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Live broadcasts of Louisiana ethics board meetings proposed

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lailluminator.com – Julie O’Donoghue – 2025-03-07 20:13:00

Live broadcasts of Louisiana ethics board meetings proposed

by Julie O’Donoghue, Louisiana Illuminator
March 7, 2025

The Louisiana Board of Ethics would have to broadcast its meetings under legislation filed by a state lawmaker who has had several disputes with the board over his missed deadlines and unpaid fines.

State Rep. Steven Jackson, D-Shreveport, filed House Bill 21 to require the ethics board to broadcast or stream online its public meetings. The board would also have to keep the recordings available in a public archive for at least two years.

The board usually convenes monthly for two consecutive days. Elected officials, political consultants and government workers appear before the board at the meetings asking for relief from fines or to push back on the board’s other rulings.

At those same meetings, the board can also vote on whether elected officials and government employees violated anti-corruption and campaign finance laws.

In recent months, legislators have complained the board meetings, while open to the public to attend in person, aren’t transparent because they aren’t available through a broadcast or online streaming.

In contrast, every committee meeting and floor vote of the Louisiana Legislature can be watched in real time and are kept in a video archive on the legislature’s website. A few other state boards, such as the Public Service Commission and Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, also stream their meetings on the internet.

People can also receive an audio recording of ethics board meetings through a public records request made, though no live stream or video recording is available.

Prior to becoming a state legislator, Jackson had five years of angry exchanges with ethics board staff over fines he had accrued while running for public office. He had to pay over $10,000 in penalties after improperly submitting 12 campaign finance and personal financial disclosure reports.

During his first year in the statehouse last year, Jackson passed two laws that reduce ethics board filing requirements and cut the fines the board can assess to lobbyists. He also sponsored a legislative study of Louisiana’s campaign finance laws that is supposed to wrap up by the end of this month.

Jackson could not be reached for comment Friday. The legislative session where his bill will be up for discussion starts April 14.

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Louisiana Illuminator is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Louisiana Illuminator maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Greg LaRose for questions: info@lailluminator.com.

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News from the South - Louisiana News Feed

Be prepared for severe storms later today

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www.youtube.com – KSAT 12 – 2025-05-02 10:06:20

SUMMARY: Be prepared for severe storms later today, especially in San Antonio. Rain chances are low until after lunch but will rise by early afternoon with storms forming in the Hill Country. By late afternoon and evening, there’s about a 70% chance of rain, continuing through midnight. The storms are driven by fronts from the north, ample moisture, and upper-level energy, leading to potential strong to severe storms with gusty winds, hail, and localized flooding. Tornado risk is low but present. Tomorrow will be cooler with lingering clouds, dry conditions, and temperatures around 79°F. More storms are possible next week.

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The best odds for rain will be between 7 and 10pm.

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Caddo Parish budget reports 7% population decline over 15-year period | Louisiana

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Emilee Calametti | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-05-02 07:00:00

(The Center Square) — Caddo Parish’s 2025 budget addresses a serious issue in the parish, a declining population, and its potential impact on criminal justice issues. 

According to the 2025 budget, Caddo Parish population has decreased by 7% in the last 15 years. This decline is largely made up of younger individuals and families. 

Due to the population decline, hiring struggles have become an issue, and fewer homes are being built with less business development. With a declining population, tax revenue is also being affected.  

“Tax revenue is not growing at the same rate as expenditures, which indicates that, at some point, expenditures will exceed available revenues,” said the budget. 

In 2023, the population of Caddo Parish was 233,000. Data USA says this is a decline from the previous year of about 1.39%. The population dropped from 236,259 to 232,973 from 2022 to 2023. In a recent report from The Center Square, Caddo Parish saw a decrease of more than 11,000 people in the past three years. 

Apart from the population dropping in the parish and affecting revenues, criminal justice plays a significant role in the 2025 budget as well.

According to the budget plan, criminal justice expenditures are around 25%.  The parish report says that the budget includes a $4.7 million operating deficit in the Juvenile Justice Fund, a $1.5 million operating deficit in the Detention Facilities Fund, and a $4.8 million operating deficit in the General Fund. The deficits are due to cost increases for juvenile services, the Caddo Correctional Center, the district attorney’s Office, and the district court. 

Despite a declining population and increase in juvenile costs, the budget accounts for a rise in property tax revenue from the previous year. Property tax revenue is estimated to increase from $51.7 million in 2024 to $58.7 million, a 13.45% increase.  

Sales taxes were also budgeted to increase from $1.1 million to $16 million in 2025. The increase is reportedly due to inflation and increased construction. 

The parish estimates expenditures for the year to be around $145.5 million.

Emilee Ruth Calametti currently serves as Staff Reporter for The Center Square covering the Northwestern Louisiana region. She holds her M.A. in English from Georgia State University and an additional M.A. in Journalism from New York University. Her articles have been featured in DIG Magazine, Houstonia Magazine, Bookstr, inRegister, EntertainmentNOW, AOL, MSN, and more. She is a Louisiana native with over seven years of journalism experience.

The post Caddo Parish budget reports 7% population decline over 15-year period | Louisiana appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com



Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.



Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article appears to present a neutral, fact-based reporting style, offering an overview of the 2025 budget for Caddo Parish and its associated challenges. It reports on the population decline, its economic effects, and the budget’s allocation for criminal justice without explicitly endorsing any ideological position or providing commentary that could influence the reader’s opinion. The data presented is balanced and factual, discussing both fiscal deficits and revenue increases. No strong language or framing suggests a clear political bias or agenda, making the article a neutral, centrist account of local government issues.

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Jury finds Hannah Landon guilty of murdering 6-year-old Bella Fontenelle

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www.youtube.com – WWLTV – 2025-05-01 22:21:00

SUMMARY: Hannah Landon was found guilty of first-degree murder and two counts of obstruction of justice for the death of 6-year-old Bella Fontenelle. Bella’s body was discovered in a bucket outside her mother’s home two years ago. The jury deliberated for less than an hour before reaching the verdict. During the trial, defense arguments questioned Landon’s mental state at the time of the crime, while a state psychologist testified she knew right from wrong. The judge decided not to pursue the death penalty, and Landon faces life in prison with no parole. Sentencing is scheduled for May 7th.

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Sentencing is set for Tuesday, May 6, at 9 a.m.

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