Jeff Landry

Sen. Jay Morris diverted Senate Bill 217, legislation to reduce the number of civil, criminal, juvenile, and municipal court judgeships in New Orleans, to a conference committee for further negotiations on May 21, 2026. Morris stated that the bill required additional work and that he remained in discussions with various parties regarding its provisions. The measure had previously been scheduled for a final Senate vote before being sent to Gov. Jeff Landry for consideration.

The Louisiana Senate Finance Committee removed funding to expand LA GATOR, a school voucher program, from the state budget during deliberations on May 21, 2026. The committee also reduced by $30 million the state funds schools receive through the Minimum Foundation Program formula for operating costs. These cuts were made as the Senate panel addressed a projected $100 million shortfall in tax revenue for the upcoming fiscal year.

Landry signed the Louisiana Community Air Monitoring Reliability Act in 2024, which requires community groups to use the latest Environmental Protection Agency equipment in order to allege violations of the Clean Air Act or other laws. Environmental advocacy groups challenged the law in federal court, arguing it effectively prevented them from publishing pollution monitoring data collected using less expensive devices. A federal judge ruled that the groups could share their air pollution monitoring data without risking state penalties, at least temporarily.

Landry stated in 2024 that universal school choice programs would be a top priority for Louisiana and requested $88 million in funding for the LA GATOR program to serve 12,000 students. The Legislature passed the LA GATOR program, which allows parents to use public funds for private school tuition, tutoring, or other approved education expenses. As of May 2026, over 39,000 families had applied for the program, though Senate President Cameron Henry declined to increase funding beyond the current $44 million allocation for 5,600 students.

The Louisiana House passed Senate Bill 307 on May 20, 2026, legislation that would authorize the installation of a Ten Commandments monument on the grounds of the State Capitol if a private donor provides funding. The bill, authored by state Senator Rick Edmonds, specifies that the state would not bear the cost of construction and expands state statute regarding the display of religious documents. The measure requires Senate approval of House amendments before proceeding to Governor Landry for signature.

Governor Jeff Landry cancelled House races late in the election cycle preceding Louisiana's first party primaries in decades held in May 2026. The cancellations occurred alongside a closed primary system and a substantial voter purge, contributing to reduced voter turnout compared to previous Senate elections. Fewer than 750,000 of Louisiana's 2.9 million registered voters participated in the consequential election, representing a significant decline from the 2022 Senate race.

Senate Bill 433, sponsored by Senator Gerald Boudreaux, would expand Louisiana Medicaid coverage to include FDA-approved weight loss medications, including GLP-1 drugs, for patients with obesity regardless of co-occurring conditions. The bill unanimously passed the Senate and House Health and Welfare Committee, with coverage set to begin January 1, 2027, if signed by Governor Landry. Current Medicaid coverage limits GLP-1 medications to patients with obesity and specific co-occurring conditions such as Type 2 diabetes or sleep apnea.

Landry signed House Bill 29 and a second bill that authorize the use of force to remove individuals who disrupt religious services and increase criminal penalties for those who do so. The legislation was enacted in response to a January 2026 protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, where demonstrators interrupted a service to protest the pastor's role as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official. Landry stated that the bills strengthen protections for religious worship in Louisiana.

After voters rejected Amendment 3, a proposed constitutional amendment that would have funded a $2,000 permanent pay raise for teachers through liquidation of education trust funds, Governor Landry announced he would not permit the Legislature to increase compensation for other state employees unless they allocated funding for teacher raises. Landry stated in a post on X that if teachers did not receive a permanent raise during the legislative session, no state government employee would receive a pay raise, emphasizing his authority to line-item veto any compensation increases from the budget. The announcement came as legislative forecasts indicated reduced available funds for the upcoming budget cycle, making the identification of $200 million for teacher stipends unlikely without the amendment's passage.

Governor Landry signed legislation that combined the Orleans Parish civil and criminal clerk positions into a single role, eliminating the separate criminal court clerk position. The law created a dispute between New Orleans city leaders and Chelsey Napoleon, who held the civil clerk position and became clerk of both courts under the new statute. The case proceeded to the Louisiana Supreme Court after a lower court judge declined to rule, finding the matter already addressed by the state's highest court.

Landry issued a statement on social media following the failure of Amendment 3, which would have provided permanent pay raises to Louisiana teachers and support staff. In the statement, Landry declared that if teachers do not receive a permanent raise during the current legislative year, no state government employees would receive pay raises. The failed amendment had proposed using the state's education trust fund to pay down teacher retirement system debt early, with schools required to use resulting savings to finance the raises.

President Donald Trump appointed Landry as special envoy to Greenland in December 2025. Landry arrived in Greenland on May 18, 2026, as part of a delegation that included U.S. Ambassador to Denmark Ken Howery to build relationships and explore opportunities to expand ties between Greenland, the United States, and Denmark. Landry attended the Future Greenland business conference scheduled for May 19-20, 2026.

Governor Landry suspended Louisiana's congressional party primary elections on April 30, 2026, one day after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the existing congressional map unconstitutional. The suspension occurred despite the state having already received tens of thousands of absentee ballots for the scheduled May 16 election. The action preceded the Louisiana Senate's May 14 passage of Senate Bill 121, which would redraw the congressional map to eliminate one majority-Black Democratic district.

Governor Jeff Landry is expected to sign a congressional redistricting bill that reduces the number of majority-Black districts from two to one, pending its passage through the Louisiana House of Representatives. The Louisiana Senate passed the map on May 14, 2026, with Republican supermajority support after the U.S. Supreme Court deemed the previous two-district configuration unconstitutional. The bill will proceed to the House for debate and vote, with Landry's signature anticipated to make it law.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill threatened to unilaterally remove seven duly elected New Orleans officials from office in May 2026, sparking accusations that she violated state anti-intimidation laws. The threat was connected to efforts by Murrill and Governor Jeff Landry to prevent Calvin Duncan, an elected Black candidate, from taking office as Clerk of Criminal Court, including through legislation that eliminated the criminal court clerk position entirely. The New Orleans City Council subsequently scheduled a November election for a unified Clerk of Court position and appointed a temporary clerk pending judicial review of the legislation's validity.

Gov. Landry suspended Louisiana's scheduled closed primary elections for U.S. House races in May 2026 to allow time for the state to redraw its congressional map following a Supreme Court ruling that deemed the existing map unconstitutional. The Louisiana Legislature subsequently passed House Bill 842, which Landry signed into law, establishing a temporary return to an open primary system for House races in which all candidates would appear on a single November ballot regardless of party affiliation. Under this system, the top two vote-getters in each district would advance to a December runoff election, while Senate primaries remained closed.

The Louisiana House voted 67-30 on May 12, 2026 to pass Senate Bill 217, sponsored by Sen. Jay Morris, which reduces the number of judges in Orleans Parish criminal courts from 12 to 9, civil courts from 14 to 13, and halves both juvenile and traffic court judgeships from four to two, with eliminations occurring upon current judges' retirement or term completion. Governor Landry, who had previously advocated for Morris' court bills, was expected to sign the legislation. The vote proceeded largely along party lines, with Democratic Representatives Robby Carter and Daryl Adams voting in favor and Republican Representatives Debbie Villio and Jacob Braud voting against the measure, while House Democrats raised concerns about the data used to justify the reductions and questioned why New Orleans was singled out for judicial reduction.

The Louisiana House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 217, authored by Sen. Jay Morris, R-West Monroe, on May 12, 2026, which would reduce the number of judges in Orleans Parish across criminal, civil, and juvenile courts. The measure, backed by Gov. Jeff Landry, proposes eliminating one civil court judge, three criminal court judges, and two juvenile court judges in New Orleans. The House approved the bill by a vote of 66-31, largely along party lines, after an amendment reintroduced the civil judgeship elimination that Morris had previously removed during Senate consideration.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill warned Mayor Helena Moreno and seven other New Orleans elected officials that she would seek their removal from office if they did not retract support for electing a new court clerk, following a City Council vote to trigger an election for a newly merged clerk's office and appoint an interim clerk. Murrill's letter cited potential violations of state law stemming from legislation enacted by the Louisiana Legislature that consolidated the criminal court clerk position with the civil court clerk position held by Chelsey Napoleon. The warning represented an escalation in a dispute over the structure of the New Orleans clerk's office, with multiple lawsuits challenging the underlying legislation pending in court.

Landry signed Senate Bill 256 into law on April 30, 2026, which merged the civil and criminal district court clerk offices for Orleans Parish and abolished the criminal clerk position. The legislation installed Chelsey Napoleon as the sole district court clerk for the parish, replacing the criminal clerk seat previously won by Calvin Duncan. The action prompted legal challenges in both state and federal court from Duncan and other parties contesting the constitutionality and authority of the merged clerk position.

Louisiana's Legislature passed legislation establishing the state's first recreational alligator hunting season, which was signed into law in May 2026. The new season permits hunters to harvest up to 10,000 additional alligators during October on all state lands and water bodies not enrolled in the existing commercial program. The recreational season operates alongside the established three-month commercial hunting period and is designed to address what lawmakers characterized as overabundant alligator populations while maintaining existing commercial harvest operations.

A state court judge agreed to review nondisclosure agreements used by Ascension Parish to keep details of planned industrial projects and associated tax incentives confidential during Governor Jeff Landry's administration. The review was ordered following a lawsuit by Rural Roots and the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, two nonprofit organizations that filed a public records request for documents related to industrial expansion in the RiverPlex MegaPark near Modeste nearly eight months prior. The NDAs had restricted public officials, including elected officials, from disclosing information about companies such as Hyundai Steel, CF Industries, Nemo Industries, and Linde that announced plans to build facilities in the 17,000-acre park along the Mississippi River.

Governor Landry backed Amendment 3, a constitutional amendment scheduled for voter consideration on May 16, 2026, which would dissolve three state education trust funds totaling nearly $2 billion to fund permanent teacher and school support staff salary increases. The amendment would redirect money from the dissolved trust funds toward paying down teacher retirement system debt, with resulting savings allocated to permanent raises rather than the one-time stipends teachers had previously received. Landry's support for the amendment represented a reboot of a similar ballot measure that failed in the previous election cycle.

Governor Jeff Landry signaled support for House Bill 102, legislation that expands the definition of first-degree murder in Louisiana to include killings in public places when the defendant puts at least three people at risk of great harm, as well as killings committed by people with illegal firearms or those out on bail, probation, or parole. The bill, authored by state Representative Jeff Wiley, was passed by the Louisiana Legislature in May 2026 with amendments requested by the governor's office. The legislation requires Landry's signature to become law.

Landry appeared on 60 Minutes to defend Louisiana's congressional redistricting plan, which is expected to eliminate at least one majority-Black district. During the interview, Landry stated that "in the United States, we get equal rights" and "no one gets extra rights," and argued that the United States has made significant progress since the Civil Rights era. Landry responded to criticism that elected officials should share the lived experiences of their constituents by questioning whether officials should be judged based on their race or ethnicity.

Governor Jeff Landry advanced the LA GATOR scholarship program, which provides state funding for students to attend private schools. The program makes taxpayer dollars available to private educational institutions, including those that provide religious instruction. The initiative drew criticism regarding the use of public funds for religious education and concerns about the lack of teacher certification requirements in participating private schools.

New Orleans residents began collecting signatures in May 2026 for a petition to recall Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, with organizers requiring 600,000 valid signatures from registered voters by October to move forward. The recall effort was initiated by two Baton Rouge residents who cited what they described as a pattern of actions and public statements by Landry that undermine fair representation, along with concerns that state priorities do not align with community needs. The petition was filed shortly after Landry suspended the House primary election following a Louisiana Supreme Court ruling that found the state's congressional map unconstitutional.

Landry suspended all U.S. House races scheduled for May 16 following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to invalidate the state's existing congressional maps. A Louisiana Senate committee subsequently heard public testimony on four proposed replacement maps, including one that would preserve both majority Black districts and three that would eliminate one or both districts. The committee scheduled a vote on the four maps for Wednesday.

Governor Jeff Landry and Republican state lawmakers eliminated the position of Orleans Parish clerk of criminal court shortly after Calvin Duncan, a Democrat, won the seat with 68% of the vote. State Senator Jay Morris, under Landry's guidance, passed legislation merging the criminal court clerk position with the civil court clerk position just days before Duncan was scheduled to assume office. New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno and the City Council subsequently called for a special election for the newly consolidated clerk of court position, arguing that the legislatively created consolidated office constitutes an entirely new position subject to electoral processes.

Governor Jeff Landry and Republican state lawmakers enacted legislation to eliminate the position of clerk of criminal court in Orleans Parish shortly after Calvin Duncan won election to the seat in 2026, with the measure consolidating the criminal court clerk duties into the existing civil district court clerk position. Mayor Helena Moreno and the New Orleans City Council responded by calling for a special election, arguing that the creation of the consolidated office constitutes a new position that warrants electoral validation. The council indicated it would pass an ordinance calling for a special election and appoint an interim clerk of court.

Governor Landry issued an executive order on May 8, 2026, directing U.S. and state flags to be flown at half-staff at the State Capitol and all state buildings from sunrise to sunset on Friday in honor of Martha Odom, a 17-year-old senior at Ascension Episcopal School who was killed on April 23 during a shooting at the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge. Odom and friends were caught in crossfire between other groups while spending Senior Skip Day at the mall. The half-staff directive was issued as a mark of honor and respect for Odom.

Landry's administration requested that several state legislators sign nondisclosure agreements restricting discussion of details regarding aerospace incentive package legislation and potential aerospace company operations in Louisiana. The administration was facilitating negotiations between space exploration companies and landowners in coastal Vermilion and Cameron parishes regarding property acquisition. Landry's office coordinated the confidentiality requirements as legislators prepared to vote on final aerospace incentive bills, including measures to shield aerospace companies from certain lawsuits and exempt records from public disclosure.

Governor Jeff Landry received House Bill 697 and House Bill 758 following passage by both chambers of the Louisiana Legislature in May 2026. HB 697, sponsored by state Representative Brett Geymann, would extend the Department of Environmental Quality's sunset date by five years to July 1, 2031. HB 758, sponsored by state Representative Ken Brass, would authorize DEQ to reset its fee structure for the first time since 2016, allowing the agency to adjust fees across multiple functions including air permits and late fees without requiring legislative approval for each adjustment.

Following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Louisiana v. Callais regarding redistricting, Landry proceeded with the May 16 Senate election while delaying the U.S. House elections. Absentee voting had already begun at the time of the court's ruling in late April. Landry's decision to hold some elections while postponing others created scheduling inconsistencies for the electoral process.

Chelsey Richard Napoleon assumed office as Orleans Parish-wide clerk of court following the implementation of Act 15, a state law that merged the civil clerk position with the criminal court clerk position. Napoleon outlined her plan to manage the combined responsibilities, including oversight of criminal records and parish elections, while addressing funding reductions and a compressed transition timeline. She appointed Edwin Lombard, a former criminal clerk of court, as senior deputy overseeing daily operations at the criminal courthouse.

Governor Landry stated that the Louisiana Legislature should pass a congressional redistricting map that is legally defensible in court, indicating he would need to approve any map the Legislature passes before it takes effect. The GOP-controlled Legislature is considering redrawing the state's six congressional districts, potentially eliminating one or both of the currently existing majority-Black Democratic districts held by representatives from Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Landry's statement came as Republican lawmakers grappled with legal constraints imposed by the Supreme Court's recent interpretation of the Voting Rights Act, which restricts the use of race in drawing district lines.

Following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Louisiana v. Callais that weakened application of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to Louisiana, Landry suspended the state's congressional election to allow lawmakers to redraw districts. Landry's suspension enabled the state legislature to create a new congressional map configuration following the Court's ruling that Louisiana's 6th Congressional District unconstitutionally relied on race in its 2024 design. The emergency suspension remained in effect pending the legislature's passage of revised congressional districts.

Republican Governor Jeff Landry postponed Louisiana's May 16 congressional primary election to allow state lawmakers to revise U.S. House districts in response to an April 29 Supreme Court ruling that struck down a majority Black congressional district. The postponement was challenged in multiple lawsuits filed in federal and state court, with plaintiffs asserting that Landry lacked the authority to suspend the primary elections. The redistricting action was part of a broader wave of mid-decade congressional map changes across eight states following the Supreme Court's weakening of the federal Voting Rights Act.

Governor Jeff Landry issued an order on Thursday canceling House elections in Louisiana amid confusion over a new primary election system and a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling. The cancellation occurred during early voting, with election officials posting notices at voting sites to inform voters that certain House races had been canceled. Democrats filed lawsuits challenging both the Supreme Court ruling and Landry's order, while some voters cast ballots in the canceled races despite official notification that their votes would not count.

Governor Landry signed legislation that eliminated the Criminal Court Clerk position in Orleans Parish and transferred its duties to the Orleans Parish Clerk, after voters had elected Calvin Duncan to the Criminal Court Clerk office in the fall election. A federal judge in Baton Rouge issued a temporary restraining order allowing Duncan to take office, but the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals subsequently stayed that ruling, reinstating the state law that eliminates the position. Landry characterized the federal court's temporary restraining order as misguided and stated it creates chaos.

Governor Jeff Landry signed Senate Bill 256 into law, which eliminated the Criminal Clerk of Court position in Orleans Parish and transferred its duties to the Orleans Parish Civil Clerk, effectively nullifying the election of Calvin Duncan to the Criminal Clerk seat. A federal judge subsequently issued a temporary restraining order finding Senate Bill 256 unconstitutional and enjoining Landry and Secretary of State Nancy Landry from enforcing the law. The Landry administration announced it would appeal the court's decision.

A federal judge blocked Louisiana Senate Bill 256, which Governor Jeff Landry signed into law as Act 15, from taking effect. The law would have abolished the Orleans Parish criminal clerk of court position and transferred its duties to the civil clerk of court. The ruling allowed Calvin Duncan, who was elected to the criminal clerk position, to assume office as the court clerk for Orleans Parish.

Governor Landry declared an emergency on Thursday that canceled the May 16 primary election for Louisiana's six U.S. House seats after the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated the state's congressional voting map as unconstitutional due to its reliance on race in district drawing. The cancellation occurred after absentee voting had already begun and one week before early voting was scheduled to start. State lawmakers subsequently began work on redrawing Louisiana's congressional districts, with the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee expected to consider redistricting legislation in the coming weeks.

Governor Landry issued an emergency executive order suspending primary elections for congressional races following a Louisiana Supreme Court ruling that declared the state's redistricting maps unconstitutional. Multiple lawsuits were subsequently filed challenging the executive order, with Democratic candidates and civil rights organizations contending that Landry exceeded his authority. A state court ruled in favor of the executive order on Friday, finding the postponement of the congressional race constitutional, though the legal challenges continued.

Governor Jeff Landry issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency and suspending Louisiana's congressional primary elections, which were scheduled to begin two days later, following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that Louisiana's voting map was unconstitutional. Multiple lawsuits were filed within 24 hours by candidates, civil rights groups, and Democratic legislators challenging the suspension and arguing that Landry exceeded his authority through the executive order. State court judges dismissed several of the initial legal challenges, while state officials maintained that the suspension was within the bounds of law and necessary in response to the Supreme Court decision.

Following a Supreme Court ruling that struck down Louisiana's majority-Black congressional district, Republican Gov. Jeff Landry moved to postpone the state's congressional primary scheduled to begin Saturday while allowing elections for other offices to proceed. The postponement was intended to provide time for state lawmakers to approve new U.S. House districts before the November midterm elections. Landry's action came as other Republican governors in states including Alabama and Tennessee announced special legislative sessions to redraw voting districts in response to the same Supreme Court decision.

Following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais that found the state's congressional voting map an unconstitutional racial gerrymander, Governor Landry issued an executive order on May 2, 2026, postponing the May 16 primary U.S. House elections to allow the Legislature time to redraw the congressional districts. The postponement was immediately challenged in court by multiple parties, including Representative Cleo Fields and Democratic candidate Lindsey Garcia, who argued that mail-in ballots had already been distributed and early voting was scheduled to begin, making the election technically underway.

Landry issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency and suspending an ongoing Louisiana congressional primary election following a United States Supreme Court decision in the Callais case regarding congressional district maps. The Elias Law Group filed an emergency petition in the 19th Judicial District Court on behalf of the National Council of Jewish Women – Greater New Orleans Section and three voters seeking to block the executive order and allow the May 16 election to proceed. The state court denied the request for a temporary restraining order, siding with the state in its determination that holding elections under the existing congressional map would be unconstitutional.

Governor Landry signed legislation on Thursday abolishing the Orleans Parish clerk of criminal court position, an elected office that has existed for an extended period. Calvin Duncan, who won the election to this position in November with more than two-thirds of the vote and was scheduled to take office on Monday, was thereby prevented from assuming the seat. Republicans cited judicial system efficiency and cost reduction as the rationale for the position's elimination, while the legislation transferred the clerk's responsibilities to a unified clerk of court office.

Landry signed Louisiana Senate Bill 256 on April 30, 2026, which merged the Orleans Parish civil and criminal clerks of court into a single office, effective May 4, 2026. The legislation abolished the position of Criminal Clerk of Court, preventing Calvin Duncan, who was elected to that office in November 2025, from assuming his four-year term scheduled to begin May 5, 2026. The merged office will be headed by Chelsea Richard Napoleon, the two-term Orleans Civil Clerk of Court, as the parish-wide custodian of both civil and criminal records.

Governor Landry prepared to sign Senate Bill 256, legislation that would eliminate the Orleans clerk of criminal court position and consolidate its duties with the civil court clerk's office. Calvin Duncan, who was elected to the criminal clerk position in October 2025 with 68 percent of the vote, filed a temporary restraining order in Louisiana Middle District Court seeking to block the law's enactment and allow him to take office. The restraining order, filed with support from the ACLU Foundation of Louisiana, named Landry, Attorney General Liz Murrill, and Secretary of State Nancy Landry as defendants.

One day after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Louisiana's congressional map unconstitutional, Gov. Landry declared an election emergency and issued an executive order suspending primary elections for the state's six U.S. House seats, which were scheduled to begin early voting two days later. Landry stated in the order that conducting elections under an unconstitutional map violated the Constitution and that the suspension would allow the Legislature time to enact a lawful congressional map. Some election law experts questioned the necessity of the suspension, citing concerns about voter confusion from the delayed election date and the existence of remaining procedural steps in the Supreme Court case.

Landry announced a plan to postpone Congressional elections in Louisiana following a Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais that found the state's Congressional voting map unconstitutional due to the Legislature's consideration of race in its design. The plan would delay votes for the state's six Congressional seats while allowing other elections to proceed as scheduled, with early voting set to begin on Saturday. President Donald Trump publicly commended Landry's decision on Truth Social, and Landry responded by affirming the state's commitment to address the constitutional violation.

Gov. Jeff Landry and Louisiana legislative leaders considered delaying party primaries in congressional races following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that invalidated the state's congressional maps as unconstitutional. State Atty. Gen. Liz Murrill indicated that suspending the primaries would allow time to redraw the districts, a process expected to eliminate at least one majority-Black district. Landry and legislative leaders acknowledged that any changes to the election schedule would likely face legal challenges in court.

The Louisiana legislature passed Senate Bill 256, which consolidates the criminal and civil clerk of court offices in New Orleans into a single position. The bill received final approval in the state senate on a 25-11 vote and awaits Governor Landry's signature to become law. The measure would take effect immediately upon Landry's signing and eliminate the newly elected position of Orleans Parish Criminal Clerk of Court.

Governor Jeff Landry issued an executive order on Thursday postponing Louisiana's U.S. House elections following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that the state's congressional map constituted an illegal racial gerrymander. Landry exercised his authority under state law to change the election schedule in case of an emergency, citing that absentee ballot voting had already begun for the May 16 primary and early voting was set to start the following day. The postponement allows the Louisiana Legislature time to redraw the congressional districts, while all other races scheduled for May 16, including a Senate election and constitutional amendments, proceed as originally planned.

Louisiana Secretary of State Landry certified an emergency declaration in response to a United States Supreme Court ruling that the state's congressional district maps constituted an unconstitutional gerrymander. Landry announced that voting for the May 16 House primaries would proceed with early voting beginning May 2, but that votes cast in U.S. House races would not be counted pending the Governor's issuance of an executive order suspending those races. All other races on the ballot were to continue as scheduled.

Governor Jeff Landry indicated his intention to sign Senate Bill 256, legislation passed by the Louisiana Senate on April 29, 2026, which eliminates the elected position of clerk of criminal court for Orleans Parish effective upon expiration of the current term. The bill consolidates the separate offices of clerk of criminal court and clerk of civil court into a single clerk of court position. The legislation was enacted prior to Calvin Duncan's scheduled May 4 start date as the newly elected clerk of criminal court.

House Bill 211, sponsored by Rep. Debbie Villio, R-Kenner, advanced through the Louisiana Legislature as part of an initiative backed by Gov. Jeff Landry to address homelessness in the state. The bill would prohibit public camping in areas not designated for that purpose and establish "homelessness courts" where violators could enter treatment programs, with charges potentially dismissed upon completion. An amendment by Sen. Caleb Kleinpeter was adopted to ensure homeless individuals could not be convicted of felonies under the bill regardless of repeated offenses.

Following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that Louisiana's congressional voting map was unconstitutional, Governor Landry stated on Wednesday that state leaders needed time to review the decision and determine next steps. Landry indicated that he would consult with the attorney general and legislative leadership to explore available options, which he described as including whether the Legislature should redraw the six-district map or reduce the number of majority-Democrat districts. Landry noted that the Legislature would need to decide whether to proceed with the scheduled May 16 primary election or adjust the election timeline to allow for the creation of a new map.

Following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Louisiana v. Callais striking down Louisiana's congressional map as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander, Governor Landry stated that Louisiana had sought clarity from the courts regarding congressional redistricting and characterized the prior legal process as a "judicial and litigation circus" spanning decades. Landry asserted that the ruling does not diminish the voting power of Black voters and suggested that the Voting Rights Act had been used to override the legislative will based on partisan considerations. The Supreme Court's decision established that race may be used as a remedy under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act only in narrow circumstances where there is proof of intentional discrimination.

The Louisiana Senate Judiciary Committee advanced House Bill 211 on April 28, 2026, which would criminalize sleeping in public spaces by creating a new offense of "public camping" defined as lodging or residing overnight in outdoor areas not designated for that use. On a first conviction, a person could be fined up to $500, imprisoned for up to six months, or both. The bill, authored by Rep. Debbie Villio, a Kenner Republican, also would authorize local governments to establish homelessness courts where eligible individuals could enter probation with conditions such as mental health or substance abuse treatment instead of facing trial.

Gov. Landry advanced Senate Bill 477, legislation that would increase the pension and salary of Christopher Hebert, the chair of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board whom Landry appointed. The bill would allow Hebert to participate in the Louisiana State Employees Retirement System and raise his annual salary from $169,400 to approximately $200,000, equivalent to a court of appeals judge's compensation. The Senate passed SB477 unanimously and the legislation proceeded to the House Retirement Committee.

Louisiana's $1.54 billion annual coastal protection and restoration plan for fiscal year 2027 received final legislative approval, implementing a strategy shift by Landry's administration. The plan encompasses 143 active projects across the state's coast but eliminates two large-scale river diversions previously designed to rebuild lost wetlands. The funding framework and revised approach were characterized by the administration as a significant achievement in coastal management.

Landry voiced support for House Bill 1085, authored by Republican Rep. Larry Bagley, which would eliminate the vehicle inspection sticker requirement for most Louisiana drivers while retaining it for commercial vehicles and school buses. Landry described the traditional inspection sticker process as "annoying," "inconvenient," and serving "little value to the safety of our roads." The proposal would affect the approximately $10 million annually collected by Louisiana State Police from inspection sticker fees.

Following a shooting at the Mall of Louisiana that resulted in one teenage death and five wounded, Governor Landry made public statements criticizing judges he characterized as lenient, particularly in cases involving juveniles. Landry stated during a press conference at the Baton Rouge Police Department that judges who release violent offenders and fail to use their authority to protect public safety should be held accountable. Landry and Republican state lawmakers advanced legislation that would expand the Legislature's power to remove judges, increase pretrial detention time for youth, and allow prosecutors to request new judges in bench trial cases.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry appeared at a news conference following a shooting at the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge that killed one person and injured five others, during which he announced plans to conduct a targeted warrant sweep focused on individuals connected to the incident. Landry stated he had coordinated with FBI Director Kash Patel and pledged to deploy state, local, and federal law enforcement resources to address gang violence in the capital city. The governor declared that those responsible for bringing violence into public spaces would face immediate consequences from law enforcement.

Governor Jeff Landry issued a statement on X acknowledging awareness of a mass shooting at the Mall of Louisiana and requesting that citizens avoid the area. Landry stated that he and his wife were praying for those affected and expressed gratitude for the rapid response of law enforcement officials. The governor's statement was issued as law enforcement responded to reports of shots fired in the shopping mall's food court on Thursday afternoon.

Landry issued a statement acknowledging an active shooter incident at the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge and stated he was in coordination with law enforcement regarding the situation. Landry directed the public to avoid the area and indicated that updates would be provided as more information became available. Landry expressed that he and his wife were praying for those affected and acknowledged the response of law enforcement officials.

Louisiana Governor Landry backed legislation to eliminate references to the term "gender" in state law and replace them with the word "sex." The proposed legislation would define "sex" as "an individual's biological sex, either male or female, as observed or clinically certified at birth," while specifying that gender identity and other subjective terms shall not be used as synonyms or substitutes for sex. The change was intended to provide a uniform statutory definition of sex in Louisiana law.

Calvin Duncan, an exonerated former prisoner, took a ceremonial oath of office on April 21, 2026, as the newly elected clerk of criminal court in Orleans Parish after winning the November election. During the ceremony, Republican legislators in the state legislature were advancing legislation to eliminate the clerk of criminal court position at the direction of Governor Jeff Landry, with plans to vote on the measure before Duncan's formal assumption of office scheduled for May 4. The bill would consolidate the criminal and civil court clerk positions under a single clerk of court role.

Abraham drafted Senate Bill 289, which proposed keeping the identities of applicants to top college administrative positions confidential during recruitment processes. According to Abraham, the confidentiality provision was intended to encourage candidates to apply for leadership roles at Louisiana universities. Abraham subsequently announced plans to amend the bill to require universities to disclose certain finalists rather than maintain complete secrecy throughout the search process.

Governor Jeff Landry announced his support for Senate Bill 256, legislation that would eliminate the Orleans Parish criminal clerk of court position, and stated he would sign the bill upon receiving it. The bill, which advanced from the House Judiciary Committee to the full House, would consolidate the criminal and civil clerk positions into a single office, making Orleans Parish consistent with other parishes in the state. Landry's position came as Calvin Duncan, elected to the criminal clerk position in October with 68 percent of the vote, held a ceremonial swearing-in ceremony in advance of the Legislature's expected vote on the measure.

Governor Landry supported Senate Bill 217, legislation that would reduce the number of judges in Orleans Parish criminal courts from 12 to nine, which the Louisiana Senate approved on April 20, 2026, by a vote of 27-9. The bill was part of Landry's broader initiative to restructure New Orleans's court system. Senator Jay Morris, the bill's author, amended the legislation on the Senate floor to preserve two civil court judgeships that had been included in an earlier version.

Landry responded to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Chevron USA Inc. v. Plaquemines Parish that decided against Louisiana's effort to keep coastal damage litigation in state court rather than federal court. The ruling stemmed from a case in which a Plaquemines Parish jury had ordered Chevron to pay $745 million for wetlands damage, a decision that the company appealed to the Supreme Court. Landry stated he was working to achieve a settlement resolution that would allow coastal cleanup efforts to proceed while acknowledging that oil companies would continue to pursue litigation in federal court if they chose to do so.

Gov. Landry engaged in discussions regarding Sen. Patrick McMath's proposed bill to restructure Louisiana's child welfare system by transferring responsibility from the Department of Children and Family Services to the Louisiana Department of Health, with the Louisiana State Police managing abuse reports and the attorney general's office handling child support enforcement. Landry expressed frustration that his office had not been consulted during the bill's development and subsequently met with McMath, DCFS Secretary Rebecca Harris, and Senate President Cameron Henry to discuss solutions. The governor characterized the meeting as productive and stated his focus on protecting children through determining the best path forward.

