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Louisiana asks appeals court to keep Title IX rule protecting LGBTQ+ students on hold

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Louisiana asks appeals court to keep Title IX rule protecting LGBTQ+ students on hold


On Monday, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans heard oral arguments in the case stemming from Louisiana’s lawsuit.

“Given the fact that the United States Supreme Court has already denied stays on these injunctions, I’m optimistic that this court will also uphold the injunction,” Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill told reporters after the Monday evening hearing.

At issue is the new U.S. Department of Education rule that says discrimination against students based on sexual orientation and gender identity is prohibited under Title IX, a 1972 federal law that bans sex-based discrimination in schools and colleges that receive federal funding. Other provisions of the rule add protections for pregnant students and expand the definition of sexual harassment at schools and colleges.

The rule, which was set to take effect Aug. 1, does not address transgender students’ participation in school sports, a highly contentious issue that will be the subject of a separate directive. 

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The new federal regulations could invalidate Louisiana laws that forbid transgender people from using school bathrooms that match their gender identity and protect teachers who refuse to refer to students by their preferred names and pronouns. If the rules took effect and Louisiana was found in violation of them, the state would face the prospect of losing billions of dollars in federal funding for schools, Murrill said Monday.

Murrill’s office filed a federal lawsuit to block the new Title IX rule immediately after it was issued in April. The lawsuit, which three other states joined, said that Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration had overstepped its authority and upended Title IX, which they argued was intended to protect only biological girls and women.

“This law was driven originally by a desire to stop discrimination against women in the education environment,” Murrill said Monday. “It is now being turned on its head.”

In a court filing, the state’s attorneys said the new Title IX interpretation would “transform” schools and harm students.

“Boys and girls will be forced to share bathrooms, locker rooms, and lodging on overnight field trips with members of the opposite sex, including adults,” the Sept. 19 filing said. “Students and teachers will be forced to use whatever pronouns a student demands based on his or her self-professed ‘gender identity.’”

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Lawyers for the federal government argue that the new Title IX rule is based on a 2020 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Bostock v. Clayton County, that said a federal ban on sex-based discrimination in the workplace also prohibits discrimination against gay and transgender people. The same logic applies to discrimination in schools, the Biden administration says.

“It is impossible to explain what it is you’re doing when you are intentionally discriminating against someone based on their gender identity without consideration of that person’s sex,” said Jack Starcher, an attorney representing the federal government, at Monday’s hearing. “Discrimination based on gender identity is discrimination based on sex.”

The Biden administration asked the court to limit the pause on the law to just those parts dealing with gender identity, allowing other provisions — such as those dealing with lactation spaces for pregnant students — to take effect while the legal challenges proceed. But Louisiana’s lawyers argue the rule’s expanded definition of sex-based discrimination touches every aspect of the law.

“Their new definitions are pervasive throughout the rule,” Murrill said after the hearing, adding that it would be confusing for schools to determine which parts of the new rule were in effect and which were paused.

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals is considered one of the country’s most conservative appellate courts. Judge Jerry Smith, one of the three presiding judges at Monday’s hearing, appeared skeptical of the Biden administration’s rule.

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Smith, who was appointed by former President Ronald Reagan, gave a hypothetical scenario in which a biological female student objected to playing volleyball during physical education class alongside a transgender girl. Under the new rule, Smith suggested, the student would lose access to her P.E. class if she refused to participate.

That “young woman would be denied the benefits of educational services by saying, ‘I don’t want this great big burly guy coming in here and competing against me,’” he said, referring to the transgender student as a “guy.”

The appeals court is expected to rule in the coming weeks. Murrill said she expects that one of the cases challenging the new Title IX will eventually head to the U.S. Supreme Court. 



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Louisiana Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 3, 2026

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The Louisiana Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 3, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from March 3 drawing

07-21-53-54-62, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 3 drawing

6-8-3

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 3 drawing

3-6-7-4

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 3 drawing

0-8-3-2-0

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Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Louisiana Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Louisiana Lottery offices. Prizes of over $5,000 must be claimed at Lottery office.

By mail, follow these instructions:

  1. Sign and complete the information on the back of your winning ticket, ensuring all barcodes are clearly visible (remove all scratch-off material from scratch-off tickets).
  2. Photocopy the front and back of the ticket (except for Powerball and Mega Millions tickets, as photocopies are not accepted for these games).
  3. Complete the Louisiana Lottery Prize Claim Form, including your telephone number and mailing address for prize check processing.
  4. Photocopy your valid driver’s license or current picture identification.

Mail all of the above in a single envelope to:

Louisiana Lottery Headquarters

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555 Laurel Street

Baton Rouge, LA 70801

To submit in person, visit Louisiana Lottery headquarters:

555 Laurel Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801, (225) 297-2000.

Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

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Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Louisiana Lottery.

When are the Louisiana Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
  • Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5: Daily at 9:59 p.m. CT.
  • Easy 5: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Lotto: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Louisiana editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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Brother of Louisiana mayor accused of raping 16-year-old has a hauntingly similar criminal past

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Brother of Louisiana mayor accused of raping 16-year-old has a hauntingly similar criminal past


The brother of Louisiana mayor Misty Roberts — accused of raping her son’s teenage friend — is facing child sex crimes of his own.

Brandon Lee Roberts, 39, was accused of raping a teen girl and assaulting a young woman over the course of several years, KALB reported.

Brandon Lee Roberts, 39, is accused of raping a teen girl and assaulting a young woman over the course of several years. Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office

The alleged sexual abuse began when one of the victims was as young as 13, according to Beauregard Parish Sheriff Mark Herford.

He was arrested in October.

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Booking photo of Misty Clanton Roberts.
Brandon’s sister, Misty, the ex-mayor of DeRidder, Louisiana, allegedly raped her son’s teenage friend. AP

That comes years after his big sister – ex-mayor of DeRidder, 43-year-old Misty Roberts – allegedly got hot and heavy with her son’s 16-year-old friend at a drunken party at their home.

Roberts was allegedly caught in the tryst by her own kids.

She was arrested months later, and is currently on trial for rape charges.



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Louisiana Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for March 2, 2026

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The Louisiana Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 2, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from March 2 drawing

02-17-18-38-62, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 2 drawing

3-9-9

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 2 drawing

4-1-1-0

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 2 drawing

0-5-2-9-5

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Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Louisiana Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Louisiana Lottery offices. Prizes of over $5,000 must be claimed at Lottery office.

By mail, follow these instructions:

  1. Sign and complete the information on the back of your winning ticket, ensuring all barcodes are clearly visible (remove all scratch-off material from scratch-off tickets).
  2. Photocopy the front and back of the ticket (except for Powerball and Mega Millions tickets, as photocopies are not accepted for these games).
  3. Complete the Louisiana Lottery Prize Claim Form, including your telephone number and mailing address for prize check processing.
  4. Photocopy your valid driver’s license or current picture identification.

Mail all of the above in a single envelope to:

Louisiana Lottery Headquarters

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555 Laurel Street

Baton Rouge, LA 70801

To submit in person, visit Louisiana Lottery headquarters:

555 Laurel Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801, (225) 297-2000.

Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

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Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Louisiana Lottery.

When are the Louisiana Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
  • Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5: Daily at 9:59 p.m. CT.
  • Easy 5: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Lotto: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Louisiana editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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