Daily Advertiser. Contact him at AGonsoulin@theadvertiser.com.
ST. MARTIN PARISH — As the Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $604 million, excitement is growing in St. Martinville, where a quick stop at a convenience store has many imagining what they would do if they won.
The jackpot, the largest Mega Millions prize offered so far this year, drew plenty of attention at Simmis Mart. Some customers were ready to buy tickets, while others simply enjoyed thinking about the possibilities.
Charlotte Wilson said she has noticed that major lottery jackpots often seem to be won outside Louisiana, but that has not stopped her from hoping.
“When they do hit it’s always out of state. It’s never in Louisiana in a little small town, but if you do hit and I win!” Wilson said.
The excitement extended beyond customers. Store employee Vicky Williams admitted she would not mind seeing some of the jackpot come her way.
“I need to get some of that. I could use some of that money,” Williams said.
Among those purchasing a ticket was Shakina Hart, who said playing the lottery is something she has done before, “I’ve played it in the past, but never won the Mega Millions, so yes, I’m hoping I’m winning on this,” Hart said.
For Wilson, hitting the jackpot would be about more than the money. She already knows exactly how she’d put it to use.
“First of all, I’ll buy me a house and a nice car, and I’ll take care of the homeless people because they have a lot of those that need somewhere to live who are hungry and homeless,” Wilson said.
Hart said her priorities would center on her family, especially her children’s education.
“I have one that wants to be a lawyer and one that wants to be a doctor, so the money would definitely help with their school funding and basic care needs,” Hart said.
The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Friday July 10th. While the odds of winning remain long, the growing jackpot has many people holding onto the same thought: What if their numbers are the ones called?
Louisiana
Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows Welcomes Inaugural Class – Leaders for a Better Louisiana
Nearly 40 years after launching Louisiana’s premier statewide leadership development program, Leaders for a Better Louisiana is proud to announce the inaugural class of Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows, marking an important new chapter in the organization’s longstanding commitment to developing informed, connected leaders equipped to address the state’s most pressing challenges.
Building on the proven model and legacy of Leadership Louisiana, the Health Fellows program brings together leaders from across healthcare, business, public policy, higher education, philanthropy, and community organizations to gain a deeper understanding of the systems, opportunities, and challenges shaping health outcomes across Louisiana. Throughout the year, fellows will participate in immersive sessions across the state, engaging directly with healthcare providers, researchers, policymakers, workforce leaders, and innovators while exploring the issues that influence the health and well-being of Louisiana’s people and communities.
“The strength of Leadership Louisiana has always been its ability to bring together accomplished leaders from different sectors and regions to learn from one another while developing a broader understanding of our state,” said Sheree Blanchard, Director of Leadership Louisiana. “The Health Fellows program extends that tradition by focusing on one of Louisiana’s most significant opportunities for improvement. We are excited to welcome this outstanding inaugural class.”
The inaugural class represents a broad cross-section of Louisiana’s healthcare and civic leadership, with participants serving in hospitals, health systems, higher education, business, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and community-based organizations throughout the state. Together, they bring diverse expertise and perspectives that will strengthen dialogue and collaboration around Louisiana’s health challenges and opportunities.
“From the beginning, our vision was to create a program that mirrors the excellence and impact of Leadership Louisiana while taking a comprehensive look at the many factors that influence health outcomes,” said Blanchard. “This first class reflects the caliber of leadership we hoped to attract, and we look forward to watching these fellows build lasting relationships and develop new ideas that will benefit communities across Louisiana.”
Leadership Louisiana has graduated more than 1,600 leaders over nearly four decades, creating one of the state’s strongest cross-sector leadership networks. Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows builds on that foundation by providing participants with a focused exploration of Louisiana’s healthcare landscape while reinforcing the program’s longstanding commitment to collaboration, informed leadership, and service to the state.
The 2027 Health Fellows class will begin its yearlong experience this summer with sessions held in multiple regions of Louisiana.
View the complete roster of the Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows inaugural class.
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