Governor Jeff Landry established a commission following the New Year's Day 2025 attack on Bourbon Street that killed 14 people and injured dozens. The commission, working with family members of victims and survivors, selected a design for a permanent memorial to be constructed in Goldring Woldenberg Riverfront Park. The memorial will feature curved stone walls with the names of the 14 victims inscribed, along with benches, glass inlays displaying personal belongings, and written tributes.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill responded to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Chevron USA Inc. v. Plaquemines Parish, which determined that a coastal damage lawsuit should potentially be retried in federal court rather than state court. Murrill stated in a written statement that she remained confident Louisiana would ultimately prevail in the case, referencing a prior state court jury verdict that ordered Chevron to pay $745 million in damages for toxic waste disposal in the Louisiana marsh. The Supreme Court decision may affect the status of dozens of similar pending lawsuits from Louisiana parishes seeking to hold oil companies liable for coastal damage.

Governor Jeff Landry included House Bill 211, the "Streets to Success Act," in his spring legislative agenda. The bill, authored by state Representative Debbie Villio, would classify camping in unauthorized public spaces as a criminal offense punishable by up to six months in prison for a first offense and at least one year for subsequent offenses, though those charged could avoid incarceration through a year-long probation period combined with completion of a treatment program. The measure also proposes establishing specialized homelessness courts and would allow convictions to be removed upon successful completion of the probation and program requirements.

Landry's administration canceled two expansive river diversion projects, the Mid-Barataria and Mid-Breton Sediment Diversions, as part of a major shift in coastal protection strategy. The state's $1.5 billion annual coastal restoration and protection plan cleared a key legislative committee in April 2026 after advocates' concerns about the cancelations had caused a weeklong delay. Landry's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority met with advocacy groups including Women of the Storm to address questions about the new coastal strategy, though disagreements between officials and advocates on the diversions remained.

Senate Bill 215, sponsored by Sen. Patrick McMath, advanced 4-3 along party lines in a Louisiana Senate judiciary committee. The bill would authorize the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to create a committee to review appeal records and recommend parole for incarcerated individuals convicted through nonunanimous jury verdicts, with the committee operating for three years and accepting applications during its first year. The legislation addresses convictions rendered under Louisiana's prior nonunanimous jury requirement, which became unconstitutional following a 2018 constitutional amendment mandating unanimous verdicts.

Landry announced in August 2025 that New Orleans would host the LIV Golf Tournament at Bayou Oaks Golf Course in June 2026, a deal involving $7 million in state funding for a hosting fee and golf course improvements. In April 2026, reports surfaced that Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund was considering withdrawing financial support from the Saudi Arabian-backed tournament due to regional conflicts, placing the scheduled event in uncertainty. Through a spokesperson, Landry stated that the state had not been notified of LIV folding or pulling out as of the date of the reports.

A Louisiana House committee passed Senate Bill 256, sponsored by Senator Jay Morris, which would merge the civil and criminal clerk offices of Orleans Parish under the current civil court clerk Chelsea Napoleon, effectively abolishing the separate criminal clerk position. The committee voted 8-5 to advance the bill without amendments despite opposition from Calvin Duncan, the criminal clerk-elect and former incarcerated person whose conviction was vacated. The bill now proceeds to the full House for a vote before being sent to Governor Landry, who is expected to sign it into law.

Governor Landry stated that he had not been fully consulted on a plan unveiled by State Senator Patrick McMath to dismantle the Department of Children and Family Services and redistribute its responsibilities to other state agencies, including the Health Department, Louisiana State Police, and the Attorney General's office. Landry expressed frustration with the legislative process, noting that McMath had not presented him with details of the proposal, including cost estimates for transferring child abuse hotline operations to State Police. While acknowledging ongoing challenges within the child welfare agency, Landry indicated he preferred to work collaboratively on reform efforts rather than respond to legislation developed without his input.

Landry signed legislation in 2024 that changed the treatment of 17-year-olds in Louisiana's criminal justice system, classifying them as adults rather than juveniles. The law was applied in the case of Andrew Easly, a 17-year-old from Mandeville arrested in connection with a home invasion and attempted murder that occurred in April 2026. Easly was booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center as an adult, while a 16-year-old accomplice was detained in the juvenile system.

Landry created a task force in 2025 to review accreditation practices at Louisiana's public universities and evaluate membership in the newly established Commission for Public Higher Education. Senate Bill 304, which follows the task force's recommendations, would permit Louisiana's public universities to seek accreditation alternatives to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, which has served as the state's accreditor for over a century. The bill represents a potential shift in how the state's higher education institutions obtain accreditation and institutional evaluation.

Governor Landry included House Bill 211, sponsored by state Representative Debbie Villio, as part of his legislative agenda during the 2026 session. HB 211 would establish a mechanism to make camping in unauthorized public spaces a criminal offense while creating "homelessness courts" that allow individuals to avoid incarceration by pleading guilty, serving probation of at least one year, and completing a treatment program. Landry signed the bill during a crime session bill signing ceremony.

On January 6, 2026, Governor Jeff Landry appointed former U.S. Representative Joseph Cao to a vacant seat on the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to represent St. Tammany Parish and parts of Orleans, Jefferson, and Tangipahoa parishes. Cao, a Republican from Harvey with experience as a physics major, Jesuit, philosophy professor, and lawyer, accepted the appointment, which he stated he had not sought. The appointment filled a vacancy created when the previous incumbent, Paul Hollis, accepted a position in the Trump administration.

Louisiana House Judiciary Committee approved House Bill 211, titled the "Streets to Success Act," which criminalizes being unhoused in the state and authorizes local governments to establish internment camps for unhoused individuals. The bill, which passed 12 to 4, imposes fines of up to $500 for first offenses and a minimum of six months in prison, with sentences doubling for subsequent convictions, and makes sleeping in public an arrestable offense. The legislation was part of Gov. Jeff Landry's legislative agenda and was modeled on an anti-unhoused ordinance from Portland, Oregon, though with significantly harsher penalties.

Moreno's administration advanced two bills through the state House Retirement Committee that would resolve a dispute with the statewide police pension system regarding penalties totaling over $40 million. House Bill 49 eliminates penalties for partial dissolution of local police departments, while House Bill 45 stipulates that retention bonuses do not count toward pension calculations. The bills require passage by the full House and Senate and signature by Governor Landry to become law.

Landry's administration cancelled major river sediment diversion projects designed to rebuild lost Louisiana wetlands, a decision that prompted the advocacy group Women of the Storm to raise concerns and pose questions to the state's coastal authority. The $1.5 billion annual coastal protection and restoration plan encountered a legislative delay on Wednesday following these concerns. The cancelled diversions had been designed to deliver Mississippi River sediment and nutrients to rebuild degraded coastal areas south of New Orleans over a 50-year period.

Landry's state received an additional $47.4 million in fiscal year 2026 for coastal restoration and hurricane protection projects through the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (GOMESA), following Rep. Steve Scalise's work to increase the funding cap in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. This increase raised Louisiana's total GOMESA allocation from $156.3 million in 2025 to $203.7 million in 2026, representing a more than 30 percent increase in funding. The expanded funding level is scheduled to continue through 2034.

Landry supported a package of incentive bills designed to attract aerospace companies to Louisiana, including SpaceX. The bills were introduced for consideration in the state legislature on Tuesday. The specific incentives and their provisions were not detailed in the available information.

Governor Jeff Landry expressed support for Louisiana aerospace tax incentive legislation that advanced through the House tax committee without opposition in April 2026. Landry stated he would welcome the opportunity to attract aerospace companies such as SpaceX or Blue Origin to Louisiana through the tax breaks. The governor characterized the aerospace industry as robust and indicated Louisiana aimed to position itself competitively should such companies consider locating in the state.

The Louisiana Senate Judiciary A Committee passed Senate Bill 217 on a 4-3 party-line vote on March 31, 2026, which would reduce the number of judgeships across New Orleans courts including the removal of two civil district judgeships and four criminal courthouse judgeships. The bill, sponsored by Senator Jay Morris, also includes provisions to dissolve a juvenile court judgeship through attrition and eliminate one Municipal and Traffic Court judgeship. The committee simultaneously advanced two additional Morris-sponsored bills targeting the Orleans Parish court system: Senate Bill 197 to reduce Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal judgeships from twelve to eight, and Senate Bill 256 to merge the civil and criminal clerk offices.

Governor Jeff Landry called for the elimination of Louisiana's vehicle inspection sticker program during the 2026 legislative session, describing the annual requirement as an inconvenient process for drivers. On March 30, 2026, Louisiana lawmakers advanced a bill to eliminate the inspection sticker program through a House Transportation Committee meeting, sending it to the full House for consideration. Landry proposed replacing the inspection sticker with a QR sticker that would provide law enforcement with immediate access to vehicle information through scanning.

Governor Landry supported House Bill 838, sponsored by Representative Larry Bagley, which would eliminate routine vehicle safety inspection sticker requirements for most of Louisiana. Under the bill, personal vehicles would instead require a $6 annual sticker displaying the vehicle identification number, while commercial vehicles and school buses would continue to require regular safety inspections. New Orleans, Kenner, and Westwego would retain their existing inspection requirements, and emissions testing would remain mandatory in certain Baton Rouge-area parishes under federal Clean Air Act standards.

Louisiana legislators filed multiple bills in 2026 to regulate artificial intelligence, including measures to restrict insurance companies from using AI solely to deny coverage and to limit employer use of AI in hiring and firing decisions. The Trump administration threatened to withhold federal broadband funding from Louisiana through the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program if certain AI regulation bills were enacted, citing its preference for a national regulatory framework over state-level restrictions. In response to these federal threats, some of the proposed Louisiana AI regulations were placed on hold.

Governor Jeff Landry pushed the Louisiana Legislature to pass House Bill 911, which would reduce the number of judges in Orleans Parish by eliminating 14 positions, abolish the juvenile court as a standalone entity, and consolidate it with civil and criminal district courts. The State House Judiciary Committee voted 10-5 in favor of the measure in March 2026, with Landry arguing the changes would reduce costs and address what he characterized as inefficiencies in the Orleans Parish court system. The proposal, sponsored by Republican state Representative Dixon McMakin, would create a consolidated 41st Judicial District Court with merged clerk duties and increased state oversight of Orleans Parish judicial operations.

Landry announced a state framework for nuclear energy development at the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston in March 2026, proposing that Louisiana build additional nuclear plants, components, and fuel enrichment sites. The administration indicated it would seek grant funding and nuclear-related projects from the Trump administration while meeting with companies and officials at the conference. Landry's push responds to increasing power demands from data centers and heavy industry locating in Louisiana, as well as market demand from international buyers for products manufactured using carbon-free energy.

Landry's administration approved a $1.54 billion coastal protection and restoration plan for Louisiana's fiscal year 2027, which was unanimously approved by the board of the state's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. The plan represents a strategic shift away from large-scale river diversions and includes funding from state and federal sources, BP Deepwater Horizon settlement proceeds, and energy company settlements. The plan now proceeds to the state Legislature for an up-or-down vote and encompasses projects ranging from levee construction to marsh creation and ecosystem restoration.

Governor Landry supported a series of proposals to overhaul the Orleans Parish court system during Louisiana's 2026 legislative session. The bills were part of a broader package of legislation affecting New Orleans that lawmakers considered during the three-month regular session, which ran from March through June 2026. New Orleans judges expressed concern about the court system overhaul measures backed by Landry and Republican lawmakers.

Attorney General Liz Murrill requested that three judges in the 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge—Donald Johnson, Ronald Johnson, and Gail Horne Ray—recuse themselves from nearly 100 pending criminal and civil lawsuits. The judges are plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit filed in February 2026 challenging court district boundaries redrawn by the state legislature in 2025, which eliminated one of two majority-Black districts. Murrill argued that the judges cannot preside impartially over cases in which she appears as a party while simultaneously suing her in federal court.

Louisiana House Bill 399, introduced by state Rep. Jerome Zeringue, R-Houma, would expand the state's medical release program for terminally ill inmates by increasing eligibility from those with less than 60 days to live to those with less than 120 days to live. The bill is supported by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections Secretary Gary Westcott, who stated that expanding the program would allow inmates to spend final days with family members and reduce state healthcare costs. Governor Landry's spokesperson indicated the governor was withholding comment on the legislation pending further consideration in the legislative process.

Senate Bill 123, a constitutional amendment sponsored by state Senator Jay Morris, would grant the governor the ability to suspend or remove elected judges and district attorneys with approval from two-thirds of the state senate for reasons including malfeasance, gross misconduct, or incompetence. The proposal emerged amid public concerns about accountability within Louisiana's criminal justice system, including issues raised by former Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Chet Traylor regarding judicial oversight. The amendment would require voter approval to take effect.

Landry championed the LA GATOR program, a $43.5 million publicly funded initiative launched to help low-income families access private education, which replaced the state's previous voucher program. According to state data released in 2026, the program served approximately 5,600 students during the school year, with nearly all participants from low-income families, though only 4 percent had diagnosed disabilities. Landry held a rally in May 2025 calling for full funding of the LA GATOR program.

Louisiana Economic Development launched the Source Louisiana Accelerator Program, a six-month training initiative designed to prepare local businesses to meet the requirements of major state suppliers and contractors. The program, developed in partnership with Houston-based consulting firm Blue Wave, will accept approximately 50 companies per cohort twice annually, with the first cohort accepting applications through the end of March 2026. The accelerator is part of Gov. Jeff Landry's Project Lightning Speed initiative, which aims to streamline state agency processes to support local business development.

Landry supported the creation of Louisiana FastSites, a program established through Act 365 of the 2025 legislative session that uses a revolving fund to finance economic development projects. The program, implemented as of March 3, 2026, by Secretary of Louisiana Economic Development Susan Bourgeois, identifies properties with potential for industrial recruitment but lacking necessary infrastructure, such as water service or transportation access, and uses state capital to address those deficiencies. The revolving fund model allows repayments from property buyers or users to finance subsequent projects without requiring additional state financing.

Governor Landry advocated for reducing the number of district judges in New Orleans through legislation proposed during the 2026 Louisiana legislative session. The bill, written by state Representative Dixon McMakin, would consolidate the separate civil and criminal courts into a single court system, reducing the total number of judgeships from 27 to 13 and requiring judges to handle both civil and criminal cases. The proposal would also abolish the juvenile court in New Orleans and transfer juvenile matters to adult court judges.

Senator Mark Abraham sponsored legislation that would exempt records related to executive-level job searches at public universities from Louisiana's public records law until finalists are named. The exemption would apply to applications and related records for positions including university presidents, chancellors, and athletic coaches. Abraham stated the measure would protect applicant confidentiality during recruitment processes, while transparency advocates expressed concerns about the breadth of the proposed exemption.

Landry proposed doubling funding for LA GATOR, a school voucher program that provides taxpayer money to families for private school and homeschool expenses, from $43.5 million to $88 million in his budget proposal. U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon publicly stated her support for Landry's proposal on social media, stating that the expansion would increase school choice for Louisiana families. The proposal faced opposition in the Louisiana Legislature, with Senate President Cameron Henry indicating the program should not grow beyond its current size, and a similar increase proposed by Landry the previous year had been removed from the state budget by the Senate.

On Monday, Governor Jeff Landry announced a proposal to replace Louisiana's traditional vehicle inspection stickers with QR code stickers that law enforcement could scan to access vehicle information including ownership, year, make, model, and eventually insurance coverage. Under the proposal, drivers would purchase a QR code sticker for six dollars, compared to the current ten-dollar inspection sticker fee. Landry stated that the new system would provide a more efficient alternative to the current inspection process, which he characterized as serving little value to road safety and state agencies.

Governor Jeff Landry urged the Louisiana Legislature to pass legislation to strengthen judicial oversight days before former Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Chet Traylor resigned from the Judiciary Commission. Traylor's resignation letter to Landry criticized the commission for failing to hold judges accountable and called for increased transparency in the judicial discipline process. Landry's legislative push represents part of a broader movement by lawmakers and some judges seeking stronger oversight mechanisms for the state judiciary.

Governor Landry called for greater emphasis on community and technical colleges during his opening address at the start of the legislative session, citing a workforce shortage in Louisiana where more jobs exist than workers are available to fill them. Landry noted that Louisiana allocates over $300 million annually to TOPS, the state's primary college scholarship program, with only $6 million directed to students pursuing vocational and technical education. Landry stated that the state's workforce needs do not align with how students are traditionally guided after high school and that the education system must respond more quickly to employer demands.

Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple's office released a bulletin requiring insurance companies to provide specific discounts to homeowners with fortified roofs or document actuarial justification for lower discounts. Homeowners in south Louisiana with fortified roofs must receive a 29 percent discount on the hurricane portion of their premium, while those with fortified "gold" homes meeting additional reinforcement standards must receive a 49 percent discount. Temple stated that the discount figures were derived from data analysis run through catastrophe models in partnership with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

During a speech on the first day of the 2026 regular legislative session, Governor Landry called for Louisiana to abolish the vehicle inspection sticker program. Landry proposed replacing the sticker with a QR code costing $6 that would provide law enforcement with information about vehicle ownership, year, make, model, and eventually insurance coverage. The proposal would eliminate the $10 inspection sticker fee and the associated inspection process.

Governor Landry addressed the Louisiana Legislature on the opening day of the 2026 regular session and advocated for passage of Proposed Amendment 3 on the May 2026 ballot, which would fund permanent teacher pay raises of $2,250 for teachers and $1,125 for support staff by paying down debt within the Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana. Landry stated the amendment would enable permanent increases in teacher income without raising taxes. The governor also proposed an $82 million budget increase for corrections services and commented on other legislative matters including the placement of the Ten Commandments in classrooms and accountability in the Orleans Parish criminal justice system.

Senate Bill 123, filed for the 2026 Louisiana legislative session, would grant Governor Landry the authority to recommend the suspension or removal of district attorneys and judges, subject to approval by a two-thirds vote of the state Senate and passage of a constitutional amendment requiring voter approval. The bill, authored by State Senator Jay Morris, would apply to district, municipal, family, and juvenile court judges but not to appellate or Supreme Court justices. Critics including former Alexandria district court judge Ross Foote contended the proposal would compromise judicial independence by making judges potentially answerable to the governor.

Landry announced plans for Amazon to build data centers in Caddo and Bossier Parishes near Shreveport, Louisiana, at an event in February 2026. The state prepared to provide tax breaks to Meta and Amazon as part of incentive packages for their respective data center projects, with Meta's $27 billion campus already under construction and Amazon's $12 billion facility in development. The tax exemptions were structured through Louisiana's existing tax incentive programs based on projected company expenditures and state economic development policy.

Governor Jeff Landry appointed John Condos, a former member of the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors, to the LSU Board of Supervisors. Condos is an alumnus and former associate professor at McNeese State University with a doctorate in business administration who has served as a commissioner of the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District. This appointment marked Landry's ninth appointment to the LSU governing body, which consists of 15 at-large members and one student representative.

Landry announced that Louisiana was nearing a settlement agreement with ConocoPhillips in lawsuits seeking to hold oil and gas companies responsible for pollution and wetlands loss in the state's coastal marshes. ConocoPhillips was named in 13 of the 42 lawsuits filed as part of a statewide litigation effort led by attorney John Carmouche. The settlement follows prior agreements reached with Freeport-McMoRan, BP, Shell, and Hilcorp.

Governor Landry issued a directive to Louisiana public school superintendents on February 26, 2026, instructing schools to display Ten Commandments posters in every classroom following a Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that allowed the state's Ten Commandments law to take effect. Landry stated that Attorney General Liz Murrill's office would provide legal defense to any schools sued over the poster requirement. The directive was issued amid concerns from school district leaders about potential litigation from civil liberties organizations challenging the law's constitutionality.

Governor Landry announced on March 2, 2026, that the Louisiana National Guard deployment in New Orleans would be extended through August, reducing from the approximately 350 members deployed since before New Year's Eve to approximately 120 soldiers for the six-month extension. The extended deployment remained federally funded and was approved by federal authorities. Landry stated the continued deployment was intended to assist the city with upcoming events and combat violence in New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana.

Governor Landry announced an extension of the Louisiana National Guard's deployment in New Orleans for an additional six months, authorized by the U.S. Department of War. Approximately 120 Louisiana National Guard soldiers will remain in the New Orleans area to coordinate with state and local law enforcement, with a focus on maintaining visible presence during major events and festival seasons. The deployment, which began in December following the Bourbon Street attack and continued through Carnival season, will persist through the upcoming French Quarter Fest and Jazz Fest events.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, following a January 31 memorandum from Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle, moved forward with a combined proposal for the "One Lake" project, which includes constructing a weir near Interstate 20 in Mississippi to create a lake for flood control and recreation. Louisiana officials and environmental groups expressed concern about the decision, citing insufficient study of potential downstream effects on water flow and flooding in their state. The Corps previously indicated its assessment of downstream impacts was based on hydraulic analysis of inundation and sedimentation but lacked detailed analysis of erosion and other effects.

Landry sent a letter to Louisiana members of Congress requesting that West Feliciana Parish be moved from the U.S. Middle District of Louisiana to the Western District of Louisiana. The request cited a 35.2 percent increase in total filings in the Middle District since 2020 and noted that the Middle District currently has 25 percent more new filings per judge than the Western District. The letter stated that the transfer would improve judicial efficiency and address public safety needs in East Baton Rouge Parish and Louisiana.

Governor Jeff Landry stated in August 2025 that Louisiana would allow SNAP recipients to purchase rotisserie chickens, a change he announced alongside restrictions on candy and soft drinks that took effect in January 2026. The rotisserie chicken provision has not been implemented as federal SNAP rules prohibit purchasing foods that are hot at the point of sale, and the state Department of Health has not signed the required waiver. Grocery retailers in Louisiana were subsequently notified that rotisserie chicken purchases remain unavailable to SNAP beneficiaries pending the waiver approval.

Landry hosted Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll and Assistant Secretary of the Army Adam Telle at the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain levee project near Laplace on February 26, 2026. The visit included a tour of the ongoing flood control construction work being conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The event brought together state leadership and federal officials overseeing the Corps of Engineers project to review its progress and operations.

Governor Landry requested doubled funding for LA GATOR, Louisiana's school voucher program, proposing to increase spending from $43.5 million to $88 million to expand eligibility to an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 additional students. State Senate President Cameron Henry announced his opposition to the expansion, stating he would maintain LA GATOR funding at its current level of $43.5 million, citing fiscal sustainability concerns and the cumulative budget obligations of ongoing student participation. Henry's position represented a continuation of budget disagreements from the previous legislative session regarding the voucher program's funding levels.

Governor Landry stated in August 2025 that Louisiana had received federal approval to allow SNAP recipients to purchase rotisserie chickens, a claim that was subsequently listed on a state website as permissible. However, the state Department of Health has not signed the required waiver, and grocery retailers were notified that rotisserie chicken purchases through SNAP remain unavailable despite the earlier announcement. The discrepancy between Landry's public statement and the unsigned waiver created confusion among retailers and SNAP recipients.

Louisiana regulators rejected a request from environmental and consumer advocacy groups to investigate Meta's financing structure for its Hyperion data center in Richland Parish. The advocacy groups, including the Alliance for Affordable Energy and the Union of Concerned Scientists, had asked state utility regulators to examine whether the financial arrangement, which placed a separate company as majority owner rather than Meta itself, could shift costs to ratepayers for three natural gas-fired plants being constructed to power the facility. Regulators declined to open an investigation into the financing setup or whether Meta or Entergy provided misleading information to elected officials during the approval process for the power plan.

Landry sent a letter to the Louisiana Workers' Compensation Corp. requesting that the state-created nonprofit use a portion of its excess reserves to fund fortified roof improvements for homeowners, particularly those covered by Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Landry stated that LWCC possesses sufficient financial capacity and institutional credibility to address the homeowners insurance crisis affecting the state's economy. The request did not specify a funding amount or implementation mechanism, and LWCC's leadership stated the company was reviewing whether it has legal authority to allocate funds for residential roof improvements.

Governor Landry issued an executive order in 2025 highlighting Louisiana's business investment environment, which identified new and expanding industrial projects across liquefied natural gas, data centers, advanced manufacturing, and steel production representing approximately 17,000 potential jobs and an estimated $76 billion in capital investment. The executive order underscored carbon capture and storage (CCS) infrastructure as a factor in Louisiana's strategy to attract industrial investment to the state. ExxonMobil's Low Carbon Solutions business has deployed CCS operations at CF Industries' Donaldsonville Complex and the New Generation Gas Gathering natural gas processing facility in Louisiana as part of infrastructure development along the Mississippi River corridor.

Landry appeared at a press conference outside the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on January 20, 2026, to discuss a federal court ruling that cleared the way for Louisiana's contested state law requiring public schools and colleges to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms. The ruling allowed the state law to take effect following legal challenges to the measure. Landry stood alongside Attorney General Liz Murrill as they addressed media regarding the Ten Commandments posters case.

Landry signed a tax reform package during a special legislative session in late 2024 that reduced the state's top individual income tax rate from 4.25% to 3% and converted the graduated rate structure to a single flat rate. The legislation also increased the standard deduction from $4,500 to $12,500 with annual inflation adjustments, doubled the tax exemption for seniors on retirement income to $12,000, and reduced the highest corporate income tax rate by two percentage points to a flat rate of 5.5%. Landry announced in February 2026 that Louisiana taxpayers would see the effects of these changes reflected in their 2025 tax returns and refunds.

Governor Landry formally requested that a U.S. Department of Education investigation into the Louisiana Board of Regents' diversity goals be expanded to examine every public higher education institution in the state. The investigation was initiated after federal officials determined that the Regents' master plans focusing on increasing certificates and diplomas for underrepresented minorities may violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Landry stated in a February 2026 statement that Louisiana would not tolerate discrimination against any student and characterized the diversity policies as problematic.

A federal magistrate judge referred questions regarding Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office sanctuary policies to the Louisiana Supreme Court in a dispute over whether a 2024 state ban on sanctuary policies applies to the New Orleans jail. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Landry, who signed the 2024 ban as Governor, had argued that the jail's policies conflicted with the new law and intervened in a federal consent decree case governing the jail's immigration enforcement procedures. The referral leaves the state's high court to determine whether the sanctuary policy ban applies in Orleans Parish despite the jail's existing federal consent decree and constitutional home rule protections.

Governor Landry reversed several criminal justice policies enacted in 2016 by proposing legislation in 2024 that extended sentences for offenders, transferred more juveniles to adult prisons, and limited parole eligibility. In his proposed state budget, Landry requested an $82 million increase in corrections spending to cover expanded local offender housing, administrative costs for parole and probation oversight, and immigrant detainee housing. The budget proposal also included $17.5 million to expand capacity at Louisiana State Penitentiary and a per-diem increase for sheriffs housing state offenders in parish jails from $26.39 to $29.29 per day.

Governor Landry formally requested that the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights expand its investigation into diversity, equity, and inclusion practices to encompass every public institution of higher education in Louisiana. Landry stated the expansion was intended to ensure compliance with federal law across the state's public higher education system. The request followed an ongoing investigation that Landry indicated had begun under the previous administration.

The Environmental Protection Agency rolled back the "endangerment finding" on February 12, 2026, which had previously allowed greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide to be regulated as pollutants under the Clean Air Act. This rollback removes the scientific foundation that supported federal climate change regulations, including emissions standards for vehicles and power plants. The action creates regulatory uncertainty for Louisiana's industrial sector while potentially affecting the state's vulnerability to climate-related hazards including sea level rise and extreme weather events.

Landry announced on February 23, 2026, at an event in Shreveport that Amazon planned to construct artificial intelligence data centers in Caddo and Bossier Parishes in northwest Louisiana. The announcement was made jointly with Roger Wehner, vice president of Economic Development for Amazon, and Matt Vanderzanden, CEO of STACK Infrastructure. The project represented a significant economic development initiative for the region.

Gov. Jeff Landry requested that the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights expand an ongoing investigation of diversity, equity and inclusion practices to encompass all public colleges and universities in Louisiana, according to a press release issued on February 23, 2026. The expansion request followed a federal investigation launched earlier in the month that had focused on performance targets in the Board of Regents' executive budget reports calling for increased graduation rates among underrepresented minorities, which federal officials determined appeared to violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In his letter to the Office for Civil Rights, Landry stated that the expansion was necessary to determine whether institutions in the state were engaged in practices contrary to federal law.

A federal appeals court lifted a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of Louisiana's Ten Commandments law in public schools, a statute passed by the state legislature in 2024 and championed by Governor Landry. The ruling by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allowed public K-12 schools and colleges in Louisiana to proceed with posting the Ten Commandments in classrooms. Lower courts had previously determined the law violated students' constitutional right to religious freedom.

Governor Jeff Landry signed legislation requiring Louisiana public schools to display the Ten Commandments, which he included as part of his "Dream Big" education package in 2024 with implementation in 2025. The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in August 2025 that legal challenges to the law were premature and vacated preliminary injunctions that had blocked its enforcement, allowing the law to take effect immediately. Landry's office subsequently issued guidance to public schools on compliance with the law and created example poster designs demonstrating its application.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced a $45 million settlement with CVS resolving three lawsuits filed by the state, with the resolution occurring without an admission of wrongdoing or liability by CVS. The settlement funds will be directed toward legislation related to pharmacy benefit managers and Medicaid fraud initiatives, with implementation conducted in coordination with the Louisiana Department of Health and the state inspector general's office. The lawsuits emerged from a dispute over pharmacy ownership by pharmacy benefit managers, which state officials had sought to restrict through legislative action.

CVS announced a $5 million scholarship program for students pursuing a doctor of pharmacy degree at the University of Louisiana at Monroe and Xavier University in New Orleans. Governor Landry issued a statement praising the initiative, stating he was "excited" to work with CVS and "grateful for their commitment to helping Louisiana's next generation succeed." The scholarship program will launch in the 2026-2027 academic year and prioritize students from diverse backgrounds and communities, particularly those interested in serving areas with critical healthcare needs.

Landry outlined plans to discontinue the $3 billion Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project at a Wednesday hearing of the Senate Transportation Committee. The governor proposed replacing the river re-introduction project with dredge-and-fill marsh creation projects as part of the state's coastal protection strategy. The decision removed a previously state-endorsed coastal funding initiative from the annual spending plan.

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation into the Louisiana Board of Regents in February 2026 regarding the board's 2021–2026 executive budget reports, which included performance targets directing public colleges to prioritize students of races other than white and Asian. Federal officials stated that the race-conscious goals appear to violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in education programs receiving federal funds. The performance targets were part of the Board of Regents' Master Plan for Postsecondary Education, which sought to increase the number of underrepresented minorities graduating from Louisiana public postsecondary schools from 14,579 in 2020–21 to 16,000 by 2025–26.

On February 4, 2026, Landry requested a federal disaster declaration from President Trump for a winter storm that occurred January 23-27, 2026, which caused nine deaths, extensive power outages affecting over 175,000 homes, and closed Interstate 20 across northeast Louisiana. Landry's request sought federal coverage of all recovery costs for 30 days and additional assistance for resilience projects, with state agencies having already spent $11.4 million in response costs. All eight members of Louisiana's congressional delegation submitted a letter to Trump supporting the disaster declaration request to unlock full federal funding for the affected parishes in northeast Louisiana.

In early 2024, Landry appointed Susan Bourgeois as Secretary of Louisiana Economic Development. Bourgeois conducted a statewide listening tour and identified a need to shift perceptions of Louisiana's economic narrative. At Washington Mardi Gras celebrations in January 2026, the Louisiana Economic Development office unveiled the Louisiana Storytellers initiative, a marketing campaign designed to recruit 1,500 volunteers to communicate information about economic opportunities and progress in addressing the state's longstanding challenges.

