NO Port veto doesn't work against accountability

Disposition of a bill from the just-adjourned regular session of the Louisiana Legislature reminds why informed consumers of Louisiana political news need to be discerning to understand what truly goes on in state government.

This week, Republican Gov. Jeff Landry vetoed SB 89 by Democrat state Sen. Joseph Bouie. The bill would have added Senate confirmation to nominees to the governing board of the Port of New Orleans, which actually encompasses three parishes. Various special interests through a convoluted process come up with three names for each of the seven commissioners when a slot is open from which the governor may select.

Landry’s veto message noted the process that provides maximal input and ties his hands to a certain extent, claiming introduction of more “bureaucracy” through Senate involvement wouldn’t bring benefits. Few of Louisiana’s nearly 30 ports require such confirmation, but among the five deep draft ports, three do and the other besides New Orleans effectively has members elected. The trio also have special interests submit names to the governor for selection.

Bills regulating pharmacy behavior beneficial

Like a solar flare suddenly erupting, in the last week of its session after little attention to the issue the Louisiana Legislature appears poised to enact significant and almost unprecedented legislation aimed at levelling the playing field for pharmacies and potentially aiding consumers of their products even as one pharmacy holding company threatens to leave the state over this.

Two bills would impact pharmacy benefit managers, an entity that has become popular over the last decade. Conceptually, these are supposed to induce efficiency into the system that saves money, by negotiating deals among drug manufacturers, insurers, and pharmacies which include creating formularies, negotiating rebates from drug manufacturer, processing claims, administering pharmacy networks, reviewing drug utilization, and managing mail-order specialty pharmacies.

But a good portion of that doesn’t appear to be directed into consumer’s pockets. The field is somewhat concentrated with the so-called Big Three – CVS Caremark, Express Scripts and OptumRx – disproportionately charging more for specialty generic drugs through affiliated pharmacies, while costs were lower for the unaffiliated. Having available networks of pharmacies also facilitates a practice known as “spread pricing,” or billing their plan sponsor clients more than they reimburse pharmacies for drugs. Along with Prime Therapeutics, the four control 70 percent of the specialty prescribing market and the Big Three have 80 percent of the total prescribing market.

Bill to give GOP leg up in constitutional changes

One of the most consequential bills of the Louisiana Legislature’s 2025 regular session – especially for reformers and Republicans – that has received no media attention now awaits the pen of Republican Gov. Jeff Landry to sign it into law.

HB 625 by GOP state Rep. Rhonda Butler would expand the municipal/party primary election date on Apr. 18, 2026 to include constitutional amendments. Otherwise, those amendments would be next eligible for ratification in 2026 on Nov. 3.

As of this writing, over half a dozen potential constitutional amendments remain realistically alive for supermajority approval in each chamber. While some would go to the voters on Nov. 3, three significant ones favored by Republicans and generally opposed by Democrats were amended to appear on the earlier Apr. 18 date – and in each case by doing so, raise their chances of passage.

Amendment could increase LA govt responsiveness

If you want to find out who has cornered the market on red herrings, look no further than the opponents of SB 8 by Republican state Sen. Jay Morris.

The bill would amend the Constitution to create another exception to the kinds of employees that have civil service protections under the State Civil Service Commission. It would allow the Legislature to create these by statute, meaning the job positions involved could have their occupants more easily removed from these, among other things.

A merit-based civil service is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it promotes responsible government by attempting to place qualified individuals free of extraneous influences into government jobs as the best way to ensure quality, fair, and impartial discharge of their duties. On the other hand, it detracts from responsive government because it allows incubation of individuals who use their job protections to carry out their own agendas when these differ from those of their bosses accountable to the voting public’s preferences, if not use their insulation to perform their jobs poorly or to behave badly with almost zero chance of punishment or termination.

Chickens come home to roost for failed BC venture

This was how it always was going to end: the reckoning of Bossier City throwing away tens of millions of taxpayer dollars on something that now is little more than a rejected waystation for electric vehicle chargers.

For many years the writing has been on the wall concerning what’s now known as the Louisiana Boardwalk Outlets. Opening just over two decades ago to great fanfare, the outdoor mall most recently sold for less than a fifth of its cost to build and since continues to hemorrhage lessees. In the past month, four tenants, including three of the hospitality venues leaving now only two, have abandoned the area, making almost 40 retail spaces empty.

That adds to a completely discouraging picture. At the middle of last month, of the 185,000 square feet of leasable space, about 77 percent was available. Since then, the subsequent closures will add a few thousand more feet of empty space – keeping in mind that most of the remainder is dominated by the two remaining restaurants, a movie theater, and a church.