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Lawmakers kill minimum pay raise in Louisiana, where one in five people live in poverty

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Lawmakers kill minimum pay raise in Louisiana, where one in five people live in poverty


Louisiana’s poorest workers won’t get a minimum wage increase and employers won’t be forced to address the pay gap for women after lawmakers killed bills to address income disparities in the state with the highest poverty rate in the United States.

State senators on the Labor Committee voted to halt Democratic New Orleans Sen. Gary Carter’s bills to create a state minimum wage higher than the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour and an equal pay measure for women. Both 5-2 votes fell along party lines with all five Republicans against the measures and two Democrats in favor.

Meanwhile, the full House advanced measures to reduce unemployment benefits (House Bill 119) and repeal a child labor law requiring employers to give a meal break to teenage workers (House bill 156).

Carter, whose Senate Bill 173 would have created a state minimumum wage at $10 per hour and gradually be raised to $14 per hour, argued that people “should not be living in poverty while working full time.”

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But those who opposed the bill like Patrick Robinson with the Louisiana Association for Business and Industry testified that Carter’s bills would create hardships on businesses, trigger job cuts, increase costs to consumers and in the case of the equal pay measure create a hostile work environment.

“It’s bad policy,” Robinson said. “It would make our state less competitive. It would force businesses to cut work forces.”

But others who advocated for the minimum wage bill like Melissa Flournoy of Elevate Louisiana noted 34 other states have already established minimum wages higher than federal law, including northern neighbor Arkansas. Neighoring Texas and Mississippi don’t have state minimum wages.

“Arkansas has an $11 minimum wage and we didn’t hear stories of economic devatation in Arkansas,” Flournoy said. “The Legislature continues to demonize the poor. These invisible men and women toil in back-breaking jobs.”

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Carter also said employers who pay what he described as “poverty wages” encourage workers to remain dependent on taxpayer assistance like Medicaid and food stamps even while working full time, placing a burden on the state budget.

“This is an opportunity for people to provide for themselves and their families,” Carter said.

About one in five Louisianians live in poverty.

Louisiana women in particular face bleak circumstances on nearly every front from poverty to life expectancy to education, according to a study released earlier this year.

The WalletHub study ranked Louisiana 50th among states and the District of Columbia as best places for women, ahead of only Oklahoma.

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Last spring a WalletHub study ranked Louisiana as the worst state in America for working mothers with data showing moms here are shortchanged on everything from pay to childcare.

The Louisiana House Labor Committee has already rejected a minimum wage bill in the lower chamber, ending the effort for another year.

More: Louisiana women face bleak circumstances, according to new study ranking the state 50th

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.

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Louisiana State Police investigating deadly crash after driver allegedly evades police

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Louisiana State Police investigating deadly crash after driver allegedly evades police


Louisiana State Police investigating deadly crash after driver allegedly evades police

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ma’am. I Yeah. Yeah. I ma. Yeah. Yeah. ma’am. Yeah. Um.

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Louisiana State Police investigating deadly crash after driver allegedly evades police

Updated: 9:30 PM CDT Apr 6, 2026

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Louisiana State Police are investigating a crash after a driver allegedly evaded police on Canal Boulevard. Police say the crash happened around 5 p.m. on Canal Boulevard at City Park Avenue. The crash happened after the rider of the dirt bike struck another car while evading New Orleans police and Louisiana State Police, who were attempting to conduct a traffic stop. The subject was taken to a local hospital, where he later died. The name or age of the dirt bike rider was provided. This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information and/or pictures and videos is urged to share that information with LSP Detectives. You may anonymously report information through the Louisiana State Police online reporting system by visiting lsp.org and clicking on Report Suspicious or Criminal Activity, or by calling the LSP Fusion Center Hotline at 1-800-434-8007.

Louisiana State Police are investigating a crash after a driver allegedly evaded police on Canal Boulevard.

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Police say the crash happened around 5 p.m. on Canal Boulevard at City Park Avenue.

The crash happened after the rider of the dirt bike struck another car while evading New Orleans police and Louisiana State Police, who were attempting to conduct a traffic stop.

The subject was taken to a local hospital, where he later died.

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The name or age of the dirt bike rider was provided.

This is an ongoing investigation.

Anyone with information and/or pictures and videos is urged to share that information with LSP Detectives. You may anonymously report information through the Louisiana State Police online reporting system by visiting lsp.org and clicking on Report Suspicious or Criminal Activity, or by calling the LSP Fusion Center Hotline at 1-800-434-8007.

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Louisiana closed primary system raises voter questions ahead of May 16 election

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Louisiana closed primary system raises voter questions ahead of May 16 election


In the closed system, registered Democrats can only vote for Democratic candidates. Registered Republicans can only vote for Republican candidates. Louisiana’s fastest-growing affiliation, “no party” voters, get to choose between the two.



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Red, Rock & Blue: Registration deadline approaches for tournament benefitting La. military charities

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Red, Rock & Blue: Registration deadline approaches for tournament benefitting La. military charities


BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – The Red, Rock & Blue charity softball tournament to benefit Louisiana military charities is quickly approaching.

SLOW-PITCH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

  • April 17 – April 19
  • BREC Oak Villa | Baton Rouge

Each team will get a three-game guarantee. There are different divisions for different skill levels.

Team registration is open to the public. You can register a team online.

The deadline to register is Friday, April 10.

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Click here for more information about the 32nd annual charity slow-pitch softball tournament.

Past tournaments have been held in July, but the 2026 tournament was moved to spring for the cooler temperatures.

Red Rock and Blue typically gives $50,000 or more to military charities like The Blue Star Mothers of Louisiana and Gulf Coast Veterans each year.

The Caterie Reunion IV to benefit Red Rock and Blue is also set for August 15 at The Texas Club in Baton Rouge. More information on that event, including the musical lineup and ticket sales, is coming soon.

*WAFB is a sponsor and supporter of the Red, Rock & Blue non-profit organization.

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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.



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