Landry appointed Julie Emerson as his chief of staff, replacing Kyle Ruckert in the position. Emerson, a state representative who previously served as a floor leader for Landry's legislative agenda, will focus on policy areas including tax reform, insurance, and crime in her new administrative role. The appointment follows Emerson's decision to withdraw from the 2026 U.S. Senate race in January 2025.

Governor Jeff Landry requested $93.5 million in funding for the LA GATOR voucher program during the previous legislative session but received $43.5 million, leading him to request an additional $44.2 million during the spring legislative session. The LA GATOR program, which originated from a bill introduced by State Senator Rick Edmonds, provides eligible students with educational savings accounts funded by state general funds to be used for private school tuition or homeschool materials. Landry made the expansion of LA GATOR a centerpiece of his legislative agenda, though key lawmakers including State Senate President Cameron Henry expressed skepticism about committing additional funds amid expectations of a tight budget.

Governor Jeff Landry appointed state Representative Julie Emerson, a Republican from Carencro serving since 2016, to the position of chief of staff, replacing Kyle Ruckert who departed to lead an external political organization supporting Landry's reelection campaign. Emerson, a third-term legislator and chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, had recently withdrawn from the 2026 U.S. Senate race. The appointment took effect the week following the announcement on Tuesday, February 10, 2026.

In January 2026, Landry appointed Courtney Myers as deputy secretary of the Office of Juvenile Justice, effective February 2, 2026. Myers, a former prosecutor who previously headed the juvenile section of the East Baton Rouge district attorney's office, assumed leadership of the agency following the retirement of Kenny Loftin after two years in the position. As deputy secretary, Myers oversees the entire Office of Juvenile Justice, which operates as an arm of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.

The Louisiana Department of Health established a chief accountability officer position to expand internal oversight of agency spending and program effectiveness, according to Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein. The new role, modeled after the U.S. Government Accountability Office and the federal Health and Human Services inspector general, is intended to address questions raised in legislative audits regarding oversight and internal controls at the agency. The department, which manages a $21.4 billion budget with approximately 70 percent in federal funding, created the position as part of an effort to optimize use of public resources.

Louisiana's Department of Public Safety and Corrections requested an additional $82 million in state funding for its annual operating budget, citing increases in the prison population as a primary factor. The inmate population in state custody grew from 28,093 at the end of 2023 to 30,119 by November 30, 2025, an increase of approximately 2,000 people. State budget officials attributed the rising costs to population growth alongside inflation and overtime expenses, with some increases expected to result from criminal justice legislation enacted during Landry's governorship that eliminated parole eligibility for most inmates and reduced sentence reductions for good behavior.

Landry announced in 2025 that Louisiana was prepared to resume executions after a 15-year hiatus using nitrogen gassing as the execution method, leading to death warrants being signed for multiple death row inmates including Larry Roy. The Louisiana Supreme Court unanimously rejected Attorney General Liz Murrill's challenge to Roy's bid for a new trial, ruling that a 20-year delay in his petition did not constitute abandonment of his appeal rights. Roy remains on death row for the 1993 fatal stabbings of Freddie Richard Jr. and Rosetta Silas in Rapides Parish.

President Donald Trump appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, according to a news release from the agency in February 2026. Landry was sworn in as a member of the panel alongside attorney Marik String. The ACHP is the federal agency responsible for administering the National Historic Preservation Act and advising the White House and Congress on preservation policy.

Landry, serving as President Donald Trump's special envoy to Greenland, authored an op-ed in the New York Times on January 29, 2026, outlining the U.S. position in ongoing negotiations with Denmark and Greenland. In the piece, Landry stated that the United States requires "total, unfettered access" to the island territory and described a proposed agreement that would enhance security cooperation, expand American operational freedom, support new military bases and infrastructure, and facilitate deployment of advanced missile-defense systems. Landry's op-ed outlined the administration's framework for an agreement between the U.S. and Denmark that would reaffirm NATO defense obligations and counter Chinese and Russian influence in the Arctic region.

U.S. District Court Judge Jay Zainey denied a motion filed by the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board on January 22, 2026, to dismiss longstanding desegregation orders dating to the 1960s. Zainey acknowledged that school desegregation orders were not intended to be permanent but found that the school board's argument based on the mootness doctrine was insufficient to warrant dismissal of the case. The ruling followed similar decisions by federal judges in Concordia and St. Mary parishes who also declined to dismiss comparable desegregation cases.

Louisiana implemented restrictions on its SNAP program effective February 18, 2026, prohibiting the use of food assistance benefits to purchase soda and candy. The state obtained a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to establish these restrictions, which were originally scheduled to begin January 1 but were delayed at the state's request. Under the new rules, approximately 25,000 products became ineligible for purchase with SNAP funds, with "soft drinks" defined as carbonated non-alcoholic beverages containing high-fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners, while beverages containing milk or at least 50 percent fruit or vegetable juice remained eligible.

Governor Jeff Landry appointed Misti Cordell to chair the Louisiana Board of Regents last year, a position that sets policies for the state's colleges and universities. Cordell subsequently announced her candidacy for the 5th congressional district seat being vacated by U.S. Representative Julia Letlow. Cordell hired Brett Littlefield, the governor's media consultant, to work on her campaign.

In 2024, State Rep. Julie Emerson sponsored legislation pushed by Gov. Jeff Landry that established a closed primary system for federal elections beginning in 2026. Under the system, candidates qualify during a specified period for congressional and Senate primaries held on May 16, with the top two finishers advancing to a runoff if no candidate achieves at least 50% of the primary vote. The legislation fundamentally altered the process by which Louisiana voters select nominees for federal office.

Landry's administration requested that the Louisiana legislature approximately double spending on the LA GATOR voucher program, which provides taxpayer funds to parents for private school tuition, according to Commissioner of Administration Taylor Barris during a budget meeting on Friday. Landry had previously sought expanded funding for the program during the prior legislative session. Senate President Cameron Henry indicated continued skepticism about the expansion, citing concerns about how families would use the public funds.

Landry attended a groundbreaking event on January 21, 2026, in Franklinton, Louisiana, to launch the first project of the Office of Louisiana Highway Construction, a newly created state agency. The inaugural $2.1 million project involves replacing a bridge over Morgan Branch on Louisiana Highway 424 in Washington Parish, with construction expected to be completed by July or August 2026. The Office of Louisiana Highway Construction aims to repair or replace 62 minor bridges throughout the state by December 31, 2026, with contracts already signed for 10 additional bridge projects.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry declared a state of emergency in response to an incoming winter storm and arctic blast expected to bring dangerous icy conditions across the state. The declaration, issued on January 22, 2026, authorized the mobilization of state resources including 140,000 meals, 160,000 bottles of water, high-water vehicles, and the Louisiana National Guard to areas expected to experience the most severe weather impacts. The emergency order also included a waiver to provide additional gas to areas experiencing shortages, particularly in North Louisiana, and facilitated coordination among state agencies including the Public Service Commission, Department of Transportation and Development, and utility companies in preparation and response efforts.

Greenstein, Louisiana's Secretary of the Department of Health, announced plans for an overhaul of the state's largest agency during a departmental meeting on January 21, 2026. The announced initiatives include formation of a new Office of Health and Nutrition to coordinate chronic condition management and food policy, creation of an inspector general position within the department, and focused programs to reduce cancer deaths, overdoses, and infant mortality. Greenstein, who assumed the role in April 2025, framed the changes as part of a broader effort to streamline departmental operations and services to residents.

Louisiana Attorney General Murrill's office defended a state law requiring public schools to post the Ten Commandments in a federal appeals court hearing in January 2026. The law, enacted in 2024, mandates that public K-12 schools and colleges display the Ten Commandments in classrooms. The full 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments on the contested statute after a three-judge panel had previously ruled it unconstitutional, with the case likely headed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

During a special legislative session on crime in his first acts as governor, Landry summoned lawmakers to pass a package of bills aimed at criminal justice reform. The legislation ended most parole eligibility and reduced the time inmates could earn through good behavior credits. Additional measures within the package automatically placed 17-year-olds into the adult justice system and created new criminal statutes.

Louisiana Attorney General Murrill testified before a U.S. Senate committee hearing chaired by Senator Bill Cassidy regarding state restrictions on medication abortion pills, characterizing women who obtain the pills by mail as victims of "out-of-state abortion pill traffickers." Murrill acknowledged during the hearing that approximately 10,000 Louisiana women annually seek abortion pills by mail, while defending the state's legal framework that criminalizes both the provision and use of these medications. Louisiana's laws, enacted by the state legislature, impose criminal penalties on those who assist women in obtaining abortion medications.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill's office designed Ten Commandments posters that were printed and distributed to Louisiana public school districts by the Louisiana Family Forum, a conservative advocacy group that funded the approximately $40,000 project. The posters feature the biblical precepts alongside informational text and photographs and were sent to all but about five of the state's 69 school districts. The distribution occurred amid ongoing federal litigation challenging the constitutionality of a 2024 Louisiana state law requiring public K-12 schools and colleges to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom.

Governor Jeff Landry announced that Louisiana removed an affirmative action statement from its state hiring policy, replacing language requiring agencies to maintain "an affirmative action program to assure equal employment opportunity" with language requiring policies ensuring "equal employment opportunities for all" based on merit and without regard to non-merit factors. The change followed President Donald Trump's executive order revoking a 1965 presidential requirement for affirmative action plans in state employment. State Civil Service Director Byron Decoteau Jr. indicated the revision responded to inquiries from Louisiana agencies regarding their obligations under the revised federal directive.

Landry was appointed special envoy to Greenland by President Donald Trump in December 2025 to assist in discussions regarding potential U.S. acquisition of the territory. Landry traveled to Washington, D.C., on Thursday and Friday in January 2026 to hold meetings about Greenland and state-specific issues, with plans to visit Greenland itself in March 2026. His planned participation in the Avannaata Qimussersua dog sledding race in March became uncertain after the Greenland Dog Sledding Association issued a statement investigating his invitation and stating that foreign political actors' participation in the event was inappropriate.

Landry's homeland security agency requested a $52 million federal reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for security expenses and temporary homeless shelter costs incurred during Super Bowl LIX and Mardi Gras 2025 in New Orleans. The request was denied in June 2025, with a Department of Homeland Security official stating that FEMA had no additional funding available beyond existing grant awards to cover the state's expenses. The security measures, including overtime pay for state police and Louisiana National Guard troops manning checkpoints around the French Quarter, were implemented following the January 1 vehicle-ramming attack on Bourbon Street.

California Governor Gavin Newsom declined to extradite Dr. Remy Coeytaux to Louisiana in January 2026, following Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry's extradition request for the doctor's alleged provision of abortion medication to a Louisiana resident. Newsom stated that California would not comply with the extradition under its discretionary authority under federal and state law. The decision followed criminal charges filed by Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill against Coeytaux for abortion by means of abortion-inducing drugs.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced charges against California doctor Remy Coeytaux for the crime of abortion by means of abortion-inducing drugs after the doctor allegedly sent mifepristone and misoprostol to a patient in St. Tammany Parish. Governor Jeff Landry signed an extradition request on Tuesday seeking to have Coeytaux transferred to Louisiana for prosecution. The case represents an enforcement action under Louisiana's restrictions on medication abortion and follows a similar indictment of a New York doctor in West Baton Rouge Parish.

Michael Schnell, whom Governor Jeff Landry appointed to the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East board, resigned from his position as vice president after serving for six months, citing personal reasons and concerns about the time commitment required. Schnell's departure marks the seventh board member to leave the nine-member body within a year, resulting in near-complete turnover at the agency responsible for operating New Orleans' levee system. Schnell stated that he felt the board was not functioning as intended to provide guidance on authority matters.

Louisiana Attorney General Landry, alongside Governor Jeff Landry and the Trump Administration's Department of Justice, sought dismissal of a decades-old school desegregation case in DeSoto Parish, which a federal judge closed on Monday. This action represents the second such case in Louisiana where state and federal officials have requested court dismissal of desegregation orders within the past year, following a similar case in Plaquemines Parish. Landry has stated publicly that he intends to pursue the lifting of desegregation orders affecting approximately a dozen Louisiana school districts currently under federal oversight.

Landry was appointed by President Donald Trump as special envoy to Greenland in December 2025. Landry announced plans to attend a major dogsledding event in Greenland in March 2026 as part of his diplomatic efforts in the territory. During media appearances, Landry stated he intends to engage directly with Greenland residents rather than Danish or diplomatic officials regarding the territory's relationship with the United States.

Louisiana received the "Platinum Deal of the Year" award from Business Facilities magazine for the second consecutive year, with Hyundai Steel's nearly $6 billion steel mill project in Ascension Parish named the nation's top development project of 2025. The award followed Louisiana's previous year recognition for Meta's $27 billion Hyperion data center in Richland Parish, making Louisiana the first state to win consecutive honors in this category. Governor Landry announced the achievement in a prepared statement highlighting the state's economic development performance.

Governor Jeff Landry appointed members to the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority who redesigned Louisiana's coastal strategy away from the science-based approach that had guided planning for multiple years. The $3 billion Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project, which had undergone extensive scientific testing, was replaced with a different coastal management approach under the new authority's direction. This shift in coastal policy represented a change in the state's strategy for addressing land loss and rising sea levels in Louisiana's coastal region.

Johnson, Speaker of the House, issued a statement characterizing a U.S. military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as "a decisive and justified operation that will protect American lives," citing Maduro's alleged responsibility for drug trafficking into the United States and his indictment in U.S. courts. The operation was ordered by President Trump and involved military strikes within Venezuelan territory. Johnson's statement represented the House leadership's public position on the military action taken without prior Congressional authorization.

On December 23, Landry renewed a state of emergency declaration originally issued by his predecessor in 2023 in response to ongoing cyberattacks against Louisiana government agencies and public entities. The renewal order cited severe intentional cybersecurity breaches affecting multiple state systems and authorized suspension of procurement and public bidding laws to enable rapid response to cyber incidents. The state has experienced significant breaches in recent years, including attacks on Southeastern Louisiana University in 2022 and the state's Office of Motor Vehicles in 2023, which exposed millions of resident records.

Landry requested Louisiana National Guard troops to assist with addressing statewide crime concerns, resulting in a deployment of 350 service members to New Orleans beginning December 30, 2025. The troops were deployed to provide a uniformed presence in enhanced security zones in the French Quarter and will remain through the end of February, supporting security operations during New Year's Eve, the Sugar Bowl, and Mardi Gras. The National Guard personnel will operate in partnership with the Louisiana State Police and the New Orleans Police Department.

Landry signed Act 6 during the 2025 legislative session, which permits small towns to hold special Saturday elections for sales use tax questions with the permission of state authorities. Landry also signed Act 501, which modifies the collection authority of the Louisiana Department of Insurance by adjusting the fees that may be collected from individuals and companies involved in the insurance industry, including license fees for producers and financial regulation fees. Additionally, Landry signed Act 151, authored by Rep. Troy Hebert, which revises unemployment insurance eligibility requirements to mandate that unemployed individuals actively search for at least five employment opportunities weekly and provide documentation of their applications to maintain unemployment benefits.

Governor Jeff Landry signed executive orders reducing the number of petition signatures required for third-party candidates to appear on ballots in special elections for a Louisiana Supreme Court seat and a Board of Elementary and Secondary Education seat. The orders lowered the signature requirement from 1,000 to 150 for each position, citing the shortened timeline created by vacancies left when Justice Will Crain was selected as a federal judge and BESE member Paul Hollis was picked to run the U.S. Mint. The reduced requirement applies to elections scheduled for 2025 as the state transitions to a closed party primary system.

President Trump authorized a deployment of 350 National Guard troops to New Orleans beginning in early January 2025 to provide security during New Year's celebrations and the Carnival season through mid-February. The deployment follows a deadly vehicle-ramming attack on Bourbon Street on January 1, 2024, that killed 14 people, and the Guard members will be confined primarily to the French Quarter area to support local, state, and federal law enforcement in enhancing security and reducing crime. The National Guard will not engage in immigration enforcement and will operate similarly to earlier deployments in the city, providing visibility and additional security layers alongside over 800 other local, state, and federal law enforcement officials.

The Trump administration authorized the deployment of up to 350 National Guard members to New Orleans and other metropolitan areas in Louisiana during the week of a Supreme Court ruling that blocked a similar deployment in Chicago. Landry stated support for the deployment on Fox News, characterizing the National Guard as complementary to cities experiencing high crime problems. The National Guard deployment to Louisiana was expected to remain in place through the end of February.

Governor Landry announced the deployment of approximately 350 Louisiana National Guard members to New Orleans for a two-month operation extending through February to provide security during New Year's Eve, the Sugar Bowl, and Mardi Gras. The deployment, announced on Fox News's "The Will Cain Show," includes soldiers currently stationed in Washington, D.C. who will return to Louisiana by the end of the month to support the operation. According to the official news release, the National Guard personnel will assist law enforcement in reducing crime, enhancing public safety capabilities, and stabilizing the environment in the French Quarter and throughout New Orleans.

Trump announced Landry's appointment as special envoy in a Truth Social post on December 22, 2025. Landry stated that the role "in no way affects my position as Governor of Louisiana." Trump subsequently clarified at a press conference that Landry's envoy responsibilities concern Greenland, which Trump characterized as important to U.S. national security due to the strategic presence of Russian and Chinese vessels in the region.

Gov. Landry signed an executive order on Friday designating January 1 through January 4, 2026 as a mourning period across Louisiana to commemorate the 14 lives lost in the January 1, 2025 Bourbon Street attack. The order mandates that flags at the State Capitol and other state buildings be flown at half-staff during those four days from sunrise to sunset, and requests that churches, public buildings, and other institutions ring their bells 14 times on January 4 at 3:15 p.m. following a moment of silence. Louisianans are encouraged to incorporate green and yellow in memorials and lighting displays during the designated period.

In 2025, Louisiana Health Secretary Ralph Abraham issued an internal memo instructing staff to halt promotion of vaccination events and public campaigns encouraging protection against flu, COVID-19, mpox, and other illnesses. The memo created confusion among healthcare practitioners and patients regarding vaccination guidance. This action occurred as Louisiana experienced the highest flu rates in the nation and followed testimony at the State Capitol by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding vaccine mandates in schools.

President Donald Trump appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as United States Special Envoy to Greenland in December 2025. Landry accepted the position, which he stated would not affect his role as Governor of Louisiana. Trump indicated the appointment was related to national security interests concerning Greenland.

President Trump announced the appointment of Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as special envoy to Greenland on Sunday. Landry stated in a social media post that he would serve in the volunteer position to make Greenland part of the United States. The announcement prompted Denmark's foreign minister to summon the U.S. ambassador to his ministry, with Danish and Greenlandic leaders reiterating that territorial sovereignty cannot be altered and that the United States cannot annex Greenland.

President Donald Trump announced the appointment of Landry as special envoy to Greenland in December 2025. Landry stated he would serve in this volunteer position and that the role would not conflict with his duties as Louisiana governor. The appointment marked the first known instance of the United States sending a special envoy to the Danish territory.

President Donald Trump appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as special envoy to Greenland, announcing the decision on Sunday and stating that Landry would advance U.S. national security interests in the Arctic territory. In response, the leaders of Denmark and Greenland issued a joint statement Monday reaffirming that Greenland belongs to Greenland and demanding respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark under international law. Denmark's foreign minister stated he would summon the U.S. ambassador in Copenhagen to address the appointment.

President Donald Trump announced the appointment of Landry as United States Special Envoy to Greenland in a Truth Social post on Sunday evening. Trump stated that Landry understands the strategic importance of Greenland to national security and will advance the country's interests regarding allies and global safety. Denmark's foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen responded by stating he was "deeply upset" by the announcement and said he was summoning the U.S. ambassador to explain the decision, which he called "totally unacceptable."

Landry championed a tax package that the Louisiana Legislature passed in November 2024, which eliminated certain tax breaks, replaced the graduated income tax structure with a flat 3 percent personal income tax rate and a flat 5.5 percent corporate rate, and raised the state sales tax to 5 percent for five years before dropping to 4.75 percent. The Revenue Estimating Conference subsequently forecasted that the state would achieve a $159 million surplus for the fiscal year beginning July 1, compared to an anticipated $131 million shortfall. The tax changes contributed substantially to the improved state budget forecast.

A federal judge denied a request by two Christian schools to block enforcement of Act 409, Louisiana's new licensing rule requiring private preschools to apply for day care licenses by January 1. U.S. District Court Judge Terry Doughty ruled that the licensing requirement does not unconstitutionally target religious institutions and serves a neutral state interest in child safety and welfare. The judge noted that while owners must complete criminal background checks by the January 1 deadline, site inspections will occur over several months, allowing schools additional time to achieve full compliance.

Landry's appointee Julia Fisher-Cormier, who was named Deputy Secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development in September to lead the Office of Transformation, was appointed Executive Director of the Port of South Louisiana by the port's Board of Commissioners in December following a national search. Fisher-Cormier replaced Paul Matthews, who resigned in August after three years in the position. The Port of South Louisiana's board voted unanimously to approve the appointment.

Governor Jeff Landry and the Louisiana Legislature enacted a closed primary system for 2026 elections that restricts voters to candidates from their registered party affiliation. The change was implemented without seeking voter input on the modification to the electoral system. The closed primary system limits candidate choices across party lines in primary elections.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced in December 2025 that the state would settle all three lawsuits against CVS Health for approximately $50 million, with CVS confirming an agreement in principle. The lawsuits, filed by Murrill's office in 2025, addressed allegations that CVS used its size to suppress competition and raise drug prices, imposed unfair fees and low reimbursements on independent pharmacies, and improperly used customer data to send text messages opposing legislation that would have prohibited companies from owning both pharmacy benefit managers and retail pharmacies. CVS stated the settlement was not an admission of liability and expressed its commitment to maintaining pharmacy access in Louisiana.

Governor Landry suspended tolls on the Belle Chasse Bridge following widespread criticism from residents and businesses regarding toll prices and allegations of unauthorized charges. Plaquemines Parish subsequently filed a lawsuit after negotiations between the state of Louisiana and Plenary Louisiana Tolling LLC failed to reach an agreement on outstanding issues related to the bridge and its tolls. The parish stated that no changes to the suspended tolls should be expected while it seeks a fair and equitable resolution with the state and the tolling company.

Landry approved President Donald Trump's call for National Guard and U.S. Border Patrol deployment to New Orleans as part of an immigration enforcement initiative. The deployment, announced in December 2025 and referred to as the "Catahoula Crunch" sweeps, began operations in the New Orleans area on December 3, 2025. The operation resulted in detentions of individuals, including some with valid documentation and Louisiana residents.

Landry's administration, through Attorney General Liz Murrill, settled two lawsuits against CVS Health that were filed in June 2025 alleging unfair trade practices related to the company's ownership of both a pharmacy benefit manager and retail pharmacy chain. The settlement terms were not disclosed in court records at the time of announcement. The lawsuits were part of a broader dispute following the failure of House Bill 358, which would have prohibited companies from owning both PBMs and pharmacies.

In November 2024, Landry and the Louisiana Legislature enacted a tax code overhaul that reduced the individual income tax rate from a three-tiered system with a top rate of 4.25% to a flat rate of 3% and lowered the corporate income tax from a tiered system with a top rate of 7.5% to a flat rate of 5.5%, while raising the sales tax by a half-cent to 5% to offset revenue losses. State revenue forecasts subsequently projected $217 million more in tax revenue than anticipated in the spring budget and $214 million higher collections for the following fiscal year, with economists attributing the higher collections to stronger-than-expected income tax revenue and sales tax receipts exceeding projections. The state's fiscal outlook shifted from an anticipated $131 million shortfall to a projected $159 million surplus for the upcoming fiscal year beginning in July.

Landry, while serving as attorney general, filed a lawsuit in April 2022 against UnitedHealthcare and OptumRx, alleging they inflated drug prices through their business model and violated contract terms by failing to provide requested documents; both companies denied the allegations. The lawsuit subsequently became entangled in procedural disputes that extended over multiple years. Attorney General Liz Murrill later cited this unresolved litigation as grounds for recommending that Louisiana not renew UnitedHealthcare's $4.2 billion Medicaid contract in December 2025, affecting approximately 330,000 beneficiaries.

Landry's administration detailed a major shift in Louisiana's coastal protection strategy in December 2025, proposing a draft fiscal 2027 budget of $1.27 billion for the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority that cancels the controversial Mid-Barataria and Mid-Breton sediment diversion projects. The new strategy prioritizes alternative approaches including large-scale "land bridges" constructed with dredged sediment in the Terrebonne, Barataria, and Breton basins, along with barrier island restoration projects. The administration indicated its intention to fund these projects using BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement funds that had previously been designated for the diversion projects, pending trustee approval.

Governor Landry appointed Dr. Evelyn Griffin as Louisiana's state surgeon general in December 2025, following the departure of Dr. Ralph Abraham to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Griffin is an obstetrician-gynecologist based in Baton Rouge who has served on the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and testified before the Louisiana State Senate in 2021 regarding medical interventions for transgender youth. The appointment was announced with limited details and without making Griffin available for media interviews.

Governor Landry appointed Dr. Evelyn Griffin as Louisiana's surgeon general in December 2025. Griffin is a member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and supported the committee's recent decision to end a three-decade-old recommendation for hepatitis B vaccination of all infants. Landry's announcement cited Griffin's clinical experience and work on maternal health in justifying the appointment.

Landry implemented increased immigration enforcement operations in Louisiana, including the "Catahoula Crunch" sweeps that began in December 2025, which involved U.S. Border Patrol agents conducting operations in communities such as Metairie and Kenner. The enforcement actions resulted in the detention of immigrants, with one November 2025 operation in Kenner leading to the apprehension of 13 individuals. Landry's approach involved coordination between federal immigration authorities, Louisiana State Police, and other law enforcement agencies to conduct interior enforcement operations within the state.

Governor Jeff Landry appointed Dr. Evelyn Griffin as Louisiana's Surgeon General in December 2025. Griffin is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist with 15 years of clinical practice experience in a multispecialty clinic and hospital system and serves on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Panel for Immunization Practices. Griffin replaced Ralph Abraham, who accepted a position with the CDC.

The Department of Homeland Security launched Operation Catahoula Crunch in New Orleans on December 3, 2025, deploying approximately 250 federal border patrol agents across southeast Louisiana and into Mississippi for a monthslong immigration enforcement operation. The operation, led by Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino, aims to arrest 5,000 people and represents part of the Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts in Democratic-led cities. As of mid-December, border patrol agents had made 111 arrests in the area, according to data released by NBC News.

Landry supported the "Catahoula Crunch" immigration enforcement operation conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in New Orleans and Jefferson Parish beginning December 3, 2025. The operation, backed by President Donald Trump, deployed dozens of agents in military-style gear across neighborhoods and tourist areas, resulting in arrests documented on camera. Landry stated the crackdown would target individuals unlawfully present in the United States whom he characterized as criminals.

Governor Jeff Landry welcomed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's "Catahoula Crunch" immigration enforcement operation launched in the New Orleans metropolitan area on December 3, 2025. The operation, directed by Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino, deployed several hundred Customs and Border Patrol agents across the region to conduct enforcement activities. Landry's position aligned with the federal enforcement initiative, which continued into its second day on December 4, 2025.

Governor Jeff Landry announced that the "Catahoula Crunch" immigration enforcement deployment, which began in the New Orleans metropolitan area in early December 2025, would target individuals with criminal records. The operation, conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, prompted several Hispanic-owned restaurants and businesses in Kenner and New Orleans to temporarily close in anticipation of the federal enforcement action. Landry had previously referred to the deployment as "Swamp Sweep" before the operation commenced.

Governor Jeff Landry commented on Saronic Technologies, Inc.'s $300 million expansion of its autonomous surface vessels shipyard in St. Mary Parish, characterizing the investment as reflective of Louisiana's workforce strength and manufacturing leadership. The expansion project, which broke ground in November 2025 with expected completion by the end of 2026, is projected to create 1,500 direct jobs with an average annual salary of $87,936 and an estimated 1,770 indirect jobs in the region. Louisiana provided incentives including workforce development through LED FastStart, a $2 million performance-based grant, and $3 million from the Economic Development Award Program to secure the project.

Governor Jeff Landry requested federal funding for a months-long deployment of Louisiana National Guard members to New Orleans in September, seeking to support law enforcement efforts in the city through the end of fiscal year 2026. President Donald Trump confirmed in December 2025 that National Guard members would be deployed to New Orleans within weeks following Landry's request. Trump stated the deployment would arrive "in a couple of weeks," though neither Trump nor Landry specified the exact number of guard members or confirmed the full duration requested, with Landry indicating they would remain through Mardi Gras in February 2026.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry announced his welcome of federal Border Patrol agents deploying to southeast Louisiana as part of Operation Swamp Sweep, a Department of Homeland Security immigration enforcement initiative. The operation, set to begin in early December, involves approximately 250 federal border agents targeting an estimated 5,000 arrests across Louisiana and Mississippi over nearly two months, with initial focus on New Orleans and surrounding parishes. Landry's statement of support aligned with the Trump administration's immigration enforcement agenda in the state.

Louisiana Surgeon General Ralph Abraham was appointed to serve as second-in-command at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Abraham, who became Louisiana's first surgeon general in June 2024 following his appointment by Governor Jeff Landry, had previously served as secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health. Governor Landry stated that Abraham's appointment represented the CDC gaining "a selfless leader" and noted Abraham's role in advancing the "Make America Healthy Again movement" during his tenure as state surgeon general.

Governor Landry called a special legislative session to adjust election timelines, qualifying fees, and procedures ahead of the 2026 election cycle. The session occurred while Louisiana v. Callais, a redistricting case involving the number of majority-Black congressional districts, was pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. Proposals within the session included delaying Louisiana's spring primaries by one month and shifting qualifying periods and election dates.

The Louisiana National Guard deployed to New Orleans during the week of the Bayou Classic to provide security assistance to state and local law enforcement agencies through an enhanced security zone in the French Quarter that included checkpoints and bag searches from Friday through Sunday. This deployment was characterized by officials as event-based support separate from a longer-term National Guard activation that Landry had requested two months prior to support law enforcement in Louisiana cities. The article notes that similar checkpoint operations were implemented during Mardi Gras and Super Bowl LIX following the January 1 terrorist attack on Bourbon Street.

Landry initially sought to condition approval of a $125 million short-term bond sale by New Orleans on the appointment of a court-appointed fiscal administrator, a proposal city officials characterized as constituting state control over the municipality. Following negotiations mediated by Senate President Cameron Henry, Landry approved the bond sale on alternative terms that included establishment of a special fund for the proceeds requiring written approval from the Legislative Auditor before expenditure. The modified arrangement resolved the state-city dispute while allowing New Orleans to address its cash flow emergency and maintain payroll for approximately 5,000 employees.

Gov. Landry appointed Rep. Chad Brown, a Democratic legislator from Plaquemine who represented House District 60, as commissioner of the Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control. Brown resigned from the Louisiana House of Representatives to assume the position, which had been vacant since August 2025. The Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control, operating under the Department of Revenue, is responsible for issuing alcohol permits, collecting alcohol and tobacco taxes, and enforcing regulations against unlicensed sales to minors and other violations.

Governor Landry announced on November 18, 2025, that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration approved Louisiana's broadband expansion plan, making Louisiana the first state to receive approval under the Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment grant program. The approval allocated $1.355 billion in federal funding to the state's broadband initiative. According to state officials, the funding is intended to extend broadband service to all remaining unconnected businesses and households across Louisiana by the end of 2027.

Governor Jeff Landry stated on national television that he welcomes Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to Louisiana to secure cities, in response to reports of increased ICE operations expected in the New Orleans metropolitan area as part of the Trump administration's mass deportation enforcement plan. The federal government has not confirmed specific operations in Louisiana, though immigration advocates report ICE raids have occurred at multiple locations across the region in recent weeks. Landry's statement represents his public position on the deployment of federal immigration enforcement resources within the state.

Governor Jeff Landry's administration provided state-funded assistance equal to 25 percent of federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits from November 1-4 to address a federal delay in distributing November benefits to Louisiana recipients. The state intervention ensured that vulnerable populations, including elderly and disabled residents, maintained access to food assistance during the federal funding gap. Once federal benefits resumed, eligible recipients received both the state assistance and their full federal allotment.

