Louisiana
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry plans massive tax system overhaul in Special Session
President Joe Biden casts vote in 2024 election
President Joe Biden casted his vote in the 2024 election at an early voting site near New Castle on Monday, October 28, 2024.
Gov. Jeff Landry has called a Special Session to ask lawmakers to revamp Louisiana’s tax code by lowering income tax rates for all earners and permanently raising the state’s sales tax.
The Special Session begins Nov. 6 and must end Nov. 25.
Landry’s plan would replace lost revenue from the income tax reduction by making a temporary 0.45-cent sales tax permanent rather than allowing it to expire in 2025 and by reducing the number of tax credits and exemptions on the books.
“This special session fulfills the promise we made to the people of Louisiana to rebuild our economy and make Louisiana a place where people want to raise a family and create jobs,” Landry said Monday in a statement. “Throughout this Special Session, we have the opportunity to give teachers a permanent pay raise, put more money in every worker’s pocket, eliminate the tax on prescription drugs and provide much needed tax relief for seniors.
“I am eager to enact this new playbook and finally make Louisiana a beacon of hope — inviting families and businesses back home. It’s time we move Louisiana Forward.”
If lawmakers approve Landry’s series of bills, voters would make the final decision on the proposals that would change the state Constitution to make the plan complete.
“We’re moving from taxing labor to taxing preferences,” Landry said previously.
The plan also would lower corporate tax rates while replacing that state revenue by reducing tax breaks and exemptions for businesses.
Landry has said the proposal will generally “lower tax rates and expand the tax base.”
The governor said when implemented his plan will “catapult” Louisiana to competitiveness with its southern neighbors, which have largely left Louisiana behind in population and economic growth over the past decades.
“During the past 10 years we’ve lost population while the state around use have grown; our ranking with the Tax Foundation has gotten worse; our wage growth is behind other states,” Landry said previously. “These statistics are a legacy of failure.”
Landry insisted his plan will set Louisiana on a path to both permanent prosperity and population growth.
“We will see a Louisiana that can compete,” he said.
More: Check out the proposed list of new Louisiana sales taxes from car washes, GPS, many more
Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1
BATON ROUGE, La. (KLFY) — Governor Landry has officially declared Louisiana under state of emergency.
The state emergency declaration covers Avoyelles, Lafourche, Pointe Coupee, St. Landry, St. Tammany and Terrebonne parishes.
The declaration was issued Thursday following the impacts of Tropical Storm Arthur, which brough rainfall and strong storms to parts of the state on June 17 and 18.
Officials said the National Weather Service has confirmed three tornadoes tied to the storm system.
Officials also reported record or near-record rainfall totals in Avoyelles and Pointe Coupee parishes over a 12-hour period.
The order allows the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness to coordinate resources and provide assistance to local governments if needed.
Certain state purchasing and bidding requirements have been temporarily suspended to speed up emergency response efforts.
The declaration took effect immediately and will remain in place through July 18 unless it is lifted or extended.
State officials are urging residents to stay weather aware, avoid flooded roadways and follow guidance from local emergency managers.
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MONROE, La. (KNOE) – The North Louisiana Crime Lab released a June 2026 law enforcement bulletin warning of additional cases tied to cyclorphine, a synthetic opioid the lab says can be significantly more potent than fentanyl.
The bulletin, titled “Cyclorphine Update — Additional Cases & Footprint,” notes that drug evidence submissions testing positive for cyclorphine have been received from multiple parishes in North Louisiana.
What is cyclorphine?
According to the bulletin, cyclorphine is a synthetic opioid in the emerging orphine drug class. The lab said current toxicity data are limited, but laboratory studies indicate cyclorphine may be up to 10 times more potent than fentanyl.
Reported effects
The crime lab said cyclorphine can produce effects similar to other narcotic analgesics, including:
- Central nervous system depression
- Lethargy or stupor
- Respiratory depression with slow, shallow breathing
- Pinpoint pupils
The bulletin said Narcan should be administered to someone suffering from cyclorphine toxicity, and that multiple doses may be needed.
What the bulletin says about trends
The crime lab said national data indicate cyclorphine will likely continue spreading through the region, including becoming more common in seized and submitted drug evidence.
Where cyclorphine has been detected
The bulletin includes a “detection timeline and counterfeit tablet types,” showing evidence submissions tied to specific parishes and dates, including:
- Caddo Parish (Feb. 19; April 14)
- Ouachita Parish (March 18; May 13)
- DeSoto Parish (March 25)
- Natchitoches Parish (May 14)
The lab also noted counterfeit pill types associated with these submissions, including tablets labeled “M30,” “M15,” “K56,” “1259,” and “M367.” Officials warned it may be impossible to know what a pill contains, even if it resembles a known tablet.
The North Louisiana Crime Lab said it will continue tracking trends and sharing updates as additional evidence is submitted.
Copyright 2026 KNOE. All rights reserved.
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