Louisiana
Letters: Louisiana on wrong path to address insurance crisis
The increased threat of severe weather is driving Louisiana’s insurance crisis. There are no easy solutions, but state regulators should not make the situation worse. Unfortunately, this is precisely what Commissioner Tim Temple did during the 2024 legislative session.
Temple worked to pass legislation that makes it easier for insurers to cancel policies and harder for storm victims to file claims. His package does nothing to lower insurance rates. In fact, it allows insurers to raise rates more frequently.
The centerpiece of Temple’s package repeals Louisiana’s three-year rule, enabling insurers to non-renew tens of thousands of policies, which will result in more policies migrating to Citizens, the insurer of last resort. Louisiana won’t solve an insurance crisis that revolves around a lack of availability by forcing people to insure with “the last resort.”
Another part of Temple’s package allows rate increases to go into effect without prior approval from the Department of Insurance. It also allows more frequent rate changes. This follows Temple’s elimination of the cap on expected profits insurers file with the state. Temple’s push to deregulate the industry will lead to insurers raising rates on Louisiana policyholders more frequently.
Other bills in Temple’s package gut vital consumer protections and weaken laws that hold insurers who act in bad faith accountable. While Commissioner Temple advocated for these bills, he was sitting on the results of an investigation by his department that, according to the newspaper, found that after Hurricane Ida two companies “failed to pay claims on time in nearly a quarter of cases.” Temple kept his promise to the industry to be “a more friendly department,” choosing not to fine them.
Louisiana is facing a climate-fueled insurance crisis. Unfortunately, Commissioner Temple’s approach focuses more on Big Insurance’s profit margins than on providing relief for suffering homeowners and small businesses.
BEN RIGGS
executive director, Real Reform Louisiana
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Louisiana
Obituary for James Nelson Holbrook at Southern Funeral Home Winnfield
James Red Nelson Holbrook, 90, of Winnfield, LA, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 25, 2024. He was born on March 23, 1934, in Brainerd, MN, the second oldest of twelve siblings. James honorably served his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. After his service, he dedicated
Louisiana
Budget deal preserves flood insurance for Louisiana, other states through hurricane season
Congress’ temporary budget deal to keep the government open for three months also keeps the National Flood Insurance Program from expiring in Louisiana and other states during hurricane season.
President Joe Biden officially signed Congress’ continuing resolution Thursday to avoid a government shutdown until Dec. 20, but sets up another funding battle at the end when both sides know who control the White House.
“Our state is still picking up the pieces that Hurricane Francine left behind, and our communities need all the help they can get,” Louisiana Republican U.S. Sen. John Kennedy said of the CR. “I’m thankful we’ve delivered Louisianians additional disaster aid and protected their flood insurance so that the program doesn’t expire in the middle of hurricane season.”
Louisiana Republican U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy also voted for the temporary budget deal that propped up the flood insurance program again before it expired Sept. 30.
“Nobody wants a shutdown,” Cassidy said. “We must keep the National Flood Insurance Program going, put more money into FEMA’s disaster relief fund, continue to pay our troops and give the Secret Service additional resources to protect (former) President Trump. While I’m disappointed the SAVE Act was not included, this bill gives us the time to find a lasting solution without harming Americans.”
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act) would require people to prove they are U.S. citizens before they can vote. It is already illegal for non-citizens to vote in all federal elections and critics believe it would add barriers for legal voters who can’t easily access their citizenship documents.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson of Shreveport had proposed a six-month budget extension that would have included the SAVE Act, but it failed to pass, necessitating the final deal.
“The best play under the circumstances was the CR with the SAVE Act,” Johnson said ahead of this week’s final deal. “But we came a little short of the goal line, so we have to go with the last available play.”
Trump urged House Republicans to let the government shut down if they did not get the voting legislation passed along with a funding extension. But Johnson told his conference that it would be “political malpractice” to do that so close to an election, citing polling indicating voters probably would blame Republicans for a shutdown.
More: Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins’ Haitian tweet draws sharp criticism as racist
Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.
Louisiana
Lana Del Rey Marries Jeremy Dufrene in Louisiana Wedding
Lana Del Rey and Jeremy Dufrene are reportedly married!
The “Born To Die” singer, 39, and the alligator tour guide tied the knot in Louisiana, on Thursday, September 26, according to photos and videos published by DailyMail.com.
Del Rey wore a floor-length white wedding gown for her nuptials, which took place by the water in Des Allemandes – the same bayou Dufrene uses to host his popular tours, per the outlet.
The Grammy nominee’s father, Robert Grant, reportedly walked Del Rey down the aisle to where Dufrene, dressed in a black suit, white dress shirt and leather shoes was awaiting his bride.
Del Rey’s mother Patricia Ann Hill, 68, her sister Caroline Grant and brother Charlie Hill-Grant all attended the couple’s wedding, reported the outlet.
According to Dailymail.com, following the nuptials, the newly wedded couple and guests reportedly celebrated the reception along the public harbor – near where the exchanging of vows took place.
The news comes just hours after it was confirmed that Del Rey and Dufrene had obtained a marriage license in Louisiana’s Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court on Monday, September 23, according to court records obtained by Us Weekly.
While they were first linked late last month, Del Rey has uploaded pictures of herself with Dufrene on Facebook dating back to 2019 when she first went on one of his wildlife tours.
Del Rey and Dufrene made their public debut earlier this month when the alligator tour guide accompanied Del Rey to Karen Elson’s wedding at New York City’s Electric Lady Studios. (Elson, 45, married Lee Foster, who owns the recording studio.)
The “Summertime Sadness” singer has previously been linked to Barrie-James O’Neill, Francesco Carrozzini, G-Eazy, Sean Larkin and Clayton Johnson. While speaking with Rolling Stone in 2014, she revealed that she thrives in intense relationships.
“It’s been beautiful, but it’s been confusing because when that’s your prerogative, things don’t end in a traditional way,” Del Rey told the outlet in July 2014. “You don’t have that traditional relationship where maybe you go out with couples at night, or you do normal things. It’s more of an extension of the creative process.””
In the profile, Del Rey confirmed that she was “really looking for an equal” and wasn’t afraid of an age-gap romance.
“I sort of have an affinity for really good, strong, self-assured people,” she said. “I would say I haven’t met them as much in people who are in their 20s. So for me, I have nothing in common necessarily with somebody who’s in their 20s — yet. That I know of, thus far.”
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