Landry appeared on Fox News on November 17, 2025, to promote a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal titled "In Louisiana, we value capitalism, not socialism," which was funded by Louisiana Economic Development. The advertisement was directed at New York residents following the election of state lawmaker Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York City and invited people to relocate their businesses to Louisiana or apply for positions among over 70,000 available jobs. Landry stated on the news program that Louisiana welcomes people who "embrace capitalism" and wish to compete rather than complain.

Landry stated on Fox News that Louisiana would welcome U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to conduct operations in New Orleans, specifically referencing the capacity to detain individuals at the Louisiana Lockup facility at Angola State Penitentiary. Landry characterized the potential ICE deployment as an opportunity to address public safety concerns and responded affirmatively when asked whether residents of New Orleans would welcome such operations. The statement came amid reports of increased federal immigration enforcement activities in other U.S. cities and ongoing discussions about expanded immigration enforcement in Louisiana.

Landry signed an executive order in October 2025 to allocate state funds to cover SNAP benefits for seniors, disabled individuals, and children during the first four days of November following a federal government shutdown that had suspended benefit distributions. The governor subsequently announced that all SNAP food stamp cards would be filled for the month of November once the federal government reopened. Landry stated he was among the first governors to identify and respond to the SNAP disruption caused by the shutdown.

Landry announced that Louisiana residents receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits would receive full monthly payments for November following the reopening of the federal government after a shutdown. Landry stated that elderly and disabled SNAP recipients, who had previously received 85 percent of their typical benefit payments during the shutdown, would receive an additional 35 percent for November due to surplus federal funds being distributed to states. Landry indicated that all other SNAP recipients would receive their standard full benefit amount for the month.

Landry criticized the Louisiana Supreme Court's ruling in favor of Greenfield Louisiana LLC regarding the proposed St. John the Baptist Parish grain terminal project. The court's decision came after a three-year permit review process involving the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' assessment of the facility's potential impact on historic structures along River Road. Greenfield had announced in August 2024 that it was no longer pursuing the $800 million facility.

Landry participated in the State Bond Commission meeting on November 12, 2025, which approved a $125 million loan for New Orleans to fund city operations and pay workers. The approval came during a Fiscal Review Committee meeting at the State Capitol where Mayor-elect Helena Moreno presented the city's financial request. The loan authorization prevented the implementation of a state takeover of the city's finances.

Moreno, the mayor-elect of New Orleans, led negotiations with state officials to secure $125 million in short-term bonds to address the city's cashflow crisis, an initiative that had previously appeared unlikely to succeed. Prior to the election, Moreno pressed for an outside audit from her position as City Council vice president to determine the size of the budget deficit. Moreno scheduled meetings in Baton Rouge to finalize the bond deal while serving as the city's de facto leader during the financial emergency.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill was granted the right by U.S. Magistrate Judge Janis van Meerveld to intervene in a federal case seeking to dissolve a 2013 settlement agreement that restricts Orleans Parish jail officials from assisting federal immigration authorities with detentions. The settlement, reached following a lawsuit by two men alleging unlawful detention beyond their sentences, limits cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement requests to cases involving murder, aggravated rape, aggravated kidnapping, armed robbery with a firearm, or treason. Murrill argues the 2013 agreement conflicts with a 2024 state law banning sanctuary policies and requiring local authorities to use best efforts to support federal immigration law enforcement.

A three-judge panel of the First Circuit Court of Appeal in Baton Rouge ruled that Louisiana State University may continue proceedings that could result in the termination of law professor Ken Levy following his suspension from teaching after making comments about President Donald Trump and Governor Landry in a classroom setting in January. The appellate court concluded that Levy failed to demonstrate a violation of his due process rights because he retained his tenure, employment status, and salary despite the classroom suspension. The decision overturned a February ruling by district court judge Tarvald Smith that had been favorable to Levy.

Governor Jeff Landry appointed Julia Fisher-Cormier as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development in September 2025 to lead the newly created Office of Transformation. The office was established to address what Landry identified in a May 2024 executive order as deficiencies within DOTD and to restore public trust in the department. Fisher-Cormier's mandate includes streamlining operations and improving the department's responsiveness to the public.

On May 28, 2024, Landry signed legislation into law that prohibited sanctuary city policies for local government and law enforcement agencies. Landry's administration subsequently moved to dissolve a consent decree governing the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office that restricted the agency from providing inmate release date information to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, arguing the decree conflicted with the newly enacted state law. A federal court granted Landry's office permission to intervene in the case, with a hearing scheduled for December 10 on the dissolution of the consent decree.

The New Orleans City Council unanimously approved an ordinance on Thursday creating a dedicated fund for $125 million in emergency bonds, as part of a deal negotiated between Mayor-elect Helena Moreno and state officials to address the city's cashflow crisis. Under the ordinance, the fund can only be accessed through council resolution for specified purposes including salaries, benefits, overtime, and emergency expenses, and requires written concurrence from Louisiana Legislative Auditor Mike Waguespack for any withdrawals. The measure was designed to provide the State Bond Commission with assurances regarding the use of bond proceeds ahead of the commission's expected vote on whether to authorize the city to sell the bonds.

On October 14, Landry announced a pause on new applications for permits to inject carbon dioxide into deep storage wells. The executive order maintained existing permit applications in the review process and directed the Department of Conservation and Energy to prioritize certain permits for accelerated approval. The moratorium did not halt the processing of more than one hundred carbon capture and storage well permit applications already submitted to the state.

Governor Jeff Landry issued an executive order placing a moratorium on new carbon capture and sequestration projects in Louisiana. The moratorium suspends the state's previously secured federal primacy status to permit and regulate CCS projects, a regulatory authority Louisiana had obtained ahead of other Gulf Coast states. The action occurs as Texas moves forward with its own primacy status for CCS projects.

The LSU Board of Supervisors selected Wade Rousse as the 29th president of Louisiana State University on November 4, 2025. The board simultaneously appointed James Dalton as vice president and chancellor, establishing a new organizational structure in which external affairs, governmental affairs, and athletics report to Rousse while campus operations, the AgCenter, health science centers, and the Pennington Biomedical Research Center report to Dalton. This selection and structural reorganization follows the departure of former LSU President William Tate IV to Rutgers University earlier in the year.

Governor Jeff Landry announced Louisiana's plan to fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for November following a federal suspension of food assistance payments due to a government shutdown. The state legislature approved redirecting up to $150 million from the health department budget to provide SNAP benefits to approximately 740,000 recipients, with prioritization given to elderly residents, individuals with disabilities, and households with children. The state's funding continued through November as long as the federal shutdown persisted, making Louisiana one of the few Republican states and the only one in the Deep South to fund SNAP benefits during the federal suspension.

Governor Jeff Landry appointed Dale Revelle, a shipping industry professional and chief of Revelle Shipping Agency, to a five-year term as a commissioner for the Port of New Orleans. Revelle was sworn in as one of four representatives from Orleans Parish on the seven-member board and will also serve on the board of the New Orleans Public Belt. The appointment was announced in November 2025.

Governor Landry stated that the state should seek a court appointment of a fiscal administrator with broad power over New Orleans' finances and operations in response to the city's $160 million budget deficit and cash flow emergency. The city had requested permission from the Bond Commission to issue $125 million in short-term bonds to address an immediate shortfall, but state officials did not approve the request. Mayor-elect Helena Moreno and other city officials rejected Landry's fiscal administrator proposal, and the city subsequently withdrew its bond application.

Governor Landry announced that the state government would allocate funds to ensure most federal food stamp recipients continue to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits during the ongoing federal government shutdown. The state plan prioritizes elderly individuals, people with disabilities, and households with children, while approximately 53,000 able-bodied adults would not be covered under the initiative. Landry's action was intended to address potential gaps in food assistance as organizations and food pantries in the Baton Rouge region prepared for increased demand for services.

Landry issued an emergency declaration that authorized the Louisiana Department of Health to provide state-funded SNAP assistance beginning November 1 in response to a federal government shutdown. Under this declaration, emergency state-funded assistance was made available to SNAP households that include elderly, disabled, or child members, while households consisting only of able-bodied adults were excluded from the state-funded program. Approximately 53,164 able-bodied adult SNAP recipients in Louisiana were affected by this policy, representing roughly 6 percent of the state's total SNAP recipient population.

Landry signed an executive order during a federal government shutdown to maintain Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for children, elderly individuals, and those with disabilities in Louisiana. The executive order ensured that state funds would be used to continue food stamp payments when federal benefits were suspended due to the shutdown. The action was undertaken as the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank prepared for increased demand from individuals losing access to federal nutrition assistance.

Landry announced a $150 million state-funded allocation to temporarily continue Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for more than 800,000 Louisiana residents during a federal government shutdown that had halted federal SNAP funding. The temporary assistance program will be administered by the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services, with distribution scheduled to begin in November prioritizing elderly and disabled beneficiaries before rotating distribution to other eligible groups. The state-funded program will maintain SNAP benefits until federal funding resumes.

Governor Landry stated opposition to New Orleans' request to issue $125 million in short-term revenue bonds to address a $160 million budget deficit. Following Landry's position, the city withdrew its bond request and state oversight bodies canceled scheduled meetings to consider the proposal. The withdrawal averted an immediate state takeover of city finances, though questions remained about how New Orleans would address its deficit and meet payroll obligations.

Landry's administration refused to approve a $125 million stopgap spending loan for New Orleans unless the city agreed to accept a state-appointed financial administrator, according to statements made by Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill to city officials in October 2025. New Orleans city officials withdrew their loan request after this precondition was made clear, deciding instead to pursue austerity measures including potential furloughs, overtime restrictions, and spending cuts. A state-appointed administrator would have authority over city finances and the ability to defund various municipal programs.

The Louisiana House of Representatives and Senate passed a concurrent resolution urging the Louisiana Department of Health to utilize available revenue sources, including the Revenue Stabilization Trust Fund, to address the suspension of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits caused by a federal government shutdown. The resolution passed the House 97-8 and the Senate 32-1, following Governor Jeff Landry's declaration of a state of emergency regarding SNAP benefits. The non-binding resolution does not allocate funding but requests that state officials use emergency funds to address the suspension affecting more than 800,000 Louisiana residents.

The New Orleans City Council requested on October 29, 2025, that the state auditor investigate Mayor LaToya Cantrell's management of city finances during her second term, spanning 2022 through 2025. Governor Jeff Landry urged the State Bond Commission to reject the city's request for $125 million in short-term bonds to address an estimated $160 million budget deficit and potential payroll shortfalls. The council's action and Landry's recommendation preceded a state panel meeting to determine whether to appoint a fiscal administrator for the city.

Landry issued an executive order on Tuesday authorizing the potential furlough of state employees whose positions are funded by federal dollars in response to the ongoing federal government shutdown. The order specifically directed the Louisiana Department of Health and the Louisiana Workforce Commission to identify units and tasks supported by federal funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and to initiate state Civil Service procedures for furloughing affected employees. Landry also ordered the Department of Administration to ensure furloughed employees could maintain their healthcare coverage and to compile available resources for those workers.

Governor Landry announced a plan to distribute Louisiana Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in November through a phased rollout after state lawmakers identified funding to extend the program through that month. Benefits will be distributed in stages beginning November 1st, with elderly and disabled recipients receiving funds in the first four days, followed by families with children throughout the remainder of the month. Approximately 53,000 individuals classified as able-bodied adults without dependents will not receive SNAP benefits in November under this plan.

Loyola University's student government association denied official recognition to a campus chapter of Turning Point USA in October 2025, citing misalignment between the Jesuit university's values and some of the organization's positions. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry responded by announcing he would investigate the matter and stating on social media that he would ensure all voices are heard on Louisiana campuses. Landry had previously spoken at an LSU Turning Point chapter rally and called for greater freedom of expression on university campuses.

Governor Landry announced on October 29, 2025, that Louisiana would use state funds to maintain food stamp benefits for most recipients during a federal government shutdown, prioritizing elderly individuals, people with disabilities, and households with children. The state's plan would exclude approximately 53,000 able-bodied adults without dependents, whom Landry directed to seek employment through louisianaworks.net and utilize food bank resources. Landry stated the state would finalize specific policies in the coming days with assistance from the Louisiana Department of Health.

The New Orleans City Council approved a resolution on October 29, 2025, creating a dedicated fund for a requested $125 million short-term loan and establishing new accountability measures, including mandatory reporting to the state auditor on fund usage with potential withholding of loan disbursements for missed deadlines. The council also introduced a charter amendment requiring council approval for inter-agency fund transfers, locking executive branch spending to budgeted levels, and prohibiting deficit spending, with the amendment scheduled for voter consideration in November 2026. These actions were undertaken in response to Governor Jeff Landry's threatened state takeover of the city due to its financial crisis.

Landry announced a plan to use $150 million in state funds to temporarily continue some benefits during a federal government shutdown affecting SNAP recipients. According to Second Harvest Food Bank officials quoted in the article, this allocation would cover only a partial solution, leaving approximately 30 percent of benefit-dependent individuals, or up to 800,000 people, without the subsidy. The food bank stated that the state funding, while helpful, would be insufficient to address the full scope of need created by the shutdown.

Landry issued a statement calling on the State Bond Commission to deny New Orleans' request for a $125 million loan to cover payroll and municipal expenses. Landry also called on the State Treasurer, Attorney General, and legislative auditor to convene an emergency Fiscal Review Committee meeting and consider appointing a fiscal administrator to oversee the city's finances. Attorney General Liz Murrill confirmed that the Fiscal Review Committee meeting was scheduled for the following day with the possibility of appointing a fiscal administrator on the agenda.

Landry urged state leaders to reject New Orleans' request for a $125 million short-term revenue bond intended to address cash flow problems and budget shortfalls, stating the city should address its financial matters promptly. The governor recommended that the State Bond Commission, scheduled to meet Thursday, deny the city's request and instead appoint a fiscal administrator to oversee New Orleans' finances. Landry also called on Republican members of the state Legislature who serve on the Bond Commission to align with his position against the debt accumulation.

Landry signed an emergency declaration to provide stopgap funding for SNAP benefits in Louisiana during the federal shutdown. The declaration was issued as the second-longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history created disruptions to nutrition assistance for approximately 792,769 Louisianans across 396,157 households. The action enabled the state to maintain SNAP benefit distributions while the federal government remained closed.

Landry called on the Louisiana State University Board of Supervisors to construct a statue honoring Charlie Kirk on campus, making the request through a social media video. Landry's statement came after Turning Point USA, the organization Kirk founded, held an event at LSU where Landry spoke as one of the featured speakers. Kirk, a conservative activist, was killed in September 2024 at Utah Valley University, and the investigation into his death remains ongoing.

Louisiana enacted Act 409, which established new minimum safety standards for all preschools and required private school pre-kindergarten programs to obtain daycare center licenses subject to additional regulations, inspections, and background checks, while exempting public schools and Montessori schools from the licensing requirement. The law took effect in August 2025. Two Christian schools filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana challenging the law as unconstitutional discrimination against religious schools.

Landry signed an emergency declaration on Friday directing Louisiana to provide stopgap funding to continue Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for disabled, elderly, and child recipients in November amid a federal government shutdown. The executive order called on state lawmakers in special session to consider allocating funds from the state's Revenue Stabilization Fund to assist affected residents. The action addressed a federal notification that insufficient funds would be available for the USDA to pay full SNAP benefits to the 47 million families relying on the program nationally.

In 2024, Landry called a special session of the Louisiana Legislature that resulted in the adoption of party primaries for Congressional races, the state Supreme Court, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Public Service Commission, replacing the open primary system that had been in place for approximately fifty years. According to polling data released by election reform group Unite America, approximately 69% of Louisiana voters supported maintaining the open primary system prior to the legislative change. The shift to party primaries was implemented by the same lawmakers who made the original change at Landry's direction during the special session called to address congressional district redistricting.

Governor Jeff Landry appointed Peter Vicari as board president of the South Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East in July 2025. In October 2025, Vicari called a special meeting to vote on whether to recommend the removal of commissioners Deborah Settoon and Randall Noel, both of whom had been appointed by the previous governor. The board voted not to recommend the removal of either commissioner, with the vote on Settoon resulting in a 3-3 tie and the vote on Noel failing 4-2 with two abstentions.

Governor Landry issued a state of emergency declaration for Louisiana on Friday in response to the federal government shutdown affecting SNAP benefit distributions. Beginning in November, Louisiana residents will not receive new SNAP benefits loaded onto their cards due to the shutdown, though previously distributed benefits remain accessible. Landry stated he communicated with legislative leadership and designated the matter a top priority, with the Louisiana Department of Health beginning to notify affected families and retailers of the disruption.

On October 24, 2025, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry declared a state of emergency regarding the potential lapse of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits scheduled for November 1 due to the federal government shutdown. The executive order identified the state's Revenue Stabilization Fund as a potential funding source, which the Legislature could access with a two-thirds vote in each chamber to maintain SNAP payments to approximately 800,000 Louisiana residents. Concurrently, the Louisiana Legislature introduced a resolution directing the Department of Health to repurpose agency funds for November SNAP benefits, with the Legislature reimbursing the department after federal funding resumed.

Landry issued a proclamation calling a special legislative session beginning Wednesday to address election matters for the 2026 election cycle. The proclamation specified a single item for consideration: "To legislate relative to the election code, election dates, election deadlines, and election plans for the 2026 election cycle, and to provide for the funding thereof if necessary." The session must conclude by November 13 and was called days after the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a redistricting case concerning the state's congressional map.

Landry, serving as Louisiana's Governor, joined the Cantrell administration and federal officials in stating that the New Orleans Police Department had achieved compliance with a 492-point federal consent decree and should be released from federal oversight. The consent decree, which had governed the department since 2011, was established to address civil rights violations and required specific reforms in police practices and procedures. U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan subsequently indicated willingness to end the federal oversight arrangement if the case was returned to her court by an appeals process.

Governor Landry announced on October 22, 2025, that Louisiana SNAP cardholders would receive no benefits for November due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, which began October 1 and has prevented the appropriation of federal funds for the program. Nearly 850,000 Louisiana residents received SNAP benefits monthly in 2024, with eligible families of four receiving up to $994 per month through the federally funded program administered by the state Department of Health. Landry stated that without federal appropriations, the state could not provide the benefits and called on Democratic senators to vote to reopen the federal government.

Landry called a special legislative session in Louisiana to consider changes to the state's election schedule as Republicans positioned the state for potential redistricting following U.S. Supreme Court arguments on the state's congressional map. The special session was convened in response to court proceedings in which the six conservative justices appeared inclined to strike down a Black-majority district in Louisiana on the basis that it relied too heavily on race. The redistricting efforts were undertaken in anticipation of a possible Supreme Court ruling that could alter provisions of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Four former state public defenders filed a lawsuit in East Baton Rouge Parish in October 2025 against State Public Defender Rémy Starns, the Office of the State Public Defender, and the Louisiana Public Defender Board, challenging their non-renewal of contracts earlier that year. The plaintiffs alleged that Starns declined to renew their contracts in retaliation after they opposed his policy goals regarding control over Louisiana's public defense system, and that the Louisiana Public Defender Board sided with Starns in July despite the defenders' appeals. The lawsuit alleges that Starns and Governor Jeff Landry's office coordinated to replace departing board members with appointees who would support the contract non-renewals, with five new board members voting to uphold the decisions while the four original members voted to reinstate the defenders.

Governor Jeff Landry issued a warning to Louisiana SNAP recipients that no new benefits would be added to their cards beginning November 1st due to the federal government shutdown, though previously accumulated benefits could still be used. The Louisiana Department of Health began notifying SNAP recipients of the benefit pause and provided notices for retailers to display informing customers of the temporary suspension. Landry's administration launched a website at dcshutdown.la.gov to provide updated information to Louisiana residents affected by the federal shutdown's impact on the nutrition assistance program.

Landry's office issued a notice that Louisiana residents will not receive new Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits loaded onto their cards beginning November 1, 2025, due to a federal government shutdown. The Louisiana Department of Health began notifying families and businesses that accept SNAP benefits of the suspension, while previously accumulated benefits remained available for use. Landry stated in an official statement that SNAP benefits are funded by the federal government and cannot be distributed without federal appropriations.

Governor Landry suspended tolls at the Belle Chasse Bridge in early October 2025 following widespread resident complaints regarding unauthorized charges. The suspension came after a class action lawsuit was filed against bridge operators Plenary Infrastructure and related entities, alleging the collection of millions in unauthorized tolls and $25 administrative fees that had not been approved by the state. State lawmakers indicated they are exploring a potential $200 million buyout agreement with the developer to permanently eliminate the tolling system.

Governor Landry called a special legislative session to adjust election dates for the 2026 spring elections in Louisiana. The session will address rescheduling the primary election from April to May and the runoff election from May to June, with qualifying moved from January to March. These changes provide time for lawmakers to potentially redraw congressional maps following an expected U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the state's congressional districts by year's end.

Governor Landry issued a 12-page executive order on October 15, 2025, declaring a moratorium on new applications for carbon capture injection wells in Louisiana. The order requires companies to increase public and local government consultation on pending projects and establishes transparency requirements for the review process, which Landry noted requires approximately 2,000 hours per project. The moratorium was issued following years of complaints from residents living near planned carbon capture sites, though industry groups expressed concerns that the action could impede economic development in the state.

Governor Landry called for a special legislative session beginning October 23, 2025 to adjust Louisiana's election schedule and deadlines for the 2026 election cycle in response to a legal challenge to the state's congressional voting map. The call for the special session was issued as the U.S. Supreme Court was hearing arguments in a case challenging provisions of the Voting Rights Act that have historically required states to create majority-minority voting districts. The specific legislative changes Landry sought remained unclear, with legislative leadership indicating the governor's office had not yet articulated which dates and modifications he wanted lawmakers to consider.

Governor Jeff Landry declared a halt on new carbon capture and sequestration applications in Louisiana in October 2025. The action suspended processing of permit applications for projects involving the injection and storage of carbon dioxide underground, including proposals such as Air Products' project at Lake Maurepas and BKV Carbon Ventures' initiatives. Landry's declaration paused further expansion of carbon capture infrastructure in the state pending administrative review.

Governor Landry suspended tolls on the Belle Chasse Bridge connecting Plaquemines Parish to the rest of Louisiana, placing the bridge's operator Plenary Infrastructure Belle Chasse "on notice" and promising negotiations for revised terms. The action followed a letter from state lawmakers requesting an investigation into administrative charges totaling more than $6.8 million between May and September, which exceeded the $5.1 million collected in tolls. Landry's suspension addressed concerns that toll charges were creating economic hardship for residents and businesses dependent on the bridge for commerce and daily access.

Mayor-elect Helena Moreno announced four co-chairs to lead her transition effort following her primary election victory on October 11, 2025. The co-chairs named were Cedric Richmond, former congressman and senior advisor to President Joe Biden; Desiree Charbonnet, former Orleans Parish Municipal Court judge; Ryan Berger, a real estate developer; and Emily Arata, system vice president at Ochsner Health. The co-chairs will oversee issue-based committees tasked with developing policy solutions and assist Moreno in making administrative hires before she takes office in January 2026.

Governor Jeff Landry requested that the U.S. Department of Justice activate 1,000 National Guard troops in Baton Rouge and other Louisiana cities to address violent crime. East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards indicated openness to National Guard presence on city streets in a visible capacity but specified that he did not want armed troops conducting raids or aggressive enforcement operations. Five Democratic members of the East Baton Rouge Metro Council called on Edwards to reject Landry's deployment request.

Landry's lawyers intervened with the Louisiana State Employees' Retirement System to allow Christopher Hebert, whom Landry appointed as chair of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, to continue making contributions to the state retirement system. LASERS officials had determined that Hebert was ineligible to participate in the program under Article X, Section 29.1 of the state Constitution, which restricts board and commission members from the retirement system. Landry's office requested an advisory opinion from Attorney General Liz Murrill on Hebert's eligibility, and LASERS allowed Hebert to continue contributing to the system while awaiting that opinion.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill issued a statement supporting the termination of the New Orleans Police Department's consent decree, which has been in place for over 12 years following findings of unconstitutional policing by the Department of Justice. Murrill stated that the State, the city, and the U.S. Department of Justice had reached agreement that the consent decree should be terminated, citing concerns about federal oversight expenses and impacts on NOPD operations. The statement was issued after Federal Judge Susie Morgan indicated she would support ending the consent decree pending review by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Landry suspended toll collection on the Belle Chasse Bridge after residents reported excessive charges and difficulty contacting the private company managing the tolling system. The state opened a customer service center at the Plaquemines Parish Government Campus to assist motorists with GeauxPass account registration, account management, and toll-related inquiries. The center operates for three months on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., though it cannot address issues related to the tolling pause, which applies only to transactions after October 2, 2025.

Governor Landry announced increased reimbursement rates for Medicaid providers in Louisiana during a news conference held Tuesday afternoon, joined by leaders from the Louisiana Department of Health. According to the governor's office, the rate increase was made possible through new efficiencies and stronger program oversight within the state's Medicaid program that generated savings. The adjustment represents one of the most significant Medicaid provider reimbursement increases since the COVID-19 pandemic and will affect medical professionals serving Medicaid patients across Louisiana.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill filed a petition with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals requesting a full court review of a three-judge panel's ruling that found Louisiana's Ten Commandments law, also known as HB 71, unconstitutional. The petition sought to overturn the panel's decision that blocked implementation of the law, which would have required public schools and universities to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals granted the petition and vacated the previous ruling, scheduling a rehearing before the full court.

President Trump authorized the deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago and Portland, with approximately 300 troops designated for Chicago and additional forces from California and Texas also involved in the operation. Trump stated the troops were needed to protect federal buildings during immigration enforcement efforts, though state governors in Oregon and California filed legal challenges to block the deployments. A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order Sunday preventing the deployment to Portland, and Illinois subsequently filed a lawsuit Monday alleging the authorization was unlawful and dangerous.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry requested that the Trump administration and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth deploy 1,000 Louisiana National Guard troops to New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport, citing elevated crime rates and homicide statistics in those three metro areas that exceed the national average. Landry's request came after identifying the three cities as having significantly higher murder rates compared to national benchmarks, though murder rates in all three cities declined from 2021 to 2024. Lafayette, also examined in the article's analysis, maintained a murder rate slightly above the national average during the same period but was not included in Landry's request for National Guard intervention.

Landry and the state Department of Transportation and Development issued an order to Plenary Group on Thursday directing the company to suspend all tolls and fees for the Belle Chasse Bridge and submit a written remediation plan within ten business days. The order cited multiple alleged contract violations including failure to provide timely toll and enforcement information, improper placement of non-renewal flags on licenses, disruption of utility services to surrounding properties, and pavement subsidence exceeding permitted levels. The action occurred several months into the 30-year state contract managing the Belle Chasse Bridge toll facility.

Governor Landry requested federal funding from the Trump administration to deploy 1,000 National Guard troops to cities across Louisiana, citing crime in New Orleans, Shreveport, and Baton Rouge as well as security needs for large events such as the Bayou Classic and Mardi Gras. The Louisiana National Guard met with New Orleans police and state police officials to conduct preliminary contingency planning for the potential deployment. As of the meeting date, the Trump administration had not yet approved Landry's request for federal funding.

Landry announced the suspension of tolls on the Belle Chasse Bridge on October 2, 2025, following complaints from residents regarding toll rates charged by Plenary Infrastructure Belle Chasse. The suspension was announced in a video posted to social media in which Landry stated he had placed the toll company "on notice" and suspended all tolls pending investigation of the complaints. Plenary Infrastructure Belle Chasse confirmed receipt of the suspension order from Landry on the same day.

Governor Landry requested the activation of up to 1,000 Louisiana National Guard personnel and submitted this request to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to address crime concerns across the state. Landry scheduled a meeting for October 3rd with National Guard leaders, Louisiana State Police Superintendent Robert Hodges, and New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick to coordinate deployment planning. The Pentagon developed plans to deploy approximately 1,000 National Guard troops to Louisiana through September 2026, with focus on major urban areas including New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

The South Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East, led by Landry-appointed leadership, announced the creation of a Special Response Team within its police force equipped with semi-automatic rifles and trained in SWAT tactics, with the first phase of training beginning on September 22, 2025. According to internal agency documentation, the training curriculum includes tactical movement with handguns and rifles, room entering and clearing, and SWAT certification. The agency characterized the expansion of its 50-officer force as necessary to professionalize police operations, though the decision prompted questions about the relationship between the unit's capabilities and the authority's flood protection mandate.

Landry requested that the Department of Justice activate 1,000 National Guard troops to be stationed in Louisiana cities. Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards stated he would seek assurances that any troops stationed in the city would serve in a supportive capacity rather than replace local police officers, while five Democratic members of the East Baton Rouge Metro Council called on Edwards to reject Landry's request. The proposal generated varied responses from local officials, with some expressing support and others requesting additional details about the plan's implementation.

Louisiana's Department of Energy and Natural Resources was reorganized and renamed the Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy effective November 2025, following legislative changes enacted over the preceding 21 months. The reorganization modernized the agency's operations and regulatory framework for oversight of oil and gas drilling, pipelines, wind and solar energy, underground injection, carbon capture and sequestration, groundwater use, and coastal zone development. Department Secretary Dustin Davidson stated the changes would enhance enforcement of the state's oil and gas sector and streamline permitting processes while balancing economic growth and environmental stewardship.

Louisiana enacted Act 409, a 32-page law regulating hiring, training, child supervision, and abuse reporting at day cares and preschools that was signed into law in 2025. The law requires pre-K programs at private schools to obtain a day care center license through a process involving background checks and site inspections, and permits families to bring civil suits for damages if children are harmed at school. The legislation passed the state Legislature unanimously.

Governor Landry announced a request to deploy 1,000 Louisiana National Guard troops in the state's cities and sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asking the federal government to fund the deployment. Landry cited rising crime in Baton Rouge, Shreveport, and New Orleans as justification for the deployment under a Title 32 authorization that would keep troops under state control. The Louisiana National Guard stated it would begin coordination with law enforcement partners in major urban areas pending approval from the Trump administration.

Landry signed a long-term lease agreement between the New Orleans Saints and the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District for use of the Caesars Superdome, which was finalized after negotiations between the Saints organization and state officials. The lease is expected to run for ten years with renewal options every five years through 2055, replacing the previous lease agreement that was scheduled to expire in 2030. The lease deal was announced publicly on Thursday following Landry's signing of the agreement.

Governor Jeff Landry requested a federally funded deployment of the National Guard in Louisiana cities from the Trump administration. The request included Baton Rouge as a target location for the National Guard presence. Baton Rouge Metro Council Democrats subsequently called on Mayor-President Sid Edwards to reject the deployment request.

Landry sent a letter to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth requesting a deployment of 1,000 National Guard troops to Louisiana cities to support law enforcement. The letter cited crime rates in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport but did not specify a precise deployment plan. The requested deployment would constitute another major National Guard mobilization during the Trump Administration.

Landry requested a federally-funded deployment of 1,000 National Guard troops to urban centers throughout Louisiana, specifically naming New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport as cities with law enforcement manpower shortages and elevated crime rates. This deployment would differ from previous Louisiana National Guard activations, which were tied to specific emergencies such as Hurricane Ida in 2021 and the January 1, 2025 terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. The specifics of how the troops would be deployed and whether the Trump administration approved the request remained unclear at the time of reporting.

Landry submitted a letter to the Pentagon requesting a federally funded deployment of 1,000 National Guard troops to Louisiana cities including Baton Rouge, Shreveport, and New Orleans to support law enforcement operations. The request, made under Title 32 authority to keep troops under state control, cited crime conditions in these cities and specified the troops would remain deployed through the end of the 2026 fiscal year. Landry's request required approval from the Trump administration, as he possesses independent authority to activate the Louisiana National Guard but needs federal authorization for federal funding of the deployment.

Planned Parenthood's two Louisiana clinics closed on September 30, 2025, following a federal appeals court decision in September that allowed the "defunding provision" of the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" to take effect. The closure resulted from an ongoing legal battle between the national nonprofit and the Trump administration over Medicaid funding for abortion providers. The Baton Rouge and New Orleans health centers had provided services including cancer screenings, contraception, STI testing, and hormone therapy but had never offered abortion services during their more than 40 years of operation in the state.

Following aerial video documentation showing contamination in a nearby pond and the Tangipahoa River from a fire at Smitty's Supply Inc. lubricants plant in Roseland, Landry pledged to accelerate the cleanup response. The fire at the plant occurred on August 22, 2025, and resulted in chemical spills affecting waterways in the region. Landry's pledge committed state resources to expedite remediation efforts beyond the ongoing federal Environmental Protection Agency cleanup operations.

Governor Landry appeared with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on September 3, 2025, to unveil the Louisiana Lockup, a new Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility established in a disused wing of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. The facility was opened as part of the Trump administration's effort to establish high-profile detention centers across the country for immigrants. The Department of Homeland Security subsequently released a list of 51 immigrants it stated were being held at Camp 57, identified as having committed crimes including rape, homicide, and sexual abuse of children.

Landry announced that the Louisiana ICE Processing Center at Angola would house undocumented immigrants designated as serious criminals. The facility, converted from an unused portion of the Angola prison and capable of holding over 400 beds, began operations at the beginning of September 2025. As of September 20, 2025, 19 detainees at the center initiated a hunger strike citing lack of basic supplies including hygiene products and medical care.

Landry established Troop NOLA, a Louisiana State Police troop deployed to New Orleans beginning in 2024 to address public safety concerns in the city. Crime statistics in New Orleans showed significant reduction following the deployment and continued partnership between local and state law enforcement. The initiative received acknowledgment from three Democratic candidates for New Orleans mayor despite their other political differences with Landry.

Louisiana's maximum weekly unemployment benefit will increase from $275 to $282 effective January 1, 2026, following an updated economic forecast adopted by state leaders. The wage base for employer unemployment insurance taxes will decrease from $7,700 to $6,700, resulting in an approximately 9 to 10 percent reduction in the overall tax burden for businesses. These adjustments were triggered by projections that the state's unemployment fund balance will grow to approximately $1.196 billion by August 2026, surpassing the $1.15 billion threshold that activates both the increased benefits and reduced employer taxes.

Landry stated that he would welcome a proposed deployment of 1,000 National Guard troops to Louisiana's urban centers, including New Orleans and Baton Rouge, as drafted by the Pentagon following discussions with President Donald Trump. Landry indicated the state would accept federal resources including military personnel to address public safety concerns but did not specify deployment timelines, locations, or operational details. The governor's comments followed media reports of the federal plan, which would require a formal request from Landry to proceed.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appointed Dr. Evelyn Griffin, a Baton Rouge physician, to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which recommends vaccination policies to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Griffin has publicly stated skepticism about COVID vaccines and questioned the childhood vaccination schedule during a 2024 church speech. The appointment follows Kennedy's June directive requiring all 17 existing committee members to resign.

Landry led the passage of legislation through the Louisiana Legislature in 2025 that reorganized the Department of Transportation and Development by creating the independent Office of Louisiana Highway Construction. The new agency was tasked with accelerating road and bridge repairs on the 4,800 miles of state roadways ineligible for federal funding. Landry appointed Archie Chaisson III to lead the office, which announced plans to repair 62 rural bridges across Louisiana by the end of 2026 using $100 million in state funds and emergency procurement authority granted by the Legislature.

Landry announced Project Lightning Speed, an initiative designed to streamline processes between Louisiana Economic Development and state agencies to promote in-state businesses. The program, to be launched through an executive order, will appoint liaisons within the governor's cabinet to facilitate communication between agencies and reduce bureaucratic delays in business operations. Landry stated the initiative aims to integrate Louisiana-grown businesses into large state investments, including the Woodside Energy liquefied natural gas facility in Calcasieu Parish.

The Trump administration filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court supporting Chevron's position in a case concerning Louisiana coastal lawsuits, with U.S. Solicitor General John Sauer arguing that such cases should be heard in federal court rather than state court. Chevron had been ordered by a Plaquemines Parish jury to pay $745 million for coastal wetlands restoration, and the company contends that federal court is the appropriate venue because the oil operations at issue were part of a federally sanctioned World War II aviation fuel production effort. The Supreme Court's ruling in the case could determine whether the jury verdict and similar state lawsuits proceed in state or federal court systems.

Governor Jeff Landry architected Troop Nola, an initiative to deploy trained state troopers into New Orleans to work alongside the New Orleans Police Department. The program, which began the previous year, paired state law enforcement with local police in the city. The deployment has been credited as one of several factors contributing to a 23 percent reduction in the city's crime rate compared to the previous five-year average.

Governor Jeff Landry pursued sweeping changes to the Flood Protection Authority-East, including a $3.7 million increase to the agency's police budget under Superintendent Joshua Rondeno, bringing total police spending from $8 million to approximately $12 million annually. The spending increase was allocated to professionalize the police force, including equipping officers with agency-provided firearms rather than requiring personal weapons. The budgetary changes drew concern from government watchdog groups regarding potential dilution of the agency's flood protection mission.

Governor Landry sent a letter to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick requesting that unspent funds from Louisiana's Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment grant allocation be retained in the state for what Landry characterized as state-led initiatives in artificial intelligence, education, and workforce training. The state's revised plan, submitted in August 2025 following the Trump administration's restructuring of the BEAD program rules, allocated $499 million to household broadband connectivity, resulting in approximately $250 million in savings from the state's previous proposal under the original program framework. Landry's letter sought to direct these remaining funds toward initiatives aligned with what he described as national priorities rather than returning them to federal control.

Governor Landry expressed support for a Pentagon plan to deploy approximately 1,000 National Guard troops to Louisiana, including New Orleans and Baton Rouge, with operations potentially extending through September 2026. According to reporting, the plan would station federal troops in high-crime areas to assist state and local law enforcement. Landry indicated he would accept the troops and stated he would deploy them from New Orleans to Shreveport.

Landry criticized the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's closure of the commercial amberjack season in the Gulf of Mexico, characterizing the federal action as "extremely disappointing" in a statement posted on social media. In response to the federal closure, Landry announced that Louisiana would maintain recreational amberjack fishing access through the end of October. The dispute reflects ongoing disagreement between Louisiana and federal fisheries management authorities over the regulation of Gulf fish species.

Governor Jeff Landry signed legislation on June 11 that restructured the voting map for the 19th Judicial District Court, changing the district from three subdistricts to two. The new voting boundaries were applied to a special election scheduled for October 11 to fill a vacancy on the court. A Baton Rouge judge upheld the new voting subdistrict configuration after Chief Judge Donald Johnson filed a lawsuit challenging its application to the upcoming judicial race.

Landry wrote on social media criticizing Senator Bill Cassidy's suggestion that State Surgeon General Ralph Abraham issue a blanket prescription to circumvent federal restrictions on COVID vaccine administration proposed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Landry, a Republican, had previously signed a law banning state officials from promoting COVID vaccine use and led efforts to challenge federal vaccine mandates for healthcare workers. Cassidy responded that true conservatives should empower patients and remove government barriers to vaccination access.

Louisiana Attorney General Murrill filed a legal challenge to a Caddo Parish Commission resolution welcoming Bernie Sanders to Shreveport, contending that the parish commission's use of machine voting violated state public records law requirements for voice votes. Murrill argued in her amended complaint filed in late August 2025 that any votes taken without actual verbal voting procedures should be nullified. The legal action raised questions about voting procedures used by multiple government bodies across Louisiana, including parish councils in East Baton Rouge, Ascension, Livingston, and West Baton Rouge that conduct votes using electronic machines rather than voice voting.

Landry ordered approximately 150 Louisiana National Guard troops to assist President Donald Trump's federal initiative addressing crime in Washington, D.C. The governor posted on social media that Louisiana would accept Trump's assistance from New Orleans to Shreveport, indicating openness to deploying National Guard units within Louisiana cities as well. This action occurred alongside Republican congressional discussions of comprehensive federal crime legislation.

Louisiana Governor Landry mobilized 95 Louisiana National Guard troops on August 25 to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations throughout the state. The troops were deployed to assist with administrative, clerical, and logistical tasks at various locations across Louisiana following a request from the Department of Homeland Security. The mobilization occurred under Title 32 status, placing the troops under Landry's command while the federal government funded the deployment.

Landry paid a $900 fine to settle charges brought by the Louisiana Board of Ethics that he failed to disclose complimentary private flights accepted while serving as attorney general, including a 2021 trip to Hawaii on a plane owned by political donor Greg Mosing and five additional undisclosed flights in 2022 and 2023. State ethics law requires public officials to publicly disclose transportation, lodging, and admission benefits received, though the law permits acceptance of such complimentary benefits when they benefit the official's agency. The ethics board voted without opposition to adopt the settlement and dismiss the charges at its monthly meeting, with a judge expected to sign off on the agreement at an October 13 hearing.

Landry agreed to pay a $900 fine to the Louisiana Board of Ethics for failing to disclose a free plane ride to Hawaii in 2021 when he was serving as state attorney general, resolving a civil case that had been pending for over a year. The settlement also required Landry to disclose nearly 20 complimentary trips valued at more than $13,000 that he accepted while serving as attorney general and governor between 2021 and 2023. The agreement concluded investigations into five additional complimentary trips and flights between 2022 and 2023 without proceeding to trial before administrative judges.

Gov. Jeff Landry unveiled a new Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility on the grounds of Angola State Penitentiary in September 2025, dubbed the "Louisiana Lockup." The facility, converted from the previously shuttered Camp J building, began operations with 51 people in custody and was designed to accommodate over 400 detainees within months. Landry signed an emergency declaration that allowed the state to bypass standard bidding processes for the facility's rapid renovation.

Landry announced the conversion of a section of Angola Prison into an ICE detention facility designated to hold more than 100 immigrants identified as the "worst of the worst." The facility, referred to as "Louisiana Lockup," is funded through President Trump's immigration enforcement initiative. The detention center is part of a broader network of similar facilities established in Florida, Texas, Nebraska, and Indiana.

President Trump stated on Wednesday that his administration was considering deploying federal National Guard troops to New Orleans, Louisiana, at the request of Governor Jeff Landry. Trump indicated that the deployment would focus on addressing crime in the city, stating his administration would "straighten that out in two weeks." The statement represented a shift from Trump's earlier comments suggesting he would prioritize sending federal troops to Chicago, Illinois.

Governor Jeff Landry backed the creation of the Louisiana Ports and Waterways Investment Commission, which was established by the Legislature to coordinate activities among Louisiana's major port authorities. The commission identified seven key infrastructure projects for public investment, including a $25.5 million deepwater dock in Ascension Parish developed jointly by the Port of South Louisiana and Port of Baton Rouge to serve a planned Hyundai Steel plant. The dock project represents the commission's initial effort to align port development strategy across the state's Lower Mississippi River ports.

LSU announced on Friday that Paul M. Hebert Law Center Dean Alena Allen would end her tenure at the conclusion of the academic year. Allen's attorney stated that Allen had not agreed to resign when she was asked the day prior and indicated she was considering legal action alleging whistleblower retaliation, racial discrimination, and gender discrimination. Allen had previously raised concerns about irregularities in the law school's budget, including discrepancies between tuition received and discounts granted.

Landry attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women on August 28, 2025, marking the formal opening of the $160 million facility. The new prison, designed to withstand a 500-year flood event, opened nine years after the 2016 flood displaced over 1,000 female inmates who had been housed in temporary arrangements. The facility began absorbing inmates in the weeks following the opening ceremony.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill filed a 58-page brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in Louisiana v. Callais urging the Court to rule Section Two of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 unconstitutional, which would invalidate the state's current congressional map containing two minority-majority districts. The state had previously defended the map created under Senate Bill 8 as required by federal court order but changed its legal position after the Supreme Court requested arguments on the constitutionality of Section Two. Murrill stated that the state's position reflects the argument that federal redistricting requirements forcing consideration of race in map-drawing violate the U.S. Constitution, with oral arguments scheduled for October 15.

Landry appointed Kerwyn King to the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East board by bypassing the independent nominating committee, a process questioned by state legislators including Senator Kirk Talbot who noted the appointment appeared to violate statutory requirements. King's appointment faced legal challenges on two grounds: he was a New Orleans resident appointed to a seat designated for someone outside the agency's jurisdiction, and the nominating committee had not submitted his name for gubernatorial approval as required by law. King resigned from the non-resident seat and indicated he would reapply through the proper nominating committee process for a resident board position.

Landry ordered approximately 150 Louisiana National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. to assist President Donald Trump's federal law enforcement efforts in the nation's capital. The troops were to complete in-processing procedures before joining National Guard units from West Virginia, South Carolina, Ohio, Mississippi, and Tennessee already deployed to the city. This deployment represented Louisiana's participation in a multi-state mobilization of National Guard personnel to the federal district.

Governor Jeff Landry told a group of West Bank business leaders in April that a new bridge connecting Plaquemines and Jefferson Parish is needed to support infrastructure demands from the Venture Global LNG export terminal expansion and potential additional industrial development in the region. The bridge project, which would span a man-made canal dividing the two parishes, had been initiated with over $16 million in state funding for an access road that opened in 2014, but construction of the span itself never proceeded. Landry's statement acknowledged the infrastructure bottlenecks created by ongoing construction at Venture Global and anticipated congestion from the facility's planned $18 billion expansion beginning in 2027.

Governor Landry authorized the deployment of 135 Louisiana National Guard troops to Washington D.C. in August 2025 to support President Donald Trump's declared "crime emergency" in the nation's capital. The troops arrived Wednesday to assist the District of Columbia National Guard and local law enforcement under Title 32 status, which allows them to participate in law enforcement activities without federal restrictions. Landry stated the troops would remain deployed "as long as the President needs them," with the federal government covering all costs to Louisiana.

Governor Landry called on the Louisiana State Police to investigate the dumping of hundreds of sensitive criminal court records in a New Orleans landfill by Department of Public Works employees. Landry stated that those responsible for disposing of the case files must be held accountable and directed state police to complete the investigation quickly and prepare paperwork for prosecution. Landry characterized the incident as an abuse of power and called for answers and prosecutions to uphold public trust in the criminal justice system.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry approved the deployment of approximately 135 National Guard members to Washington, D.C. on Wednesday in response to a request from the Trump administration. The deployment was intended to support law enforcement and public safety efforts in the nation's capital alongside National Guard personnel from other states. Landry stated that governors retained the authority to recall their deployed troops if needed for state emergencies.

Landry announced that Louisiana would deploy approximately 135 members of the Louisiana National Guard to Washington D.C. in response to a White House request. The deployment makes Louisiana one of six states pledging troops to assist with federal operations in the nation's capital. The troops were scheduled to depart within 24 hours of the announcement made on August 18, 2025.

Dove was appointed by Governor Landry and confirmed by the Senate to serve as chairman of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority in 2024. Upon assuming the position, Dove reviewed the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project, a $3 billion-plus coastal restoration initiative funded through Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement funds. Dove announced the cancellation of the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project.

Governor Jeff Landry signed legislation that was passed unanimously by the Louisiana Legislature to implement major changes to the state's workforce development system. Susana Schowen, as Louisiana Workforce Commission Secretary, is overseeing the creation of a "One Door" policy designed to consolidate access to workforce training, unemployment benefits, and social services such as SNAP and child care assistance into a single agency. The Workforce Commission will be rebranded as Louisiana Works in October, with full implementation of the consolidated services expected to occur over multiple years, including the transfer of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families fund management from the Department of Children and Family Services by 2027.

Governor Jeff Landry ordered the Louisiana State Police to investigate the disposal of hundreds of criminal court records that were discarded in the Gentilly Landfill by New Orleans city employees. The investigation was initiated following the discovery that sensitive documents, including files related to rape and capital murder cases, had been accidentally thrown out and buried instead of being securely stored in trailers at the city's Public Works yard. Landry stated that he expects the state police to complete the investigation quickly and provide findings to Attorney General Liz Murrill for potential prosecution of those responsible.

Governor Landry exercised authority granted by the Legislature to appoint the president of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East, first selecting Roy Carubba and subsequently replacing him with Peter Vicari after Carubba's tenure resulted in multiple board member resignations. Landry's office also withdrew or failed to submit for Senate confirmation a board member who had publicly opposed his legislation regarding post-Katrina levee reforms. The appointments and personnel changes resulted in only two of nine board members from the previous year remaining on the board.

The Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency, led by administrator Lee Zeldin, canceled the Solar for All federal program on Thursday, eliminating $7 billion in funding across the country. Louisiana was set to lose $156 million that had already been awarded to the state under the program, known as Solar for Y'all at the state level, which was intended to expand renewable energy access for low-income and disadvantaged families. Zeldin stated on social media that the EPA no longer has authority to administer or appropriate the funds under the One Big Beautiful Bill signed into law by President Trump.

Landry signed legislation implementing a SNAP ban on soft drinks, candy, and energy drinks effective in 2026, affecting approximately 850,000 recipients in Louisiana. The policy established specific definitions distinguishing banned items, such as prohibiting candy bars while permitting chocolate chips, and blocking artificially sweetened beverages while allowing full-sugar versions of sports drinks. Landry stated the measure aimed to improve health outcomes and reduce state Medicaid expenditures by restricting purchases of foods associated with chronic diseases including diabetes and obesity.

Governor Landry issued an executive order allowing the state to bypass procurement and public-bidding requirements for renovating Camp J, a long-abandoned wing at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola that has been closed since 2018. The executive order was issued in connection with discussions between Louisiana officials and the Trump administration regarding the possible housing of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees at the facility. Camp J has been identified as the potential site for an immigration detention facility similar to a facility operating in Florida.

Governor Jeff Landry praised the closure of Louisiana's two Planned Parenthood clinics in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, which were scheduled to cease operations by the end of September 2025. Landry posted on X that the closure represented "a major win for the pro-life movement" and stated that abortion should not be considered healthcare. The closure affected more than 10,000 patients who had relied on the clinics for services including STI testing, birth control, cancer screenings, and gender-affirming care.

Louisiana's LA GATOR program, a new state initiative providing tuition grants for private school and homeschooling expenses, awarded grants to approximately 80 of the 4,500 eligible incoming kindergarteners who applied for the 2025 school year. The program's rules prioritized students who had previously received school vouchers, a category that excluded new kindergarteners entering private schools for the first time. The limited funding and eligibility structure resulted in less than 2% of the roughly 5,800 total grants awarded going to rising kindergarteners, leaving thousands of families without anticipated state aid as the school year began.

Governor Landry appointed Kerwyn King, an engineer and founder of King Consulting Engineering, to the board of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East. King's name was not submitted by the agency's nominating committee, which is the independent board established after Hurricane Katrina to propose prospective board members. The nominating committee chair wrote to state officials questioning whether the appointment followed legislation requiring all board appointments to come through the independent nominating committee process.

Landry engaged in discussions with the Trump administration regarding the placement of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. According to sources familiar with the negotiations, an unused wing of the maximum security prison was identified as a potential site for housing immigrant detainees. The arrangement would allow Louisiana to utilize existing infrastructure rather than constructing a new facility dedicated to immigration detention.

Landry engaged in talks with the Trump administration regarding the possible housing of immigration detainees at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, an unused wing of the maximum security facility. The discussions were part of a broader effort by the federal government to establish immigration detention centers in conservative states, following the model of a facility opened in Florida. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, described as close with Landry, indicated in July that she was in ongoing conversations with five Republican governors about opening similar facilities in their states.

Governor Landry commented on the closure of Planned Parenthood's two clinics in Louisiana, with facilities in New Orleans and Baton Rouge scheduled to close by the end of September 2025. The closures will affect more than 10,000 patients who previously received services including sexually transmitted infection testing, contraception, cancer screenings, and gender-affirming care at these locations. Landry stated his position regarding the clinic closures in a post on social media.

Governor Landry issued a statement following the announcement that Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast would cease operations in Louisiana and close its two health centers in New Orleans and Baton Rouge on September 30, 2025. Landry stated that the closure represented a significant outcome resulting from his efforts as Attorney General and Governor to remove the organization from the state. The statement referenced Landry's position that abortion should not be classified as healthcare.

Landry announced that U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins approved a waiver allowing Louisiana to exclude soda, energy drinks, and candy from purchases made with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits administered by the state. The waiver was signed following Landry's participation in the Make America Healthy Again movement led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who serves as U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary. The state targeted January 15 as the implementation date for the restriction on SNAP-eligible food purchases.

Landry signed legislation requiring all Louisiana law enforcement agencies to report every instance in which use of force results in serious injury. The law passed unanimously in the state legislature and was enacted following a high-profile incident in which a Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Deputy used force against a Black woman without filing a required report. The mandatory reporting requirement applies statewide across all law enforcement agencies.

Governor Landry issued an executive order on July 25, 2025, declaring a state of emergency at Angola prison to address a shortage of beds for violent offenders requiring the highest security level of confinement. The executive order, effective through August 23, 2025, authorizes repairs and reopening of Camp J, a solitary confinement section that has been closed since 2018 due to security issues and cell malfunctions including jammed doors. The emergency declaration is intended to accelerate the restoration of the facility to house inmates at the maximum security classification level.

In June 2025, Landry signed the "One Door" bill, legislation passed unanimously by both chambers of the Louisiana Legislature that establishes a single point of entry for individuals seeking major types of public assistance. The initiative, developed by the Pelican Institute think tank at Landry's request, consolidates application processes that previously required applicants to complete multiple forms at multiple offices. Louisiana became the second state in the nation, after Utah, to implement such a unified assistance application system.

Landry issued an executive order on July 25, 2025, declaring a state of emergency at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola due to insufficient bed capacity for violent offenders. The emergency declaration, effective through August 23 unless extended, suspends procurement and public bidding rules to expedite repairs to Camp J, a restrictive facility that was closed in 2018 following safety concerns including malfunctioning cell locks and high staff turnover. The order authorizes the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to transfer violent offenders requiring maximum security to the reopened Camp J.

Governor Landry issued a joint statement with Attorney General Liz Murrill and heads of Louisiana State Police and the Office of Motor Vehicles criticizing a New Orleans city identification card program designed to distribute IDs to homeless people, immigrants, and others without identification documents. Landry characterized the program as problematic and stated that New Orleans operates under state authority rather than independently. Murrill expressed concerns about the cards' potential to convey or suggest legal immigration status or driving privileges, while Secretary of State Nancy Landry indicated her office was coordinating with the Attorney General to assess the program's impact on election integrity.

Governor Landry vetoed fourteen local projects including safety improvements for Parkway High School in Bossier City, bridge repair in Metairie, a sewer project in Minden, and a tutoring program in Crowley. The state legislature declined to convene a session to consider overriding Landry's vetoes of these local initiatives. Landry requested state funding of $7 million for a LIV Golf tournament in New Orleans, with $5 million designated as a hosting fee to LIV's Saudi backers.

Gov. Jeff Landry called for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to consider any "potential adverse impacts" of the revised "One Lake" project, which proposes to dam the Pearl River in Mississippi for flood control and recreation purposes. The project involves constructing a weir near Interstate 20 in Mississippi to form a 1,556-acre lake, with the Corps currently evaluating two plans, one with a lake and one without. Landry's statement came as Louisiana residents, particularly from St. Tammany and Washington Parish, expressed concerns at a Slidell meeting about downstream effects on their communities.

Landry canceled the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Project, a coastal restoration initiative that would have introduced freshwater into saltwater estuaries in Louisiana. The project had been opposed by commercial fishing interests who contended it would damage oyster grounds and shrimp nursery habitats through altered salinity levels. The cancellation removed a major environmental infrastructure program that had been under development as part of Louisiana's coastal restoration efforts.

Governor Jeff Landry removed Roy Carubba from his position as president of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East board in July 2025, approximately nine months after appointing him to the role in November 2024. Carubba remained on the board as a member while Peter Vicari, a businessman and contractor from Gonzales, was appointed to replace him as board president. The removal followed a tenure marked by board member resignations and conflicts within the authority, which oversees flood control infrastructure on the Mississippi River's east bank across Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Bernard Parishes.

Landry revived LA DOGE, a government efficiency initiative that he originally began as attorney general a decade prior, rebranding it to align with the federal DOGE program. Landry appointed Steve Orlando, a business owner and political ally, as the state's "Fiscal Responsibility Czar" to run the program on a volunteer basis. According to Landry, LA DOGE has achieved measurable results, including over $73 million in savings through improved Medicaid recipient verification processes in the health department.

Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta announced a campaign for the U.S. Senate in July 2025, positioning himself as a third major Republican challenger to incumbent Senator Bill Cassidy in the 2026 election cycle. The Republican primary election was scheduled for April 2026 under new election rules established by Governor Jeff Landry and the Republican-controlled Legislature. Skrmetta's candidacy joined those of state Treasurer John Fleming and state Senator Blake Miguez in competing within the Republican primary field.

Landry championed House Bill 148, legislation that grants the insurance commissioner authority to reject insurance rate increases without requiring empirical justification, which Landry advanced through the Louisiana Legislature despite objections from Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple. Landry attributed General Motors Insurance's entry into the Louisiana market to the passage of HB 148 and related legislative measures enacted during the regular session, characterizing the development as evidence of successful insurance reform. Temple disputed Landry's account, providing documentation that General Motors made its market entry decision prior to the Legislature's passage of the bills in question.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry announced the state's participation in the Commission for Public Higher Education, a newly formed accreditation organization founded in Florida and supported by conservative governors in seven states including Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. The CPHE establishes accreditation standards with stated objectives to streamline processes, focus on student outcomes, and ensure no imposition of what it characterizes as divisive ideological content on institutions. The organization's founding framework references concerns about diversity requirements in existing accreditation bodies that oversee legal education, medical education, and medical residency programs.

Landry announced that General Motors Insurance is expanding operations in Louisiana to offer auto insurance products in the state. The expansion became effective in July 2025 after the Louisiana Insurance Commissioner approved the company's policy form filing in March 2025, with the product incorporating telematics technology to personalize insurance pricing based on driving behavior. Landry stated the expansion followed his signing of a tort reform package into law weeks prior, which he characterized as enabling greater consumer options in Louisiana's insurance market.

Landry signed an executive order on July 23, 2025, creating a task force to explore Louisiana's adoption of the Commission for Public Higher Education, a new accrediting agency being developed by Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. The task force, comprising 13 members expected to meet for the first time the following month, was charged with evaluating whether Louisiana's public universities should pursue accreditation through this alternative agency. The new accreditor requires approval from the U.S. Department of Education, a process typically requiring at least two years.

Landry's administration granted $380,000 to New Orleans' Low Barrier Shelter on Gravier Street to fund permanent housing for shelter residents. New Orleans officials began enforcing a no sleeping and camping policy in the French Quarter and parts of Marigny on Monday, resulting in at least two people being transported to the Low Barrier Shelter. The enforcement action represented a continuation of efforts to reduce the city's unsheltered population, following larger-scale sweeps conducted by Landry's administration prior to the Taylor Swift concerts in October and the Super Bowl in February.

Governor Landry signed legislation allocating $3.3 million in state funds to Gretna projects during the legislative session. The allocation included $750,000 for the Gretna Farmer's Market and $500,000 for the Gretna Police Department, among other local initiatives. The funding restored support to projects that had previously experienced reductions from Jefferson Parish budget cuts earlier in the year.

Governor Landry assigned Troop NOLA, a Louisiana State Police unit, to New Orleans to address crime in the city. The deployment coincided with a significant decline in homicides, with New Orleans recording 53 murders as of early July 2025, putting the city on pace for its safest year since 1970. Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill provided assistance to local officials in addressing violent crime across Louisiana.

Governor Landry announced the appointment of Rebecca Harris as secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services, replacing David Matlock who held the position since early 2024. Harris previously served as an undersecretary and deputy secretary within state government. The change took effect August 1, 2025, as the agency continued to experience significant staffing shortages and recruitment challenges.

Governor Jeff Landry officially canceled the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project, Louisiana's largest coastal restoration initiative, which had been under construction and carried a $3 billion price tag. Landry had suspended the project's permit in April, citing excessive costs and concerns about impacts to fishing industries and drinking water supplies in several parishes. The state indicated it would pursue a smaller-scale alternative diversion project in place of the canceled initiative.

Board President Roy Carubba announced his intention to hire Louis "Jeff" Williams, a former U.S. Army Corps of Engineers senior project manager, as regional director of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East. The hiring was made without board approval, a move that other board members suggested could circumvent agency procedures. The director position had remained vacant for over a month as the region entered peak hurricane season.

Governor Landry proposed $93.5 million in funding for the LA Gator Scholarship Program, a school choice initiative designed to help families afford private education. The Louisiana legislature approved $43.5 million for the program, approximately half the requested amount, which provided funding for roughly 6,000 scholarships despite more than 35,000 eligible students applying. As a result of the limited funding allocation, thousands of families were denied scholarships weeks before the start of the 2024–2025 school year.

Governor Jeff Landry appointed Michael Hare as director of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority in July 2025, replacing Glenn Ledet who was reassigned to lead the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. Hare, who holds an MBA from LSU and a master's degree in foreign policy from American University, brings extensive experience in coastal and environmental policy from the private sector. The appointment places Hare at the helm of an agency responsible for implementing Louisiana's 50-year, $50 billion Coastal Master Plan and overseeing numerous projects including the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, a $3 billion project currently on indefinite pause.

The Louisiana Judiciary Commission recommended a one-month unpaid suspension for Orleans Parish Civil District Court Judge Jennifer Medley following an investigation into alleged misconduct related to her 2020 judicial campaign. The commission found that Medley's campaign television advertisements criticizing her opponent and her acceptance of a $100,000 loan from a company owned by campaign backer Sidney Torres IV, which she subsequently loaned to her own campaign, violated judicial conduct rules. The Louisiana Supreme Court scheduled an August 26 hearing to determine final disciplinary action.

Governor Landry appointed Michael H. Hare as executive director of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), the state agency responsible for addressing coastal erosion and flood protection challenges. Hare brings over 20 years of experience in public policy and environmental advocacy, including founding WILDHARE Solutions LLC and previous roles in government affairs and coastal restoration initiatives. The appointment took effect in July 2025.

Landry appointed Michael Hare as executive director of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority in July 2025, replacing Glenn Ledet who moved to lead the Department of Transportation and Development. Hare's background includes roles as deputy district director and legislative assistant to former U.S. Representative Charles Boustany, director of government affairs at environmental mitigation firm RES, and founder of Wildhare Solutions LLC, a consulting firm focused on environmental mitigation and coastal restoration markets. Hare holds an MBA from Louisiana State University and a master's degree in U.S. foreign policy from American University.

Governor Landry suggested he may call a special legislative session to revive House Bill 358, which failed to pass during the regular legislative session and would prohibit pharmacy benefit managers from owning or operating pharmacies in Louisiana. The bill was framed by supporters as addressing rising drug costs and limiting corporate power in healthcare. Landry's indication that he might pursue a special session to advance the legislation represented a stated intention to bring the proposal back for consideration.

Landry vetoed a bill that would have banned intentional balloon releases in Louisiana. In his veto, Landry stated that the proposed regulation would be impossible or impractical to execute and difficult to enforce. The bill had been supported by wildlife advocates and state lawmakers who cited environmental protection concerns.

Landry signed legislation during the 2025 legislative session that aimed to make people healthier and stem rising auto insurance costs, measures that received bipartisan backing in the House. The bills represented significant political wins for Landry after the Senate rejected two of his key initiatives earlier in the session and voters overwhelmingly rejected constitutional amendments he had prioritized in March. Following the legislative session's conclusion, Landry held multiple bill signings and appeared on conservative talk radio programs to highlight these legislative achievements.

Landry held a press conference in New Orleans on July 9, 2025, following a meeting of the FEMA Review Council, a body established by President Trump to examine the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The council convened at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection building in New Orleans to discuss potential changes to FEMA's operations and disaster recovery processes. Landry's participation in the council meeting represented Louisiana's involvement in the Trump administration's review of federal emergency management practices.

Governor Landry appointed Gregory Marsiglia, a New Orleans attorney, and Peter Vicari, a general contractor and classic car auction business owner from Gonzales, to the New Orleans area's flood protection authority in July 2025. The appointments followed the resignations of four board members earlier in the year and filled vacant seats needed to restore the board's quorum for its July 17 meeting. Vicari's selection occurred alongside broader changes to the board's leadership, including the installation of Roy Carubba as board president.

Landry and the Louisiana Legislature enacted changes to the operations of the Louisiana Board of Ethics, modifying procedures for how the board investigates allegations of conflicts of interest, nepotism, and corruption. The legislation, House Bill 674, introduced new rules governing ethics investigations and due process protections for those subject to investigation. The changes altered the board's investigative authority and complaint procedures, drawing scrutiny from ethics board members and government accountability organizations regarding the board's investigative independence and power.

Governor Landry signed legislation authored by Representative Brian Glorioso that establishes enhanced penalties for handheld phone use while driving in school and construction zones, effective August 1, 2025. The law permits police officers to cite drivers solely for holding a phone in these designated zones, whereas outside these areas officers may only cite phone use if accompanied by another traffic violation. A grace period extends from August 1 through December 31, 2025, during which officers may issue warnings or citations at their discretion, with minimum fines set at $250.

President Donald Trump nominated David Courcelle, a prominent New Orleans defense attorney with extensive experience representing white-collar defendants in federal court, to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Courcelle's legal practice has focused on federal criminal defense cases, making him a regular fixture in Louisiana's federal courts. The nomination represents Trump's selection of a private defense counsel practitioner to lead the region's top federal prosecution office.

Governor Jeff Landry signed House Bill 519, which bans handheld phone use while driving in Louisiana effective August 1, 2025. The law prohibits holding a phone to talk, text, use social media, view photos, or operate any app while operating a vehicle, though hands-free use remains permitted. Landry stated at the bill signing ceremony that the distracted driving law would reduce accidents and subsequently lower auto insurance premiums and litigation costs.

Landry did not submit board member Richard Duplantier for Senate reappointment to the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East, effectively removing him from the position when his term expired at the end of the month. Duplantier had publicly expressed concerns about proposed legislation that would have altered post-Katrina reforms to the flood protection agency's governance structure. The removal left the regional flood authority with potential difficulties in maintaining a quorum for meetings.

During the 2025 Louisiana legislative session, House Bill 358, authored by Rep. Dustin Miller, failed to advance through the Senate despite support from Gov. Jeff Landry. The bill sought to prohibit pharmacy benefit managers from simultaneously operating as pharmacies and PBMs, addressing concerns that the dual role created conflicts of interest affecting independent pharmacy reimbursement rates. Landry announced plans to call a special legislative session to reconsider House Bill 358, though a related measure, House Bill 264, which increases state PBM oversight and prohibits spread pricing, did pass during the regular session.

The Louisiana Legislature approved House Bill 466 and House Bill 473 on Thursday, which propose a constitutional amendment to provide permanent salary increases of $2,250 for teachers and $1,125 for support staff, contingent on voter approval. The bills would eliminate multiple constitutionally protected education trust funds and redirect savings from the teacher retirement system toward the raises, with implementation scheduled for the 2026-27 school year if voters approve. The legislation now awaits Governor Landry's signature.

Landry signed 112 bills into law during the 2025 Louisiana Legislature session, which concluded after 60 days and produced legislation on auto insurance, education, food safety, and a state budget of approximately $51 billion for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Among the signed bills were House Bill 450, which requires plaintiffs to demonstrate injuries occurred during an accident; House Bill 434, which reduces payouts to uninsured motorists; House Bill 436, which prohibits undocumented immigrants from collecting general damages in car accident claims; House Bill 549, which mandates a 5% insurance discount for trucking companies installing dashboard cameras; and House Bill 148, which expanded the insurance commissioner's authority to reject rate increases. Dozens of additional bills were sent to Landry's desk in the final days of the session for his consideration.

Governor Landry indicated his intent to sign House Bills 528, 556, and 640, sponsored by Rep. Ryan Bourriaque, which constitute a legislative package to reorganize the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. The bills establish a new Office of Transformation division within DOTD and create an independent agency to oversee infrastructure projects and improve operational efficiency. The measures passed the Legislature with bipartisan support following recommendations from a consulting firm analysis that identified the need for over one billion dollars annually and structural changes to address project delivery and personnel retention challenges.

During the 2024 spring legislative session, Landry sought to more than double funding for his LA GATOR private school voucher program by requesting $93.5 million to expand enrollment to new families, but the Senate limited the funding to $43.5 million and the House accepted this reduction. The resulting $43.5 million allocation will sustain enrollment for students already participating in the program but will not provide funding for new families to join as Landry had proposed. All legislation from the session, including the budget bill containing the voucher funding, proceeded to Landry for his approval or veto.

Governor Jeff Landry championed the LA GATOR program, which provides state-funded grants to families for private school tuition and homeschool expenses, and requested nearly $94 million in funding for the initiative during the state budget process. The Louisiana Legislature allocated $43.5 million for LA GATOR in the state budget passed in June 2025, along with approximately $2 million for program administration, which was less than half the amount Landry requested. With nearly 40,000 students having applied for the grants, the reduced funding resulted in only approximately one in seven applicants expected to receive awards.

Landry called out pharmacy benefit managers and urged residents to contact legislators to support House Bill 358, which would ban companies from owning both PBMs and drug stores. The bill was presented as a measure to offer patients more choices and prevent PBMs from exercising unfair advantages against independent pharmacies. Donald Trump Jr. posted public support for the legislation on social media, stating that Louisiana should pass HB358 to address costs associated with prescription drug purchases.

In March, Landry merged the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness with the Louisiana National Guard and appointed Brigadier General Jason Mahfouz to lead the combined agency. Under Mahfouz's direction, the state transitioned from maintaining stockpiled emergency supplies such as generators and pumps to utilizing a contract-based logistics support model managed through the Office of State Procurement. This restructuring occurs as GOHSEP faces potential funding uncertainty due to proposed federal changes to disaster relief mechanisms.

The Louisiana Senate killed House Bill 358 on June 12, 2025, during the final hour of the regular legislative session, which would have prohibited companies from owning both pharmacy benefits managers and pharmacies. Governor Landry announced through a spokesperson that he would call a special legislative session to address the pharmacy benefits manager issue, stating "Yes we will have a special to lower prescription drugs for our citizens." The Senate instead passed a resolution requesting a study on the impact of prohibiting PBM ownership of pharmacies and passed a separate bill establishing new operational rules for pharmacy benefits managers.

Louisiana lawmakers considered House Bill 358 during the 2025 legislative session, which would prohibit pharmacy benefits managers from owning or partially owning pharmacies within the state. The legislation, if signed into law, would take effect in 2026 and would require the closure of over 100 CVS pharmacies in Louisiana according to company officials. The bill was designed to alter the operating structure of pharmacy chains in relation to pharmacy benefits managers, which negotiate drug prices and manage prescription coverage decisions.

Landry sought to reshape the governance structure of the Flood Protection Authority-East through legislation during the 2025 legislative session. Legislators raised concerns that the proposed changes would undermine post-Hurricane Katrina reforms designed to professionalize and depoliticize the agency. The effort resulted in a compromise rather than the adoption of Landry's original proposal.

Louisiana Attorney General Murrill announced an investigation into CVS following the company's mass text message campaign to customers opposing House Bill 358, legislation that would have prohibited companies from simultaneously operating pharmacy benefits managers and retail drugstores. Murrill stated the investigation would examine whether CVS improperly used personal information of state employees obtained through the Office of Group Benefits contract and indicated the inquiry would extend beyond that specific contract to CVS's broader conduct. House Bill 358 did not pass during the legislative session despite support from lawmakers who argued it would prevent large companies from dominating the pharmacy market and restrict prescription drug savings.

Governor Landry indicated his intention to sign House Bills 528, 556, and 640, sponsored by Representative Ryan Bourriaque, which would restructure the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. The legislation establishes a new Office of Transformation within DOTD to improve operational efficiency and creates an independent Office of Louisiana Highway Construction to plan, construct, maintain, and repair approximately 4,800 miles of state roads ineligible for federal funding. The reform package was approved overwhelmingly by legislators from both parties following a consulting analysis that identified over one billion dollars in annual funding needs and major challenges in project delivery and workforce retention at the department.

Landry initially disagreed with Louisiana's oil industry regarding legislation addressing cleanup requirements for legacy oil drilling sites, but the matter advanced following a compromise. The amended bill, incorporated into SB 244 sponsored by Senator Bob Hensgens, received Senate approval and would grant state regulators significant authority in determining court-ordered cleanups of old oil field sites. The legislation addresses over 600 pending lawsuits involving contamination and infrastructure from historical drilling operations across the state.

Attorney General Liz Murrill issued a cease-and-desist letter to CVS pharmacy on June 13, 2025, following the company's distribution of text messages to Louisiana residents warning that House Bill 358 could result in pharmacy closures and increased medication costs. Murrill alleged that CVS violated state law by using personal information of citizens to oppose the legislation and threatened legal action to protect resident data. House Bill 358 would prohibit pharmacy benefit managers, including CVS, from owning and operating pharmacies in Louisiana while allowing licensed pharmacists to dispense medications outside traditional pharmacy settings.

Governor Landry announced leadership changes at the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, naming Glenn Ledet, executive director of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, as the new DOTD secretary effective Monday. Current DOTD Secretary Joe Donahue transitioned to the position of executive counsel at the agency, and Eric Dauphine, a district administrator at DOTD's Lafayette office, was named to a deputy secretary position. The announcement coincided with the Louisiana Legislature's approval of a legislative package designed to overhaul the transportation department.

Governor Landry signed a bill into law that makes grooming a crime in Louisiana, an action that occurred days before a parole board denied parole to Patrick Wattigny, a Slidell priest convicted of molestation. Wattigny had been sentenced to fifteen years hard labor with ten years suspended following his July 2023 conviction on two counts of molestation of a juvenile through abuse of his position of spiritual authority. The legislation represents a statutory change to Louisiana criminal law regarding child exploitation offenses.

The Louisiana Legislature approved Senate Bill 15 and Senate Bill 100 on June 10, 2025. Senate Bill 15, sponsored by Senator Jay Morris, makes it illegal to hinder, delay, prevent, or interfere with federal immigration enforcement activities and requires state and local law enforcement to provide advance notice to Immigration and Customs Enforcement before releasing undocumented individuals from custody. Senate Bill 100, sponsored by Senator Blake Miguez, requires certain state agencies including the Department of Corrections and Department of Education to track and report instances in which undocumented people receive their services.

The Louisiana Legislature passed House Bill 624 and House Bill 617 in June 2025, which restructure the state's social safety net administration under a "One Door" policy. HB 624 transfers administration of SNAP food stamp benefits to the Louisiana Department of Health, while HB 617 rebrands the Louisiana Workforce Commission as Louisiana Works and assigns it authority over Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds, moving both programs from the Department of Children and Family Services. Governor Landry must sign both bills, which passed both chambers unanimously, before they become law.

House Bill 575, authored by Representative Lauren Ventrella, expands civil liability related to abortion by allowing women who have abortions to sue anyone alleged to have knowingly performed or substantially facilitated the procedure for a minimum of $100,000 in damages. The bill defines "substantially facilitated" to include administering, prescribing, dispensing, distributing, selling, or coordinating the sale of abortion-inducing drugs, while exempting licensed Louisiana physicians and pharmacists acting in accordance with state regulations. The Louisiana House approved the final version of the bill on Tuesday, sending it to Governor Landry's desk for consideration.

The Louisiana Legislature passed Senate Bill 202, sponsored by Senator Jimmy Harris, which transfers the University of New Orleans from the University of Louisiana system back to the LSU system, where it operated prior to 2011. The bill was sent to Governor Landry's desk for signature, with Landry expected to sign the legislation. The transfer requires approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools before taking effect and aims to address UNO's financial crisis, which includes an estimated $30 million deficit and enrollment that has declined from approximately 17,000 students before Hurricane Katrina to around 6,000.

Louisiana's Legislature passed House Bill 675, sponsored by state Representative Brian Glorioso, which establishes new deadlines and procedural requirements for post-conviction relief petitions affecting all state prisoners, not only those on death row. The bill restricts shell petitions, sets tighter timelines for judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys, and extends the period for inmates to file post-conviction relief applications to two years after sentence finalization. The measure received backing from Attorney General Liz Murrill and passed the Senate 28-11 and the House 82-13 on its final vote.

Less than a month before the protests described in this article, Governor Landry launched Operation Geaux, a partnership requiring state law enforcement agencies to enforce federal immigration laws. The operation was announced as a measure the administration believed essential to bolster public safety. The launch of Operation Geaux preceded the subsequent ICE enforcement activities and police partnerships that became the focus of the protests held in New Orleans.

Senate Bill 202, which would transfer the University of New Orleans from the University of Louisiana system to the LSU system, passed the Louisiana House of Representatives 95-1 on Monday and the Senate 36-0 the previous month, sending the legislation to Governor Landry's desk for signature. The bill would shift UNO's governance to LSU system oversight, pending approval from the university's accreditation agency. UNO has been part of the University of Louisiana system since 2011 and the proposed change has the backing of the Board of Regents, the governor, and the state Legislature.

The Louisiana State Senate blocked an extension of the inventory tax credit sought by business groups, which would have cost taxpayers $200 million over three years. Senate President Cameron Henry and Governor Landry's administration determined the extension was too expensive, allowing the tax credit to expire in 2026 as previously approved. The measure, House Bill 383, had passed the House 98-4 with sponsorship from Representative Ken Brass.

Louisiana lawmakers approved legislation transferring the University of New Orleans from the University of Louisiana system to the LSU system, with the bill subsequently moving to Governor Landry's desk for signature. The transfer of UNO included all associated funds, liabilities, and obligations to the LSU system. Landry supported the legislative action, which the Louisiana Board of Regents had recommended unanimously in response to the university's financial challenges stemming from low enrollment and funding constraints.

The Louisiana Legislature approved Senate Bill 19, which authorizes pharmacies to sell ivermectin to adults 18 and older under a standing order from the Louisiana Department of Health without requiring an individual prescription. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Mike Fesi and passed the Senate on June 9, 2025, with amendments concurred by that chamber. The measure was sent to Gov. Jeff Landry for signature.

Governor Jeff Landry appointed Roy Carubba to the board of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East and named him president in early October. The Louisiana State Senate was scheduled to vote on confirmation of Carubba's appointment to a full term on June 11 and 12. The appointment came amid turmoil at the agency, including four board members' resignations in March and the cancellation of a May meeting due to lack of quorum.

Landry did not take the action described in this article. The article concerns a legislative measure, House Bill 264, that passed the Senate Insurance Committee and addresses pharmacy benefit manager practices. State Senator Adam Bass is mentioned in a photograph caption but is not identified as the primary actor regarding this legislation. This article does not describe a concrete action taken by Landry.

Landry appeared before the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee on Tuesday to support Senate Bill 244, sponsored by state Sen. Bob Hensgens, which included amendments to reorganize the Department of Energy and Natural Resources and modify state regulations. Landry authored an amendment to the bill that would prohibit indemnification clauses in oil well sales and retroactively remove such protections from previous agreements. The amendment generated concern from some Republican committee members and representatives of landowner groups who questioned its constitutionality and potential impacts on legacy oil field cleanup litigation.

Louisiana passed Senate Bill 14, a comprehensive nutrition reform measure that addresses ingredient transparency and nutritional standards in schools, food manufacturing, and restaurants. The bill achieved unanimous passage in the Senate and was sent to Governor Landry for signature after the chamber concurred with House amendments in June 2025. The legislation aligns with the Make America Healthy Again initiative and removes a previous provision regarding SNAP benefit restrictions on soft drinks.

The Louisiana Senate passed House Bill 153, authored by state Rep. Troy Hebert, which increases the weekly work search actions required of unemployment benefits recipients from three to five and codifies this requirement in state statute. The bill had already been approved by the House and awaited Governor Landry's signature to become law. Work search actions under the bill include job applications, interviews, job fair attendance, networking events, and mock interviews.

The Louisiana Senate Finance Committee amended the state budget to allocate $43.5 million to Governor Landry's LA GATOR program, a $50 million reduction from the $93.5 million Landry had requested for providing tax dollars to eligible families for private school tuition and homeschool expenses. The House of Representatives had previously passed a budget including the full $93.5 million amount that Landry sought. The committee's reduction reflected the position of Senate President Cameron Henry, who stated the program should receive funding equivalent to Louisiana's previous voucher program that LA GATOR would replace.

Landry signed House Bill 148 by state Representative Jeff Wiley into law on May 28, 2025, which grants the Insurance Commissioner broader authority to reject rate increases deemed excessive for both auto insurance and homeowners' policies. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple, who did not attend the signing ceremony, has stated that he already possesses adequate authority under existing law to reject rates that provide excessive profits or are inadequately priced. The measure was signed alongside other tort reform legislation intended to lower auto insurance rates in Louisiana.

Senate Bill 19, authored by Sen. Michael Fesi, would authorize Louisiana pharmacists to dispense ivermectin under a standing order without requiring a physician's prescription. The bill passed the Louisiana Senate in April 2025 and advanced through the House Health and Welfare Committee in May, with the legislation now awaiting a House floor vote before proceeding to Gov. Jeff Landry for consideration. Oncology doctors have expressed concerns that expanded access to ivermectin could increase use of the drug for cancer treatment despite the absence of clinical studies supporting such use.

On May 28, 2025, Landry signed multiple bills addressing Louisiana's car insurance rates following legislative debate on the issue. The bills included tort reform measures that Landry characterized as a balanced approach between insurance companies and trial lawyers. Landry stated the signed legislation should lower insurance rates by as much as 10 percent.

Senate President Cameron Henry announced that the Louisiana Senate would allocate $50 million for the LA GATOR program, a new education funding initiative, despite Governor Jeff Landry's request for approximately $94 million in state funds. Henry stated that the Senate had previously agreed to the $50 million amount when lawmakers supported the bill creating LA GATOR, which will provide tax dollars to eligible families for private school tuition and homeschool expenses. The disagreement emerged after the House of Representatives passed a state budget that included the full $93.5 million Landry requested.

The Louisiana Legislature passed Senate Bill 154, which criminalizes the possession and distribution of kratom, an herbal substance derived from a southeast Asian tree. The House approved the bill by a vote of 87-6 after debate that included unsuccessful amendments to exempt pure kratom leaf products while banning lab-created versions with amplified levels of 7-hydroxymitragynine. The bill now awaits Governor Landry's signature to become law.

The Louisiana House passed House Bill 148, which Governor Landry stated would restrict insurance companies' ability to raise rates on car insurance. The bill includes a provision requiring insurance companies to disclose rate-setting information previously kept confidential, a requirement that was added during Senate proceedings. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple and major insurers including Allstate and State Farm objected to the legislation, citing concerns that the measures would reduce competition in the Louisiana insurance market.

Governor Jeff Landry signed House Bill 148, legislation regulating insurance rates in Louisiana that was passed by both the state House and Senate. The bill grants the insurance commissioner authority to reject rate increase requests determined to be excessive, without requirement that such determinations be based on actuarial data or empirical evidence. The legislation centralizes regulatory power in the office of the insurance commissioner without specified standards for decision-making.

The Louisiana House passed House Bill 148 on May 27, 2025, legislation that Governor Jeff Landry indicated he planned to sign at the Governor's Mansion. The bill grants the insurance commissioner authority to reject rate increases without requiring justification. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple and industry groups including Allstate, State Farm, the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, and the Insurance Council of Louisiana expressed objection to the measure, particularly a provision requiring insurance companies to disclose previously confidential rate-setting information.

Governor Landry secured passage of House Bill 148 through the Louisiana Senate, which grants the insurance commissioner greater authority to reject rate increases deemed excessive and requires insurance companies to make rate filing requests public. The Senate simultaneously passed five additional bills affecting litigation and damage awards in insurance cases, measures supported by the insurance industry and business groups. The legislative package represented competing approaches to addressing Louisiana's car insurance affordability issues, with supporters characterizing it as comprehensive reform and critics arguing it reduced consumer protections without addressing underlying rate problems.

Governor Landry advanced House Bill 148, legislation designed to expand the insurance commissioner's authority to reject proposed rate increases in Louisiana. The bill included an amendment requiring insurance companies to make their rate filing requests public, a provision opposed by insurance industry representatives who cited concerns about exposing trade secrets. The Louisiana Senate passed HB 148 with support from both Democrats and Republicans, though all Republican opposition votes came from those concerned about the public disclosure requirement.

Landry's administration announced plans to abandon the $3 billion Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project, which had been considered a cornerstone of Louisiana's coastal restoration efforts. The administration proposed reviving an alternative, older coastal project as a replacement, characterizing it as cheaper, faster, and more effective than the Mid-Barataria diversion. The Mid-Barataria project faced suspension of a key permit from the Corps of Engineers.

Governor Jeff Landry signed legislation in June 2024 that granted St. Tammany Parish government broad control over the coroner's finances, including the power to remove the coroner for certain criminal offenses and requiring criminal background checks for the position. The law obligated the coroner's office to transfer dedicated property tax funds to the parish, except for amounts needed for calendar year 2024 operations. Following the law's enactment, the parish government moved to hold Coroner Christopher Tape in contempt of court for refusing to transfer $14 million in funds to the parish, with the parish asserting the money derived from property tax revenue subject to the 2024 law.

Landry proposed a "standstill" state budget that maintains higher education spending at levels close to the previous year as the state examines fiscal priorities. A bill by Senator Jimmy Harris would transfer the University of New Orleans from the University of Louisiana system to the LSU system, contingent on the Legislature allocating over $81 million across five years to cover debt payoff, transition costs, and deferred maintenance. The proposal emerged as state officials balance spending constraints with efforts to address declining enrollment at the university.

Landry signed the Louisiana Community Air Monitoring Reliability Act, which requires community groups to use the latest EPA air monitoring equipment in order to allege violations of the Clean Air Act or other laws and stipulates that data from community monitoring programs alone cannot demonstrate industrial facility violations. Environmental advocacy organizations filed a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana challenging the law on the grounds that it restricts community groups from publicly sharing air pollution monitoring findings. The law establishes centralized air monitoring standards while critics contend it prevents community organizations from discussing data collected through lower-cost devices due to potential penalties.

Governor Landry backed legislation to restructure Louisiana's administration of social safety net programs through the "One Door" plan, which would transfer public-facing functions related to benefits such as SNAP and TANF from the Department of Children and Family Services to the Louisiana Workforce Commission and Louisiana Department of Health. House Bill 617, authored by state Rep. Kim Carver, removes DCFS authority over SNAP and TANF, while House Bill 624, authored by state Rep. Stephanie Berault, moves TANF administration to Louisiana Works and SNAP administration to the Louisiana Department of Health. Both bills passed the Louisiana House and were pending Senate approval as of May 2025.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry took a balanced approach on car insurance regulation by supporting House Bill 148, which would grant Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple greater authority to reject rate increases. Landry's position favored bills supported by stakeholders on both sides of the insurance rate debate. The governor's legislative strategy did not prioritize an effort to convert the elected insurance commissioner position into an appointed role, which died in the state Senate when the bill's sponsor withdrew Senate Bill 214 after determining he lacked sufficient votes.

In August, Landry signed an executive order preventing the use of critical race theory in Louisiana's K-12 public education system. The action was part of a broader conservative movement targeting diversity, equity and inclusion programs across state institutions. Landry's executive order preceded legislative efforts, including House Bill 685, which would extend restrictions on DEI initiatives to state government agencies.

Governor Landry signed an executive order following the escape of ten inmates from the Orleans Parish jail, directing the Inspector General to oversee audits of case files related to the escapes and instructing Attorney General Liz Murrill to lead the investigation. The executive order required the Department of Corrections to review the jail's operations for compliance with jail standards and ordered all Department of Corrections inmates at the facility to be relocated to other state-run facilities. Landry's order also requested that the Louisiana Supreme Court review the Orleans Parish Criminal Court regarding sentencing delays and judicial performance in high-crime parishes, while tasking the Metropolitan Crime Commission with creating a system to track cases from arrest to conviction.

Governor Landry issued executive orders targeting jail operations following a jailbreak at the Orleans Parish jail on May 16, 2025, in which ten inmates escaped. The incident, which was captured on surveillance video, prompted Landry's executive action alongside an investigation led by Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill. The manhunt involved more than 200 officers across eight federal, state, and local agencies, with four escapees recaptured and one jail employee arrested for allegedly facilitating the escape.

Governor Jeff Landry ordered Louisiana's Supreme Court to review judges across the state, with a focus on the number of judge trials conducted and acquittal rates in criminal courts. The order followed a WDSU investigation that examined judge trials in New Orleans, particularly those presided over by Orleans Parish Judge Nandi Campbell, who conducted 48 judge trials over three years with 38 resulting in not guilty verdicts. Landry stated that judges with disproportionate numbers of acquittals, particularly in cases involving crimes of violence, should undergo automatic review and scrutiny.

Representative Chenevert introduced House Bill 685, legislation that would ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs in Louisiana state government. The House passed the bill on May 19, 2025, by a vote of 57-32, with voting largely along party lines and no Democratic representatives voting in favor. The bill faced significant opposition from the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus and other Democratic members during floor debate.

Landry sought nearly $94 million in state budget allocation for a program to help families pay for private education, which the Louisiana House of Representatives agreed to include in the proposed fiscal year budget. Early childhood education advocates simultaneously requested that lawmakers restore approximately $9 million in child care and preschool funding that had been cut from the previous year's budget, bringing the early childhood education allocation from $78 million to $87.8 million. The budget proposals were considered amid state efforts to reduce overall spending, with the proposed budget approximately $440 million less than the current fiscal year.

Following ten inmate escapes from Orleans Parish Jail, Landry ordered an audit of the Orleans Correctional Facility by the Department of Corrections, which would remove all DOC inmates and review basic jail guidelines. Landry also issued an executive order instructing the state inspector general to obtain inventory documentation from the sheriff concerning all pretrial detainees and those awaiting sentences. These actions were announced at a news conference in response to the escape incident and prior security concerns at the facility.

Landry held a press conference on May 18, 2025, to provide an update on a manhunt following the escape of ten inmates from the Orleans Parish jail on May 17, 2025, with seven remaining at large as of May 19. At the conference, Landry announced that state officials would contribute $3,000 to the Crimestoppers reward pool for information leading to arrests of the escapees, bringing the state's total reward to $5,000 per inmate in addition to federal rewards. Landry and other state and federal authorities requested public assistance in locating the fugitives and warned that individuals assisting the escapees would face arrest and prosecution.

Landry filed HB479, legislation initially designed to create better protections for victims of crime, which was subsequently amended to require all jails across Louisiana to provide immediate notification to law enforcement, victims, media, and the public in the event of an inmate escape. The amendment was attached to Landry's bill by State Rep. Debbie Villio following ten inmate escapes from the Orleans Parish Jail. The measure establishes statewide protocols for jail escape notification across Louisiana's correctional facilities.

Landry ordered audits into the Orleans Parish jail following an escape of ten inmates in May 2025. The governor announced the audit directive during a press conference on May 18, 2025, held at the Benson Tower alongside New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick and Mayor LaToya Cantrell. The audit was initiated in response to the incident in which inmates escaped from the facility early Friday morning.

Governor Landry issued executive orders and announced an audit of the Orleans Justice Center following the escape of ten inmates, with seven remaining at large as of the third day of the manhunt. Landry stated that nine of the ten escapees were awaiting trial and that case delays in the criminal justice system contributed to the incident. Landry characterized the escape as potentially the largest jailbreak in Louisiana's history and indicated that immediate action through executive orders and facility review would be undertaken.

Following the escape of ten inmates from the Orleans Parish Justice Center on May 17, 2025, Governor Landry announced plans to sign an executive order directing the Sheriff to compile a complete inventory of all pretrial detainees and individuals awaiting sentencing in the facility. Landry also ordered the Department of Corrections to conduct a full audit of the Orleans Parish Correctional Facility to ensure compliance with proper guidelines. Landry attributed the escape in part to delays in case processing and stated that nine of the ten escaped inmates had been in pretrial detention for extended periods.

Landry attended a White House ceremony on May 19, 2025, where President Donald Trump signed the Take It Down Act, legislation that establishes federal crimes related to publishing intimate images without consent, including artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes. The law requires websites and social media platforms to remove such material within 48 hours of a victim's request and to delete duplicate content. Landry publicly acknowledged the signing on social media, stating the legislation was important for protecting children.

Governor Jeff Landry signed Senate Bill 436 into law in June 2024, which took effect on January 1, 2025, requiring Louisiana residents to provide proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. The law adds an eligibility question to voter registration applications asking whether applicants are citizens of the United States and mandates documentary proof of citizenship status. Four voting rights organizations filed a federal lawsuit challenging the law as unconstitutional and a violation of the National Voter Registration Act.

Landry called on the Louisiana Legislature to grant Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple the power to reject insurance premiums before they go into effect as part of efforts to address rising auto insurance rates in the state. House Bill 148, a sweeping insurance bill that advanced through the Senate Insurance Committee, included amendments that would give the commissioner broad authority to block rates deemed "excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory." The bill's provisions included consumer protections such as requiring insurers to disclose previous premiums in renewal notices, though some lawmakers and Temple himself cautioned that expanded regulatory authority could prompt insurers to leave the market.

Landry issued an executive order directing state law enforcement agencies to explore and enter into 287(g) partnership agreements with the Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement division. The order strongly encouraged local law enforcement agencies to establish similar agreements, which would allow ICE officials to delegate certain immigration enforcement duties to participating local officers. Louisiana State Police, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and the Department of Public Safety and Corrections had already entered into such agreements under the program, which Landry designated as Operation GEAUX.

Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple appeared before the State Senate on May 14, 2025, as committees considered legislation affecting his office and the insurance industry. One Senate committee approved legislation to convert his elected position into an appointed position over Temple's objections, while another committee passed House Bill 148, which would grant the insurance commissioner greater authority to reject rate increases deemed to produce unreasonably high profits. Temple expressed concern that the legislative actions distracted from what he characterized as solutions to high insurance rates, though he did not prevent the committees from advancing the measures.

Landry signed Operation GEAUX, an executive order that expands the powers of local law enforcement agencies across Louisiana to enforce federal immigration laws. The executive order directs state agencies to provide enhanced screening tools, aggressive identification procedures, and public awareness campaigns related to immigration enforcement. According to Landry's statement, the order was developed in partnership with the Trump administration and directs state law enforcement to explore agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement where appropriate.

House Bill 674, sponsored by Representative Beau Beaullieu, R-New Iberia, would modify Louisiana's ethics code by requiring a two-thirds vote before the Louisiana Board of Ethics could launch an investigation, imposing restrictions on the board's subpoena authority, and making changes to rules governing officials' acceptance of travel and gifts. The legislation passed the Louisiana House of Representatives unanimously on May 5, 2025, and was referred to the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee. The bill follows earlier legislation that granted Governor Jeff Landry and legislators significant authority over Board of Ethics appointments.

Gov. Landry requested $93.5 million in funding for LA GATOR, a new education program that provides families with tax dollars to pay for private school tuition and homeschooling expenses. The House Appropriations Committee included the LA GATOR funding in a proposed state budget advanced on Monday, which also allocates nearly $200 million for one-time teacher pay stipends. The full House was expected to vote on the budget proposal on Thursday.

Governor Landry communicated to state senators in private meetings that he wants the Louisiana Senate to pass House Bill 148 without modifications when it is heard in the Senate Insurance Committee. Landry stated publicly that he would call the Legislature into a special session to reconsider the measure if it does not pass before the regular legislative session concludes. The bill has drawn opposition from Republican senators and Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple, who contend it would permit the governor to reject rate increases arbitrarily.

Governor Landry appointed Michael Hecht, president and CEO of GNO, Inc., to lead efforts on the Louisiana International Terminal, a multi-billion-dollar container port project proposed for St. Bernard Parish in Violet. The appointment tasked Hecht with advancing the project, which has faced community opposition and regulatory challenges. Landry cited Hecht's previous work coordinating New Orleans infrastructure development ahead of Super Bowl LIX as relevant experience for the port initiative.

Jim Cook, general manager of the New Orleans Sheraton Hotel, was selected by the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center board to serve as the facility's next CEO, but his appointment has been delayed due to Louisiana's ethics law restrictions. Cook was appointed as a commissioner of the Convention Center's governing board by Governor Landry in March 2024 and remains a vice president of the board. State ethics law prohibits board members from serving as executives of the same organization within two years of their board service, requiring legislative passage of a bill with a waiver provision before Cook's formal appointment can proceed.

In late 2024, Landry signed legislation that changed Louisiana's personal income tax system from a tiered structure with a top rate of 4.25% to a flat rate of 3%. The bill took effect following its passage through the legislature and gubernatorial signature. The measure represented a significant shift in the state's tax policy affecting individual income taxation.

During a special legislative session in November 2024, Landry's administration and state lawmakers reduced individual and corporate tax rates while raising the sales tax and voting to eliminate numerous corporate tax subsidies. Landry signed a tax package on December 5, 2024, that represented an effort to address Louisiana's $7.5 billion in annual tax breaks by redirecting incentive authority toward the state's economic development agency rather than distributing them automatically through the tax code. The changes followed years of criticism from fiscal experts and some legislators regarding the state's extensive system of tax exemptions and deductions granted to special interests.

The U.S. House approved legislation on May 8, 2025, that would rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, with a vote of 211-206 along largely party lines. The resolution, sponsored by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, would codify an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on his first day in office. If approved by the Senate, the legislation would establish the name change in federal law, though executive orders on geographic naming can be reversed by future presidents and other countries retain the authority to use alternative names.

Louisiana House Bill 603, sponsored by Rep. Dixon McMakin, R-Baton Rouge, would allow the governor to appoint members to 32 occupational licensing boards on an optional rather than mandatory basis when selecting from industry trade association candidates. Current law requires gubernatorial appointees to certain boards, such as the Board of Examiners of Nursing Facility Administrators and the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, to be chosen from lists provided by relevant industry associations. The measure passed the Louisiana House on Monday and proceeded to the Senate for consideration.

Landry's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority submitted documents to the Army Corps of Engineers alleging that the previous administration had underestimated costs for the $3 billion Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project, leading the corps to withdraw the project's permit in April 2025. Landry outlined plans to pursue alternative marsh restoration through dredge-and-fill methods at a Senate Transportation Committee hearing. The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority's disclosure prompted the corps to claim the state had "deliberately withheld information" during the permitting process.

Governor Jeff Landry named Courtney Burdette as secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality following the departure of Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto, who accepted a position with Earth and Water Law Firm in Washington, D.C. Giacometto, whom Landry had appointed to lead the agency in November 2023, departed after months of controversy regarding her management style and several high-profile staff departures. Burdette, a veteran department staffer who had served at DEQ for ten years before leaving during Giacometto's tenure, was selected to lead the agency going forward.

Louisiana State Senate passed Senate Bill 2, which would ban fluoridation of the state's public water systems effective January 1 if signed into law, while allowing local water systems to permit residents to petition for optional fluoridation through election. The bill advanced through the Senate Health and Welfare Committee and full chamber with support from Louisiana Surgeon General Dr. Ralph Abraham, who characterized the measure as a patient freedom issue. The legislation now proceeds to the state House of Representatives for consideration before potential action by Governor Landry.

Gov. Landry secured House passage of House Bill 148, legislation that expands the authority of the Insurance Commissioner to reject insurance rate increases deemed excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory. The measure passed 67-33, with all 31 Democrats and 36 Republicans voting in favor, while 33 Republicans voted in opposition. The bill now proceeds to the Senate for consideration.

Louisiana lawmakers advanced legislation that would transfer authority over French Quarter sanitation services from city officials to a state-created board in the historic neighborhood. The measure would permit the board to enter into sanitation services contracts when the city fails to provide that work. The bill represents a shift in control over waste management operations in the French Quarter from municipal to state-level governance structures.

Attorney General Murrill filed a motion in April 2025 seeking to eliminate sanctuary policies for immigrants at the New Orleans jail in an ongoing federal lawsuit dating back more than a decade. The lawsuit originated from allegations that inmates were illegally detained for extended periods at the request of immigration agents, resulting in restrictive policies implemented in 2013 regarding immigration holds. U.S. Magistrate Judge Janis van Meerveld held a hearing on Murrill's intervention request in May 2025 but did not issue a ruling on whether the state would be permitted to intervene in the case.

Landry alleged that a 500-page technical report on the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project, completed in June 2022 by engineering consultants commissioned by the state's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, was improperly withheld from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers by the previous administration. The report modeled water and sediment flow rates from the Mississippi River and indicated that dredging could be required in future decades to maintain portions of the diversion. Landry's allegation centered on the claim that the document was concealed to facilitate the Corps' permit approval for the $3 billion coastal restoration project.

The U.S. Department of Justice dismissed a decades-old school desegregation case against Plaquemines Parish on Tuesday through a joint stipulation of dismissal filed with Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill and the Plaquemines Parish School Board. The case, originally filed in 1966 after the parish refused to integrate its schools, had remained open for approximately 50 years despite a 1975 federal court finding that the school system had ended racial segregation. Following the dismissal, Landry stated that federal courts had imposed "unnecessary requirements" on school districts and urged the Justice Department to close remaining desegregation cases across Louisiana, asserting that local leaders rather than federal judges should make education decisions.

Governor Jeff Landry announced final approval of the Louisiana LNG facility, a $17.5 billion liquefied natural gas production and export facility to be built in Calcasieu Parish near Lake Charles. The facility, developed by Woodside Energy, is expected to produce 16.5 million tons of LNG annually with expansion capacity to reach 27.6 million tons, and will create approximately 500 to 1,000 permanent jobs along with 8,000 construction positions. Landry stated at a news conference that state officials had addressed obstacles to the project's development, which had been in planning since 2016 under its previous name, Driftwood LNG.

The House Ways and Means Committee narrowly approved a vaping tax increase supported by Governor Landry while rejecting a proposed cigarette tax increase during a hearing on Tuesday. Landry backed the vaping tax with the provision that the first $22 million in collected revenue would fund state trooper salary increases, with subsequent funds allocated to the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the Office of State Fire Marshal, and the State Public Defender Compensation Fund. The tobacco industry and convenience store owners worked with Republican committee members to oppose the cigarette tax increase while accepting the vaping tax measure.

Governor Landry issued an executive order requiring Louisiana state employees under the governor's authority to work from designated physical offices rather than remotely, effective July 1, 2025. Commissioner of Administration Taylor Barras was directed to develop implementation policies by May 15 and given authority to approve exceptions to the remote-work ban. The order encourages but does not require state agencies outside the governor's direct authority and public higher education institutions to adopt similar return-to-office policies.

Landry signed an executive order on Wednesday establishing the French Quarter Terrorism Attack Memorial Commission to create a permanent memorial in New Orleans honoring victims of the January 1 Bourbon Street attack. The attack resulted in 14 deaths and dozens of injuries. The commission will be responsible for designing and implementing the memorial site in the French Quarter.

Landry's signature education initiative, the LA GATOR program, provides eligible Louisiana families with tax dollars to fund private school tuition and related expenses such as tutoring and laptops. The Louisiana Legislature delayed a vote on a $1.9 million contract extension for the private company administering the program, which was scheduled to expire in June, pushing the approval to the following month. Landry publicly stated that the delay placed the state education department in "crisis mode" and threatened students' ability to receive education.

Governor Jeff Landry's administration backed House Bill 517, sponsored by state Representative Ken Brass, which would change Louisiana's taxation of vape products from a per-milliliter rate of 15 cents to a percentage-based tax of 33% of the total retail price. The House Ways and Means Committee voted to send HB517 to the full House for consideration, with all committee Democrats voting in favor and Republicans splitting their votes. Landry's administration stated the bill was intended to address youth vaping rates and reduce state healthcare costs.

Governor Landry called for stronger regulatory oversight of the auto insurance industry, citing data showing Louisiana drivers pay significantly higher premiums than those in neighboring states despite comparable crash rates. Landry specifically advocated for increased authority for the state insurance commissioner and greater transparency in rate-setting practices. He also supported legislation addressing distracted driving, including measures targeting texting while driving.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry proposed allocating $93.5 million to the LA GATOR Scholarship Program, a voucher initiative that would provide eligible families with tax dollars for private school tuition and homeschooling expenses. Club for Growth, a national advocacy organization, launched a television advertising campaign beginning in April 2025 that urged Louisiana voters to contact state lawmakers and demand full funding of Landry's proposal. The ad campaign aired across multiple Louisiana media markets as some state lawmakers, including Senate President Cameron Henry, advocated for approximately half the proposed funding level.

The South Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East board voted 4-1 to approve a resolution opposing House Bill 633, legislation sponsored by State Rep. Jacob Braud that would reduce the agency's board size and eliminate its expert vetting panel for new members. The bill, sought by Governor Jeff Landry's administration, would reverse reforms implemented following Hurricane Katrina's levee failures. Board member Roy Carubba, whom Landry appointed as board president, cast the sole vote against the resolution.

Moore requested voter approval of a new tax to address caseload increases in the East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney's office, which oversees Louisiana's most populous judicial district. The tax measure was presented as a response to resource constraints affecting case prosecution in the jurisdiction. Moore cited comparisons to better-funded district attorney offices in Orleans and Jefferson parishes as context for the funding request.

Landry championed the LA GATOR Scholarship Program, a new initiative that provides tax dollars to eligible families for private school tuition and approved educational expenses, which replaced Louisiana's existing voucher program. The program received nearly 40,000 applications between March 1 and April 15, 2025, in its first two months of operation. Landry called the application numbers "astounding" and cited them as evidence of demand for the program while advocating for legislative funding of approximately $94 million to support an estimated 12,000 students, compared to the $44 million allocated to the previous voucher program.

Louisiana's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority approved a $2 billion annual spending plan on April 16, 2025, which includes $573 million allocated to the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project. Governor Landry had questioned the project's effectiveness and state officials issued a 90-day pause on the diversion earlier that month, leaving the project's status uncertain despite its inclusion in the approved spending plan. The CPRA board voted unanimously to include the funding contingent on the project proceeding, while also funding 140 additional coastal protection and restoration projects across the state.

Landry appeared before the House Insurance Committee on April 16, 2025, to testify in support of House Bill 576, which would grant the Insurance Commissioner authority to reject excessive car insurance rate increases. The committee overwhelmingly passed the bill following Landry's testimony. Landry stated he would call a special legislative session if the measure were rejected by the full legislature.

Gov. Jeff Landry opened the 2025 Louisiana legislative session by announcing multiple proposals to address the state's insurance crisis, including legislation to restrict attorney advertising, eliminate a presumption-of-injury provision in personal injury cases, and increase penalties for uninsured drivers from $15,000 to $100,000 in excluded bodily injury damages. Landry also proposed prohibiting insurance companies from using credit checks to set premiums, requiring premium discounts for trucks with dash cameras, and granting the Louisiana Department of Insurance authority to reject rates deemed excessive regardless of market conditions. Landry stated he would sign these measures into law if they reached his desk.

Landry directed his transportation secretary to develop a plan to restructure the Department of Transportation and Development, resulting in a consultant review and a 44-page Strategic Improvement Plan issued by DOTD. Landry and legislative leaders in both the House and Senate announced support for efforts to overhaul the department with the stated goals of accelerating project completion, streamlining procedures, and improving accountability measures. The restructuring initiative was identified as among Landry's top priorities for the legislative session beginning in April 2025.

Landry indicated willingness to support legislation requiring insurance companies to offer premium discounts to homeowners who install fortified roofs, a measure that failed to advance in the previous legislative session. The proposal is among at least six bills the Louisiana Legislature is considering during its 2025 session to incentivize strengthened roof construction in response to escalating insurance premiums across the state. Landry's stated openness to the requirement represents a shift from prior legislative efforts to mandate insurer discounts for fortified roofs.

Gov. Jeff Landry appointed Bruce Greenstein as Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health, a position Greenstein previously held before resigning over a contracting scandal more than a decade ago. Landry stated that Greenstein possesses deep understanding of health care systems including Medicaid and post-acute care. As secretary, Greenstein will manage the agency's operations and $21 billion budget while working with Louisiana Surgeon General Ralph Abraham on state health initiatives including Medicaid reform, chronic disease prevention, and maternal health.

U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy called from the Senate floor in April 2025 for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reverse its decision to end the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant program. The Trump administration's FEMA had announced the termination of the BRIC program, stating it was "wasteful and ineffective," and canceled all 2024 applications while halting payments for projects approved between 2020 and 2023. Cassidy stated that the program protected families and saved taxpayer dollars through pre-disaster mitigation efforts including levee raising, home elevation, and flood protection infrastructure in Louisiana.

Gov. Jeff Landry's proposed spending plan for the next fiscal year does not include annual $2,000 stipends for teachers and $1,000 stipends for school support staff that have been distributed for the past two years. The stipends are set to expire after the current school year ends, creating a potential pay cut for educators at a time when Louisiana's education system has achieved national recognition for reading gains. The Legislature faces the challenge of locating approximately $200 million to continue the stipends while operating under Landry's proposed "standstill" budget and state hiring freeze.

Governor Landry appointed Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto to serve as Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality Secretary in November 2023. Giacometto has faced criticism from departing agency officials, including a seven-page letter from departing human resources attorney Roger Ward in April 2025 alleging workplace management issues and personnel departures at the agency. The appointment and subsequent operations of the department have drawn public scrutiny regarding internal agency management.

Landry proposed four constitutional amendments that were submitted to Louisiana voters in a special election, including measures related to criminal justice policy and tax structure. All four amendments were rejected at the ballot box, with Amendment 3 receiving the largest margin of defeat. Landry attributed the amendments' failure to external factors including George Soros and opposition spending.

Governor Jeff Landry urged the Louisiana legislature to place four constitutional amendments on the March ballot, which would have modified specialty courts, the state tax code, juvenile criminal procedures, and judicial election timelines. Louisiana voters rejected all four amendments by margins of 60-40 or greater. Landry subsequently alleged that outside groups spent millions to influence the election outcome against the amendments.

Governor Jeff Landry appointed Bruce Greenstein as Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health in April 2025. Greenstein, who previously led the agency more than a decade ago before resigning amid a contracting scandal, returned to oversee the department's operations and $21 billion budget. The appointment followed the retirement of Michael Harrington and occurred as Landry and Louisiana Surgeon General Ralph Abraham pursued restructuring of state health programs including Medicaid.

Gov. Jeff Landry's administration announced plans to replace Louisiana's Office of Motor Vehicles computer system, which was built in the 1970s and had caused repeated outages affecting driver's license and vehicle registration services. Landry declared a state of emergency related to the OMV outages, waiving the standard procurement process to expedite selection of a new system, with officials expecting to choose the replacement within one month. The administration implemented an interim fix that reduced system downtime, though officials characterized this solution as temporary while pursuing the long-term replacement, which could take up to three years to fully install.

Following the failure of Amendment 2, a constitutional amendment that voters rejected last month, Landry wrote an open letter to Louisiana teachers stating the state must "return to the drawing board" to find alternative ways to increase educator compensation. The amendment would have made one-time teacher stipends distributed in the previous year a permanent part of salaries by dissolving three state education trust funds and redirecting savings from debt payments related to the teacher retirement fund. Landry stated that without passage of the amendment, no alternative recurring resources currently exist to fund permanent salary increases for teachers.

Governor Landry requested $93.5 million in state funding for the LA GATOR Scholarship Program in his fiscal year budget proposal, more than double the $43.5 million currently spent annually on the voucher program it replaced. Senate President Cameron Henry stated that legislative leaders had agreed the previous year to fund LA GATOR at the same level as the former voucher program and indicated he would not support the additional spending. Landry successfully advanced the LA GATOR program through the Legislature in the previous year to provide families with education funding for private school and other education expenses.

Landry announced his support for a slate of bills intended to reduce auto insurance rates in Louisiana during the 2025 legislative session. The proposed legislation focuses on how insurance claims are litigated, with measures that would limit attorney contingency fees and establish caps on certain damages while potentially affecting insurance company payouts. Landry characterized the proposals as a balanced approach requiring concessions from both insurance companies and trial lawyers to address high auto insurance costs in the state.

Governor Landry announced a legislative proposal to reform Louisiana's auto insurance system, citing high premiums that exceed the national average despite crash rates in line with national figures. The proposal included expanding the powers of Louisiana's insurance commissioner for better industry regulation and implementing laws to address personal injury lawyer advertising while preventing insurance companies from passing advertising costs to customers. Landry stated the reforms aimed to address what he identified as the primary outlier in the data: minor injury claims in Louisiana occurring at double the national average.

Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple unveiled a set of 20 bills designed to lower Louisiana auto insurance rates, the majority of which would impose stricter limits on plaintiffs' ability to sue for damages and cap monetary awards in court. This announcement came one day after Governor Landry announced his own policy proposal for lowering auto insurance rates, with Landry characterizing his approach as "balanced" and addressing the roles of both trial lawyers and insurance companies. Temple stated he had not spoken with Landry about insurance reform since May, noting he had requested a meeting with the governor following Landry's June veto of a collateral source rules measure.

Governor Landry announced on Wednesday a plan to address Louisiana's insurance crisis by working with the state legislature on new legislation designed to hold both insurance companies and lawyers accountable for rising premiums. Landry stated that Louisiana's auto insurance rates do not correlate with crash frequency or repair costs, as the state maintains rates in line with national averages for vehicle accidents while experiencing below-average injury claim severity. The governor proposed a balanced legislative approach to bring fairness and accountability to the insurance system rather than favoring either insurance companies or legal representatives.

Governor Landry supported legislation introduced by Representative Jacob Braud, designated HB633, that would restructure the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East by reducing its board from nine to seven members and eliminating the nominating committee's role in board selection for the east bank authority. The bill would grant the governor authority to appoint four board members directly and require one board member to have law enforcement experience. Landry's adviser Shane Guidry publicly advocated for the changes, stating the motivation was ensuring the agency's focus on flood protection operations.

CF Industries announced plans to construct the Blue Point Complex, a $4 billion low-carbon ammonia production facility in Ascension Parish near Modeste at the RiverPlex MegaPark, with operations expected to generate 103 permanent jobs at an average annual salary of $110,000. The facility will employ carbon capture and sequestration technology to reduce the carbon footprint of ammonia production. Governor Landry announced the project decision at a news conference at the state capitol on Tuesday alongside officials from Louisiana Economic Development.

Landry's administration ordered a 90-day pause on the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project, Louisiana's largest coastal restoration undertaking, effective Friday. The pause halts nearly all work on the project, which began construction in August 2023, with state coastal officials citing concerns that rising costs could leave Louisiana responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars beyond the initial $3 billion budget funded by BP oil spill settlements. The decision effectively suspends work on a project that had been planned and studied for years while the state reassesses its scope and financial feasibility.

The U.S. Department of Education issued a directive requiring states and school districts to certify in writing within ten days that schools are not engaged in diversity, equity, and inclusion practices that the department characterizes as violations of federal anti-discrimination law. The certification requirement threatened potential loss of federal funding, including Title I funds that support schools serving low-income students, of which Louisiana schools received approximately $395 million in the previous fiscal year. The directive applied to programs the department stated favor students of one race over another in violation of federal law.

Landry backed four constitutional amendments that were defeated by voters in April 2025. Louisiana Democratic Party Chair Randal Gaines characterized the defeat as a defining moment in Louisiana politics and claimed the Democratic Party's messaging was determinative in the amendments' failure. The amendments lost by wide margins across parishes with varying political compositions, including areas with minimal Democratic Party presence and with significant Republican and independent opposition.

Edwards and the East Baton Rouge Metro Council developed a plan to address a $40 million budget deficit created by the incorporation of St. George by redirecting property taxes currently allocated to libraries, the Council on Aging, and mosquito control, along with an alimony tax, to the city-parish general fund. The proposal, titled "Thrive! East Baton Rouge," was structured as four separate ballot measures scheduled for a November 15 election after voters rejected four related constitutional amendments in a prior vote. Parish officials stated that dividing the plan into distinct ballot items was intended to provide voters with clarity about individual funding decisions rather than presenting an all-or-nothing choice.

Gov. Landry announced a hiring freeze throughout Louisiana state government on Wednesday as the legislature prepared to begin the budget process for the coming fiscal year. The state faces uncertainty regarding federal funding allocations, with federal money comprising nearly half of Louisiana's budget and potential cuts anticipated from the Trump administration. Additionally, the legislature must address $198 million in funding needs to maintain teacher stipends as permanent pay raises after voters rejected Amendment 2, which would have provided a constitutional mechanism to finance the raises through education trust fund liquidation.

Louisiana voters rejected four constitutional amendments on March 29, 2025, that Landry had supported, including a comprehensive overhaul of the state constitution's section on revenue and finance. The amendments each received between 63 and 66 percent opposition from voters statewide. The rejection represented a significant electoral setback for the governor's fiscal policy agenda.

Landry campaigned extensively and raised money for an advertising campaign in support of Amendment 2, which would have rewritten the state tax code to reduce the top individual tax rate and impose a cap on government spending. He also supported three additional constitutional amendments that would have created specialty courts, expanded crimes allowing children to be tried in adult prisons, and changed election dates for judicial vacancies. All four amendments failed by significant margins on March 29, 2025, with each receiving approximately 35 percent of the vote.

Landry facilitated the Kenner Police Department's entry into the 287(g) program partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, making Kenner one of two law enforcement agencies in Louisiana to join the initiative. Under the jail enforcement model of the program, Kenner Police officers receive certain ICE authorities to identify individuals in custody with pending or existing criminal charges who may be removable aliens. The partnership was announced in April 2025 alongside a similar agreement with the Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office.

Landry issued an executive order instituting a hiring freeze across Louisiana's executive branch effective from April 11 through June 30, which his office projected would generate approximately $20 million in annual savings. The freeze was announced as the state faced budget uncertainty, including a failed constitutional amendment that would have provided funding for teacher stipends and potential federal budget reductions. Landry stated the measure was intended to provide the legislature with additional budgetary options and to limit cuts to healthcare and education services.

Landry predicted that his administration will announce $50 billion in new business investments in Louisiana before the summer of 2025, a figure he characterized as a state record. The prediction followed Hyundai's announcement of plans to build a multibillion-dollar steel mill in Ascension Parish, which Landry announced alongside President Donald Trump at a White House event in March 2025. The projected $50 billion would exceed Louisiana's previous annual record of $25 billion in capital investments announced in 2023 under the prior administration.

Landry championed Amendment 2, a constitutional amendment that was part of his broader tax reform plan for Louisiana and presented to voters in a statewide election. The amendment proposed to cap the personal income tax rate, limit government growth, and dissolve certain education trust funds, building on legislation passed during a special legislative session that established a flat 3% personal income tax rate, cut corporate income tax, and raised sales tax. Louisiana voters rejected Amendment 2 in the election held on Saturday, April 1, 2025.

Landry issued an executive order on April 2, 2025, instituting a statewide hiring freeze for all state government departments and agencies within the executive branch, excluding local government entities. The executive order was designed to achieve annualized savings of $20 million in the state general fund. Landry stated the action was necessary to address a projected fiscal shortfall and to provide the Legislature with additional budgetary options while protecting funding for healthcare and education.

Governor Landry issued an executive order on Wednesday implementing a hiring freeze for the executive branch of state government. The freeze applies to all state government departments and agencies while excluding local government entities. The executive order targets an annualized savings of $20 million in the state general fund.

Governor Jeff Landry championed Amendment 2, a constitutional amendment that would have converted one-time teacher pay stipends approved by the Legislature into recurring salary increases, with $2,000 for teachers and $1,000 for support staff. The amendment failed in a voter referendum on Saturday. Following the defeat, the status of teacher compensation for the next school year remained uncertain, as the temporary stipends were set to expire without a permanent funding mechanism in place.

Landry pushed a constitutional amendment, Amendment 2, that would have comprehensively revised Article VII of the Louisiana Constitution governing state taxes and budgeting during a November 2024 special session. Voters rejected the amendment in a November referendum, with 65 percent voting against it across urban, rural, and various partisan areas of the state. Following the defeat, Landry and allied legislators began developing alternative approaches to state tax policy ahead of the April 2025 legislative session.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced that her office would assume responsibility for defending the conviction and death sentence of Antoinette Frank, a former New Orleans police officer convicted in a triple homicide at a restaurant in 1995. Murrill stated that taking over Frank's post-conviction case was part of a broader initiative to assume defense of all Louisiana death penalty cases through post-conviction relief and federal habeas proceedings across the state's district attorney offices. Murrill's office indicated it had taken over eight other post-conviction death penalty cases in addition to Frank's case, with the attorney general arguing that centralized handling would ensure consistent legal briefings to courts.

Landry campaigned across Louisiana in support of Amendment 2, a revision to Article VII of the Louisiana Constitution governing state finances, which he characterized as central to tax policy reforms he championed during a November special session. Louisiana voters rejected all four constitutional amendments that the Legislature had passed with two-thirds majorities on March 29, 2025, each failing by margins exceeding 60 percent. Following Amendment 2's defeat, Landry attributed the loss to spending by liberal billionaire George Soros and far-left groups that he stated had conducted a campaign of propaganda against the measure.

Landry appointed Bryan Adams, the state fire marshal, as interim commissioner of the Office of Motor Vehicles following the resignation of Dan Casey. Adams will serve in this capacity until a permanent commissioner is named, at which point Dale Branch will assume the role of state fire marshal. Landry also issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency for the OMV and waiving late fees for expired driver's licenses amid ongoing operational issues affecting license plate issuance, renewals, and Real ID card processing.

Governor Jeff Landry appointed Louisiana State Fire Marshal Chief Bryan Adams to serve as head of the Office of Motor Vehicles following the resignation of Commissioner Dan Casey. Landry stated that Adams' public service background qualified him to modernize the agency's outdated computer system, which is fifty years old and has experienced repeated outages causing service delays across the state. Dale "Ed" Branch, chief of staff for the State Fire Marshal's Office, was appointed to replace Adams in that position.

Governor Jeff Landry proposed Amendment 2 as part of a broader effort to restructure Louisiana's tax system to increase business investment. Louisiana voters rejected Amendment 2 along with three other constitutional amendments in a March 29, 2025 election. Following the defeat, Landry stated the result was disappointing but indicated he would continue pursuing similar policy changes.

Landry campaigned in favor of Amendment 2, a proposed revision to the state constitution's section on taxes and budgeting, which he framed as part of his effort to make Louisiana's tax system more attractive to business investment. Louisiana voters rejected Amendment 2 along with three other proposed constitutional amendments in a Saturday election. Landry issued a statement following the amendment's failure, attributing the rejection to opposition spending and stating his intention to continue pursuing similar fiscal policy changes.

Landry supported all four proposed amendments to the Louisiana Constitution that were on the ballot on March 29, 2025, and campaigned across the state in favor of at least one of them. The amendments would have changed how the state's courts are organized, modified the tax system, and altered which juveniles could be charged as adults, among other changes. All four amendments were defeated by large margins, with each receiving less than 40% of the vote.

Louisiana voters rejected four proposed constitutional amendments on Saturday, including Amendment 2, which Governor Landry had actively campaigned to support across the state. Amendment 2 sought to revise the state's tax and budgeting provisions with the stated goal of making Louisiana's tax system more attractive to business investment. The amendment received 35 percent voter support and 65 percent opposition, and its defeat also affected planned teacher pay increases and state budget planning for the upcoming fiscal year.

Landry participated in a special legislative session in November 2024 where the Republican-controlled state Legislature advanced tax reform measures under his leadership. One of the resulting constitutional amendments was placed on the ballot for voter consideration on March 29, 2025, to authorize implementation of the tax reform work completed during that session. Voters in Louisiana were scheduled to decide on this amendment along with three other state constitutional amendments on the election date.

Governor Landry announced the resignation of Office of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Dan Casey following widespread operational failures at the agency. Landry issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency at the OMV and waiving late fees for expired driver's licenses while the department addressed system failures affecting license plate issuance, license renewals, vehicle registrations, and Real ID processing. Landry stated he would name an interim secretary to oversee the agency while work continued on permanently replacing the motor vehicle system.

In December, Landry signed a proclamation designating the new $26 million Acadiana crime lab facility to be named in honor of former 16th Judicial District Attorney Bo Duhe. The eight-parish crime lab, set to open within months, was developed under Duhe's leadership as commission president from 2017 to 2021, including his role in signing a cooperative endeavor agreement with the state in 2019 for the facility's design and construction. Duhe passed away following a lengthy illness after attending a dedication ceremony for the lab in February.

Governor Jeff Landry announced the resignation of Dan Casey, commissioner of the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles, following weeks of computer system failures that disrupted driver's license and vehicle registration services statewide. Landry declared a state of emergency that waived late fees for expired driver's licenses and expedited the procurement process for new software to replace the agency's decades-old computer system. Landry stated he would name an interim secretary to lead the agency while the OMV pursues a new software system expected to take approximately two and a half years to fully implement.

Landry's administration released a new strategic economic development plan on Wednesday that included a roadmap for investments in the technology sector and other growing industries. The plan was presented as part of the administration's broader economic agenda, which had previously announced major industrial projects including a Meta artificial intelligence data center in Richland Parish and a Hyundai steel mill in Donaldsonville. The strategic plan outlined goals for positioning Louisiana as an innovative economy in the Southeast region.

Governor Landry cooperated with federal immigration authorities in establishing detention camps for immigrants in Louisiana, including individuals with legal status in the United States. State Senator Jay Morris authored Senate Bill 15, which expands the definition of obstruction of justice to include actions that hinder federal immigration enforcement efforts, potentially subjecting local officials, teachers, clergy, employers, and private citizens to state obstruction or malfeasance charges for failing to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. The bill is part of a broader Republican effort to compel local governments and private citizens to assist the Trump administration's immigration enforcement operations.

Governor Landry stated that Louisiana's position in the Supreme Court case regarding the state's redrawn congressional map seeks clarity on how districts should be drawn, characterizing the legal battle as not constituting a political effort. The case, which centers on whether race or politics motivated the creation of Louisiana's newly drawn sixth congressional district stretching from Shreveport to Baton Rouge with approximately 55 percent Black voters, questions whether the state violated the Constitution and whether the Voting Rights Act Section Two should be upheld. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the matter in March 2025, with a ruling expected by June 2025.

Gov. Landry delivered a speech to the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge on March 26, 2025, advocating for Amendment 2, a constitutional amendment scheduled for a statewide vote on March 29, 2025. The amendment would lower the individual income tax rate cap from 4.75% to 3.75%, relocate many tax exemptions from the constitution to state law, limit state spending increases, and restructure designated government funds for education and health. Landry characterized the vote as a critical moment for Louisiana's tax policy and fiscal structure.

Landry's administration released a 40-page strategic economic development plan on March 26, 2025, designed to establish Louisiana as the most robust and innovative economy in the Southeast. The plan, produced in partnership with Louisiana Economic Development, included recommendations for a new incentive program targeting businesses offering above-regional-benchmark wages and a dedicated fund for site development. The initiative addressed job growth challenges and population retention while building on recent major investments announced by Meta and Hyundai in the state.

Governor Landry and the Republican-led state Legislature placed Amendment 3 before Louisiana voters in a March 29 election, which would authorize lawmakers to expand the number of felony crimes for which juveniles can be tried as adults beyond the current 16 offenses. The proposed constitutional amendment would potentially allow prosecution of juveniles as adults for crimes including fentanyl distribution, carjacking, and home invasion. The measure represents a legislative effort to address juvenile crime through expanded adult prosecution authority.

Landry's administration closed a temporary homeless shelter in New Orleans on Friday after operating the 70,000-square-foot warehouse facility since January 15, 2025. The state facility, which housed over 170 people at its peak and cost up to $17.5 million to operate, relocated 108 residents into subsidized apartments with case management services and moved 15 others into the city's low-barrier shelter. An additional 59 residents departed the shelter on their own since its opening, and the state did not provide information regarding their subsequent housing status.

Governor Landry and the Republican-led state Legislature placed Amendment 3 on the March 29, 2025 Louisiana ballot, which would authorize lawmakers to expand the list of felony crimes for which juveniles can be tried as adults through a two-thirds legislative vote. Currently, only 16 crimes allow juveniles as young as 14 to be tried in adult court, including various degrees of rape and murder. The proposed amendment would enable the Legislature to add crimes such as fentanyl distribution, carjacking, and home invasion to the category of offenses prosecutable against juveniles in the adult system.

Landry attended a White House ceremony with President Donald Trump on March 24, 2025, where Hyundai announced plans to construct a $5 billion steel mill in Ascension Parish, Louisiana. The facility is expected to create up to 1,300 full-time jobs and will supply steel to Hyundai and Kia vehicle assembly plants in the United States. The plant will be built on approximately 1,700 acres of land near Donaldsonville and represents Hyundai Motor Group's first steel mill operation in the country.

Landry announced that Hyundai Steel Company would construct a $5 billion steel manufacturing plant in Ascension Parish near Donaldsonville, Louisiana, marking the company's first steel mill in the United States. The facility is expected to generate over 1,300 direct jobs with an average salary of $95,000 and approximately 4,500 indirect jobs. Landry attributed the investment to Louisiana's 2024 tax reforms, skilled workforce, and business-friendly regulatory environment.

Governor Landry issued an emergency executive order waiving delinquent fees on Class E driver's licenses for up to 30 days past expiration in response to ongoing system failures at the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. The executive order was implemented to reduce processing backlogs caused by outdated mainframe software affecting driver's license and license plate issuance. The waived fees apply only within Louisiana and do not extend recognition of expired licenses to federal agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration or law enforcement in other states.

Governor Landry named Drew Maranto, the current undersecretary, as interim secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health following the retirement of Michael Harrington in March 2025. Harrington had served as health secretary since his promotion in June 2024, having initially joined the department as undersecretary in January 2024. Landry stated he expected to name a permanent secretary in the coming weeks.

Governor Landry issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency in response to ongoing technology system outages affecting Office of Motor Vehicles operations across Louisiana. The order, which lasts thirty days, waives the fifteen dollar late fee for drivers with Class E licenses more than ten days overdue for renewal due to the service disruptions. Additionally, Landry's office announced expanded weekend hours at eight OMV locations and encouraged online license renewal where available to reduce strain on the affected computer systems.

Governor Jeff Landry issued an executive order extending the expiration date and waiving delinquent fees for Class E driver's licenses for up to 30 days past their expiration dates in response to persistent system outages affecting the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. The extension applies only within Louisiana and will not be recognized by federal agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration or law enforcement in other states. The OMV's computer systems have experienced frequent outages due to aging COBOL mainframe applications, prompting the office to work with state officials and industry partners to implement a new driver and vehicle system.

Gov. Jeff Landry announced the placement of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness under the Louisiana National Guard as part of a cost savings restructure. Brigadier General Jason P. Mahfouz was designated interim director of GOHSEP to oversee day-to-day operations, with Adjutant Major General Thomas Friloux providing oversight during the transition. Jacques Thibodeaux, the previous director, transitioned to a role as special assistant to the adjutant general of the Louisiana National Guard.

Governor Jeff Landry's administration pursued changes to the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East, the agency overseeing levees and pumps on the east bank of the Mississippi River in Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Bernard parishes. Derek Rabb resigned from the nine-member board on Thursday, becoming the fourth member to depart, leaving only five members remaining on the board. The resignations occurred as board members registered objections to actions being advanced by Landry's adviser Shane Guidry, and they reduce the board to the minimum threshold needed to maintain a quorum as hurricane season approaches.

Governor Landry restructured the Louisiana Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness by placing it under the Louisiana National Guard rather than maintaining it as an independent agency. Brigadier General Jason Mahfouz was appointed as interim director of GOHSEP with responsibility for day-to-day operations, while Adjutant General Major General Thomas Friloux was directed to provide oversight during the transition. The restructuring was announced as part of Landry's fiscal responsibility initiative to reduce state spending.

Landry conducted a statewide advertising campaign and appeared on talk radio shows to encourage voter approval of Amendment 2, a constitutional tax overhaul scheduled for the March 29 ballot. The amendment would implement changes to Louisiana's tax code including modifications to income taxes, sales taxes, the corporate franchise tax, and various other tax provisions that require voter ratification. Landry stated that Amendment 2 would create jobs, grow the economy, and increase money for workers, teachers, and senior citizens.

Louisiana executed Jesse Hoffman on March 18, 2025, marking the state's first execution in 15 years and the first use of nitrogen gas as an execution method in the state. Hoffman was convicted of the 1995 rape and murder of Mary "Molly" Elliott, an advertising executive in New Orleans. Governor Landry facilitated the execution through approval of new execution protocols and the setting of execution dates.

The Louisiana Supreme Court dismissed a legal challenge to Amendment 2, a constitutional amendment that would restructure the state's tax laws as sought by Governor Landry and the Louisiana Legislature. The court ruled that the ballot language for Amendment 2 was framed in simple, unbiased, and easily understood language and contained sufficient information for voters to identify the proposed amendment. The amendment, scheduled for a March 29 ballot vote, would grant state legislators broader authority over revenue streams and government spending while placing lower limits on state income tax rates and increasing restrictions on new spending and tax breaks.

Landry signed an executive order on March 17, 2025, directing state agencies, boards, and officers to replace all references to "Gulf of Mexico" with "Gulf of America" in published materials and the Louisiana Administrative Code by May 20, 2025. The order also requested the Louisiana Law Institute study updating statutory references to reflect the geographic name change. Landry's directive followed President Donald Trump's executive order titled "Restoring Names that Honor American Greatness," which ordered the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to rename the Gulf of Mexico.

Three members of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East board—Roy Arrigo, William Settoon, and Thomas Fierke—resigned in March 2025 in response to changes being pursued by an adviser to Governor Jeff Landry. The resignations reduced the board to six members, leaving it one member short of the five-member quorum required to conduct business as hurricane season approached. The departing board members stated that the agency was no longer focused on flood protection under the proposed changes.

Landry responded to concerns raised by environmental groups, marine mammal advocates, commercial fishing interests, and coastal officials regarding the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project. The project, a $3 billion sediment diversion initiative, faced criticism over its projected costs, minimal land restoration estimates, and potential impacts on endangered species and fishing industries. Landry's action involved pausing the project to allow for further consideration of alternative coastal restoration strategies.

Activists and faith leaders gathered outside the Governor's Mansion on March 16, 2025, to urge Governor Jeff Landry to halt the scheduled nitrogen-gas execution of death row inmate Jessie Hoffman, which was set for Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Hoffman's execution would be the first in Louisiana in 15 years and the first contested execution since 2010. The crowd included family members, religious leaders, and representatives from organizations such as the NAACP, who spoke about concerns regarding the execution method and state procedures.

Governor Landry signed an executive order on March 20, 2025, directing all Louisiana state agencies, boards, and officers to replace references to "Gulf of Mexico" with "Gulf of America" on all published materials going forward. The order requires updates to the Louisiana Administrative Code by May 20, 2025, and requests that the Louisiana Law Institute study updating statutory references to reflect the new geographic designation. Landry signed the directive at a networking luncheon hosted by regional chambers of commerce.

State Public Defender Rémy Starns, appointed by Governor Jeff Landry, sent letters dated February 27, 2025, to five chief public defenders notifying them that their contracts would not be renewed when they expired on July 1, 2025. The affected officials were Michelle AndrePont of Caddo Parish, Trisha Ward of Evangeline Parish, Brett Brunson of Natchitoches Parish, Deirdre Fuller of Rapides Parish, and John Hogue of East Carroll, Madison and Tensas parishes. The five public defenders had previously criticized Act 22, a 2024 Louisiana law that expanded the authority of the State Public Defender position.

Governor Landry signed legislation in 2024 that expanded confidentiality protections surrounding Louisiana's execution procedures. The law redacts the identities of execution team members, suppliers of execution materials, and personnel involved in preparing inmates and operating nitrogen gas systems used in capital punishment. The statute bars public disclosure of names and titles of individuals and businesses participating in or providing ancillary functions for executions in the state.

Landry issued an order ending automatic lease renewals for state agencies, requiring office space lessees to obtain administrative approval and submit justification documents before signing or extending leases. The directive affected 44 state-run offices in New Orleans and was implemented through the Fiscal Responsibility Review Program, which Landry established in December 2024 to parallel the federal Department of Government Efficiency. Landry stated the measure was intended to modernize state government operations, eliminate waste, and improve efficiency in the use of taxpayer resources.

Governor Landry authorized legislation and signed measures last year that established nitrogen gas as an execution method in Louisiana, making the state only the second in the modern era to use this procedure. The authorization enabled the scheduling of an execution by nitrogen gas for death row inmate Jessie Hoffman Jr., with a potential March 18 execution date. Over 100 New Orleans-area business owners, artists, and lawyers subsequently signed a letter to Landry expressing concern that the executions would damage Louisiana's tourism and economic reputation.

On March 11, 2025, Governor Landry issued an executive order directing state agencies to evaluate all state contracts to determine whether they should be renewed, modified, or terminated, with the stated goal of eliminating wasteful spending and improving government efficiency. The order requires all state agencies to submit reports to the Division of Administration by July 1, 2025, identifying all leased spaces by location and square footage, including information on occupancy rates, lease costs, expiration dates, and extension options. According to the Division of Administration, the state currently leases approximately 6.9 million square feet of property at an annual cost of $96.35 million.

Louisiana's Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted unanimously in March 2025 to implement the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in the state's fourth and fifth-grade social studies standards, aligning with President Donald Trump's executive order on the matter. State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley recommended striking the name "Mexico" and replacing it with "America" in reference to the Gulf in Louisiana's social studies standards. Schools will not be required to replace existing textbooks, but all new fourth and fifth-grade social studies materials will be required to reflect the name change going forward.

Landry announced his backing of President Trump's newly imposed tariffs, including a 25% increase on imported metals set to take effect in March 2025, characterizing reciprocal tariff policy as fair trade. Speaking at the Chamber-PAC luncheon at the Tchefuncte Country Club, Landry acknowledged uncertainty regarding the specific economic impact on Louisiana's trade-dependent industries including ports and energy sectors. Landry stated that while the state's economy would experience significant disruption, he believed the tariff approach represented sound policy compared to unrestricted free trade.

Landry authorized legislation and push to restart executions in Louisiana after a 15-year hiatus, including approval of nitrogen gas as the execution method used in the planned case of Jessie Hoffman Jr. More than 100 New Orleans-area business owners, artists, and lawyers sent a letter to Landry in March 2025 arguing that the executions would damage Louisiana's tourism and economic reputation, particularly following the state's hosting of the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras. Hoffman was scheduled to become the first death row inmate outside Alabama to be executed by nitrogen gas under the modern method authorized by Landry and the Louisiana Legislature.

Governor Jeff Landry established the LA GATOR scholarship program, which provides tax dollars to eligible Louisiana families for private school tuition and approved educational expenses such as tutoring, textbooks, and special education services. Since applications opened on March 1, 2025, nearly 14,000 families have applied for the scholarships, with over 13,900 deemed eligible as of the data released in mid-March. The scholarship amounts range from $5,200 for families not qualifying as low-income to $15,200 for students with disabilities, and the application period runs through April 15, 2025.

Governor Landry expressed support for a constitutional amendment scheduled for voter consideration on March 29 that would permanently raise teacher pay by $2,000 and support staff pay by $1,000, stating in November that the state possessed sufficient funds to implement such increases. The amendment, known as Amendment 2, would redirect millions of dollars annually from education trust funds that currently support early education programs and teacher scholarships. State leaders indicated they would seek alternative funding sources for affected programs, though the specific allocation of replacement funding remained unspecified at the time of the announcement.

At the direction of Governor Jeff Landry, the LSU Board of Supervisors revised the university's free speech policy to restrict faculty members from expressing political views in classrooms unless directly related to course subject matter. The revised policy, which the author characterizes as intentionally vague, prohibits professors from discussing their political perspectives in the manner previously permitted at the institution. Landry's directive resulted in changes to LSU's speech regulations that apply to the university's faculty conduct standards.

Landry's administration submitted a request to the federal government seeking $50 million in reimbursement for expenses incurred during Super Bowl LIX and Mardi Gras festivities in New Orleans. The reimbursement request covers costs related to increased security operations and the establishment of a temporary homeless shelter operated by the state during the events. State officials indicated they were engaged in discussions with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security regarding the reimbursement claim.

Governor Jeff Landry formed a DOGE-like task force to study government spending at the state level. The task force, referred to as a Department of Government Efficiency initiative, was created to examine state expenditures and recommend improvements in government operations. Landry's action reflected a broader national trend toward establishing efficiency-focused review committees following the creation of the federal Department of Government Efficiency.

Madison Sheahan, Louisiana's Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary, was appointed deputy director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in President Donald Trump's administration, with the appointment announced by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on March 9, 2025. Governor Landry stated he looked forward to working with Sheahan in her new role and indicated that LDWF Deputy Secretary Tyler Bosworth would handle the secretary's responsibilities until Sheahan officially assumed her position at ICE. Sheahan, who had served as Louisiana's wildlife secretary since late 2023 and previously worked in South Dakota state government, was appointed to the federal position following her prior experience with Noem's administration.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency filed a joint motion with Denka Performance Elastomer to dismiss a lawsuit initiated under the Biden administration that alleged the St. John the Baptist Parish chemical facility posed unacceptable cancer risks to surrounding areas. The settlement was reached without admission of fact or law by either party. Landry had previously stated the state would disregard the EPA's enforcement action against the plant.

Louisiana added nitrogen hypoxia as an execution method in legislation supported by Landry, making it available alongside other authorized means of capital punishment. Landry, serving as Governor, joined Attorney General Liz Murrill in arguing that proceeding with the execution of death row inmate Jessie Hoffman on March 18 serves the interests of justice in his case. Hoffman, scheduled to be the first person executed by nitrogen gas in Louisiana, filed a federal lawsuit challenging the method as constituting cruel and unusual punishment.

Governor Landry urged lawmakers to pass legislation creating the LA GATOR Scholarship Program, an education savings account that provides eligible families with public funds to cover private school tuition, tutoring, textbooks, and other education expenses. Landry subsequently proposed allocating nearly $94 million to the program for the following school year, which represents double the annual spending on Louisiana's previous voucher program that the LA GATOR program replaces. Applications for the LA GATOR Scholarship Program opened in March 2025.

Landry named Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto to serve as Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality in November 2023. Giacometto implemented operational changes aimed at improving agency efficiency and aligning environmental protection goals with economic development initiatives under Landry's direction. A state workplace audit released in February 2025 found that while most DEQ employees were satisfied with their direct managers, staff held significantly less favorable views of the agency's top leadership, with more than three-fourths of employees reporting worsened morale during the first six months of 2024.

Landry promised to work with the Louisiana Legislature to establish permanent funding for domestic violence victim services after his proposed budget excluded $7 million in annual allocations to the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The funding had been provided for the previous two fiscal years but was classified as a one-time expenditure rather than recurring budget authority. Landry and Commissioner of Administration Taylor Barras committed to identifying a consistent funding source that would maintain support for domestic violence shelters on a permanent basis in future state budgets.

Landry announced in February 2025 that the Fiscal Responsibility Program, a task force created by the governor in December, would partner with the Louisiana Legislative Auditor to identify wasteful government spending. The program, led by Steve Orlando and comprising eight state legislators, had previously conducted meetings outside public view before pausing operations after criticism regarding compliance with state public meetings law. The partnership aims to expand the task force's work to locate unnecessary expenditures in state government.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry announced in February 2025 that the state had completed nitrogen gas execution protocols and intended to resume executions after a 15-year hiatus, with death row inmate Jessie Hoffman scheduled for execution on March 18. Following Landry's announcement, a St. Tammany Parish judge signed Hoffman's execution warrant, making him potentially the first person Louisiana would execute using nitrogen gas as the method. Hoffman's legal team subsequently filed lawsuits in both federal and state courts challenging the nitrogen gas execution protocol and seeking to block the scheduled execution.

Landry created a Department of Governmental Efficiency for Louisiana and appointed Fiscal Responsibility Czar Steve Orlando to lead it. Orlando was tasked with identifying ways to ensure efficient government and reduce waste while working closely with the Louisiana Legislative Auditor and the Governor's Fiscal Responsibility Program. The state DOGE was modeled after President Donald Trump's federal program headed by Elon Musk.

A federal appeals court issued an administrative stay halting U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick's decision to reopen a legal challenge to Louisiana's execution protocols, following an opposition filed by Attorney General Liz Murrill. The case involves death row inmates challenging Louisiana's execution methods, which were expanded under former Attorney General Jeff Landry to include electrocution and nitrogen gas after lethal injection drugs became unavailable. Landry, now governor, announced the state was prepared to resume executions under a new lethal gas protocol, with an execution by nitrogen gas scheduled for March 18, 2025.

Governor Landry issued a statement criticizing U.S. District Judge Shelley D. Dick's decision to reopen a 2012 lawsuit challenging Louisiana's execution methods. The lawsuit, which raises concerns about the state's shift from lethal injection to nitrogen gassing, was reopened in response to requests for stays of execution for death row inmates Jessie Hoffman and Christopher Sepulvado. Landry's statement alleged that Judge Dick's ruling favored the defendants over the victims' families.

Madison Sheahan, Louisiana's Secretary of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, was reported by Reuters in February 2025 to be expected to become deputy director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the Department of Homeland Security. Sheahan, who was appointed to lead Louisiana's wildlife agency by Governor Jeff Landry in late 2023, previously worked as executive director of the South Dakota Republican Party. The appointment comes as part of broader personnel changes within ICE during the Trump administration.

LSU's Board of Supervisors approved a new five-page free speech policy on Friday in compliance with Louisiana legislation enacted the previous year requiring higher education institutions to establish policies protecting free expression on campus. The policy replaced the university's 2018 free speech guidelines with revised language addressing protections for political views and freedom of association among students, faculty, staff, and invited guests. Some students objected to specific wording changes in the policy, arguing the revisions weakened commitments to free speech protections.

President Donald Trump appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry to his 10-member Council of Governors in February 2025. The Council of Governors, established through a 2010 executive order, consists of five Republican and five Democratic governors who collaborate on issues including disaster response and National Guard operations. Landry's appointment to the council includes fellow Republican governors Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, Ron DeSantis of Florida, Brian Kemp of Georgia, and Henry McMaster of South Carolina, alongside Democratic governors from North Carolina, Maryland, New York, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

Governor Jeff Landry attempted to remove civil service protections for hundreds of engineers and attorneys across state government in early February 2025. State Senator Jay Morris announced plans to introduce legislation that would amend the Louisiana Constitution to grant the Legislature authority to remove civil service protections for government workers, a proposal that fell two votes short of the 70 needed for passage in the state House the previous year. The effort prompted debate between officials who characterize civil service protections as impediments to government efficiency and those who warn that weakening such protections could enable political patronage in state hiring and employment decisions.

Federal Judge Shelly D. Dick reopened a lawsuit initially filed in 2012 that challenges Louisiana's execution methods after attorneys for death row inmates Jessie Hoffman and Christopher Sepulvado requested the case be revived. The case had been dismissed in 2022 by Dick after then-Attorney General Landry argued it was moot, though her order allowed for refiling if circumstances changed. After Landry became governor, he secured legislative approval to add nitrogen hypoxia and electrocution as approved execution methods in Louisiana, prompting the reopened legal challenge to the state's execution protocol.

Landry proposed a "standstill" Louisiana budget for the upcoming fiscal year that would maintain state spending as close to prior-year levels as possible. The budget proposal reduces total spending including state and federal funds to approximately $45 billion, a decrease of about 1 percent, while state-only spending would decrease from $23.3 billion to $22.2 billion according to official estimates. The proposal was presented to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget by the Division of Administration amid uncertainty from potential federal funding cuts and pending voter approval of a constitutional amendment to rewrite the state's tax code.

Governor Landry stated opposition to the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project in its current form following his assumption of office, citing concerns regarding its effects on commercial fishing, Plaquemines Parish communities, and escalating costs. The $3 billion coastal restoration project, which had broken ground in 2023 as part of the state's coastal master plan, subsequently became stalled as Plaquemines Parish and the state's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority engaged in negotiations. Business and property owners from Plaquemines Parish filed motions in state court seeking intervention in the existing lawsuit between the parish and the authority to advance the project.

Landry approved a protocol for nitrogen hypoxia as an execution method on February 10, 2025, following legislation enacted the previous year that authorized nitrogen gas as one of several potential execution methods in Louisiana. The approval of the protocol prompted district judges to issue execution warrants for three death row inmates scheduled for March 2025, though one warrant was withdrawn on procedural grounds. Louisiana had not carried out executions since 2010 prior to Landry's action.

Governor Landry orchestrated the reshaping of the Louisiana Supreme Court through multiple actions, including facilitating the resignation of Justice Jimmy Genovese to Northwestern State University, which opened a seat filled by attorney and former prosecutor Cade Cole, who was elected unopposed. Landry also supported state Legislature efforts to redraw Supreme Court district boundaries, a redistricting that resulted in the election of John Michael Guidry, a former chief judge from the Baton Rouge court of appeal, as another new justice in January. These appointments represent the most significant judicial reshaping by a Louisiana governor in decades and have altered the ideological composition of the court.

Landry and Louisiana legislators advanced a tax system overhaul in November 2024 that requires voter approval through a constitutional amendment scheduled for a March 29, 2025 ballot vote to take full effect. A lawsuit filed in Baton Rouge challenged the ballot language for Amendment 2, contending that the wording violated state law requiring ballot language to be unbiased and accurately represented the proposed changes, specifically disputing characterization of a teacher stipend extension as a salary increase. Landry responded by stating the amendment had passed with bipartisan legislative support and expressed confidence that voters would approve it.

Governor Jeff Landry moved to resume capital executions in Louisiana following a period without executions since 2010, with nitrogen gas identified as a potential method. Judges in St. Tammany Parish and DeSoto Parish signed death warrants for inmates Jessie Hoffman and Christopher Sepulvado, scheduling their executions for March 17 and March 18 respectively. Both inmates' legal representatives indicated they would file appeals prior to the scheduled execution dates.

Governor Landry announced that Louisiana will resume executions following a nearly fifteen-year moratorium on carrying out the death penalty. The state approved protocols for nitrogen hypoxia as an execution method, whereby condemned individuals would be forced to breathe nitrogen instead of oxygen until death occurs. Landry did not specify a timeline for when executions would commence under the new protocol.

Governor Jeff Landry completed extradition papers filed by Attorney General Liz Murrill against New York doctor Margaret Carpenter, who had mailed abortion medication to Louisiana. The extradition request sought to bring Carpenter to Louisiana to face felony charges filed by a West Baton Rouge Parish grand jury. New York Governor Kathy Hochul rejected the extradition request and invoked that state's shield law to protect Carpenter within New York's borders.

Governor Landry promoted the LA GATOR Scholarship Program, a state initiative that pays tuition for students to attend private schools, during an event at a Catholic school in Louisiana. The program represents the state's continuation of private-school voucher initiatives that began over a decade earlier. According to test score data, students using vouchers at private schools have performed below their low-income public school counterparts on state achievement assessments.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry submitted an extradition request to New York Governor Kathy Hochul demanding the return of Dr. Margaret Carpenter, a New York physician accused of prescribing abortion pills online to a Port Allen teenager. Hochul rejected the extradition request, stating she would not send Carpenter to Louisiana to face criminal charges. The case represents the first known criminal prosecution of its kind involving the online prescription of abortion medication across state lines.

Governor Jeff Landry appointed Kenny Loftin to lead the Office of Juvenile Justice in 2024, and Loftin announced in January 2025 that incarcerated girls in state custody would be relocated from the Acadiana Center for Youth in St. Martinville to the Ware Youth Center, a privately operated facility in Coushatta. The move represented a reversal of the previous administration's decision to allow its contract with Ware to lapse. Loftin stated that the Office of Juvenile Justice is coordinating with the state Department of Education regarding educational programming at Ware and working to address staffing challenges at the facility.

Cassidy voted to approve the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services during a Senate Finance Committee roll call vote on February 4, 2025. The vote occurred after Cassidy expressed concerns about Kennedy during hearings before the Finance and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committees. Kennedy's nomination subsequently advanced through the Senate confirmation process.

Governor Landry announced in February 2025 that executions would resume in Louisiana after a 15-year hiatus. State judges signed death warrants in March 2025 scheduling executions for Christopher Sepulvado on March 17 and Jessie Hoffman on March 18, with Hoffman's execution potentially being the first in the state to use nitrogen gas. Sepulvado was convicted in a 1992 murder, while Hoffman was sentenced to death for the 1996 killing of Mary Elliott in St. Tammany Parish.

LSU President William Tate IV ordered the suspension of law professor Ken Levy following student complaints about vulgar language the professor used in class to criticize Governor Jeff Landry and President Donald Trump. Tate testified that he made the decision after reviewing a transcript of Levy's classroom comments provided by Provost Roy Haggerty. A district court judge subsequently ordered LSU to immediately reinstate Levy to teaching and barred the university from interfering with his employment or violating his free speech and due process rights.

Landry's administration has left the $3 billion Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project in limbo following expressions of doubt about the unprecedented wetlands restoration initiative. The project, which had been considered the linchpin of Louisiana's coastal master plan and had begun construction, has faced uncertainty due to Landry's stated concerns. Coastal advocates and public officials have begun pressing state agencies for clarity on the project's future status and timeline.

Louisiana's Housing Finance Agency approved a plan to limit affordable housing development costs at the request of Governor Landry following concerns raised by state officials about project expenses. The plan allocates $13 million in federal tax credits for low-income housing and requires developers to submit detailed construction estimates to justify project costs. The proposal also removes preferential consideration for projects meeting environmentally conscious building standards, which had previously increased development expenses.

A district court judge ruled that a lawsuit filed by a suspended LSU law professor against the university can proceed and that Governor Landry must turn over records related to the professor's suspension. Judge Tarvald Smith determined that removing a tenured professor from his duties constitutes harm sufficient to allow the legal action to move forward, rejecting LSU's argument that the dispute should first be resolved through the university's internal grievance process. The judge also granted the plaintiff's request for records from Landry's office that had been subpoenaed in connection with the case.

Governor Jeff Landry announced on Monday that Louisiana was prepared to resume executions using nitrogen gas and stated his commitment to carrying out such executions. At least three Louisiana district attorneys sought death warrants on the same day, including warrants for Larry Roy, Jessie Hoffman, and Christopher Sepulvado. The warrant for Roy's execution, initially signed by a judge, was recalled within one day after legal arguments regarding exhaustion of remedies were raised.

Mayor-President Sid Edwards announced a pilot program on February 11, 2025 to rehire retired officers to the Baton Rouge Police Department in support roles capped at 29 hours per week. The program was made possible after Attorney General Jeff Landry signed legislation allowing retired officers to be rehired without penalties to their retirement benefits. The rehired officers will work in support capacities and mentoring roles rather than patrol or responding to calls.

Landry created the Fiscal Responsibility Program through an executive order in December, establishing a task force to identify wasteful state government spending and directed it to meet privately despite legal questions about public meetings requirements. The task force, chaired by business owner Steve Orlando and comprising eight state legislators, held two closed meetings at the Governor's Mansion and the Capitol to hear pitches from consulting firms competing for a contract to recommend government efficiencies. In February, Orlando announced the task force would temporarily suspend its work citing media reports questioning whether the group's private meetings complied with state public meetings laws.

Governor Jeff Landry announced that the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections finalized and implemented an updated execution protocol that includes procedures for the nitrogen hypoxia method, which the Louisiana Legislature recently approved. Louisiana had not carried out executions since 2010. Landry had previously signed legislation during a special legislative session that expanded the methods available for death row executions.

Louisiana approved a protocol for executions by nitrogen hypoxia, allowing death sentences to be carried out after nearly 15 years without executions, according to Governor Landry's announcement in February 2025. The nitrogen hypoxia method, approved through legislation passed during the Louisiana Legislature's second 2024 special session, involves pumping pure nitrogen through a mask to cause death by asphyxiation. Landry stated that the capital punishment cases in question had been reviewed at every judicial level with affirmed death sentences, and he indicated expectation that district attorneys would finalize the cases and courts would proceed with carrying out the sentences.

During a meeting in New Orleans with Governor Jeff Landry and law enforcement officials, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated she would work with West Baton Rouge District Attorney Tony Clayton regarding the regulation of abortion medication shipped across state lines. Clayton had recently obtained an indictment against a New York physician for mailing abortion pills to Louisiana, a state with an abortion ban, and requested federal intervention to establish national consistency in laws governing such shipments. Bondi did not specify what actions the Department of Justice would take on the matter.

Landry requested that the State Civil Service Commission reclassify 394 attorney positions and 506 engineering positions across dozens of state agencies from classified to unclassified status, which would have removed employment protections requiring cause for disciplinary action or termination. The reclassification would have allowed these 900 positions to be filled without competitive hiring processes and would have permitted employees to engage in political activity. The Civil Service Commission voted down Landry's proposal during the week it was considered.

Louisiana's economic development agency launched a new innovation division and established a $50 million fund to support economic growth in the state. Governor Landry announced the initiative during a showcase at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on February 6, 2025. The division and fund represent the state's effort to develop new business opportunities and attract investment to Louisiana.

Landry created the Fiscal Responsibility Program through an executive order on December 12, a task force composed of eight state legislators and one additional member tasked with identifying ways to eliminate or reduce government programs. The task force began meeting in secret in government buildings and planned to spend tax dollars on outside consultants. Landry stated in an interview that he does not believe the group constitutes a public body subject to Louisiana's public meetings law and indicated the public would receive information about its work only through a final report expected by year's end.

Landry requested that the State Civil Service Commission remove employment protections for 900 government positions across multiple state agencies, specifically seeking to reclassify 394 attorney positions and 506 engineering positions from classified to unclassified status. Classified positions provide employees with job security requiring cause for dismissal and competitive hiring processes, while unclassified positions allow at-will employment and do not require adherence to state qualification and pay standards. The State Civil Service Commission voted down Landry's proposal during the week of February 6, 2025.

Landry's administration sought to permanently remove civil service employment protections for approximately 900 attorneys and engineers across multiple state agencies, citing the need to improve recruitment, fill vacancies, and increase government efficiency. The State Civil Service Commission rejected the proposal in a 4-2 vote on Wednesday, with commissioners expressing concerns about constitutional compliance and the potential for political influence in hiring and firing decisions. The civil service system provides employees with additional job protections intended to limit patronage and political retaliation.

Louisiana Attorney General Landry's office announced plans to work with the West Baton Rouge Parish district attorney to pursue extradition of a New York doctor, Margaret Carpenter, who was indicted on charges of selling mifepristone tablets to a Louisiana teenager. Landry characterized the case as involving allegations of a forced abortion and stated that the doctor's actions facilitated the death of a wanted child. The effort is expected to face significant legal obstacles due to New York state laws protecting doctors who provide abortion care.

LSU suspended tenured law professor Ken Levy from teaching following student complaints about statements he made in his classroom during the first week of the Spring 2025 semester, which the university characterized as inappropriate and vulgar. Levy filed suit seeking reinstatement, and a state district court judge ordered LSU to restore him to the classroom, prompting the university to appeal the decision to the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal. The university argued in court filings that the case constituted an employment dispute in an early administrative stage where the professor's rights were protected, while Levy's legal representation contended the suspension violated academic freedom and free speech rights.

Governor Landry appointed Jason Amato as chair of the Louisiana Board of Ethics, a 15-person board responsible for enforcing campaign finance, nepotism, and conflict-of-interest laws for state public officials. Amato is a retired Shell Chemical Plant operations employee who previously served eight years on the Lutcher Board of Aldermen and 16 years on the St. James Parish Council. Landry also appointed four additional members to the ethics board: retired 6th Judicial District Judge John Crigler, former 1st Circuit Court of Appeal Chief Judge Vanessa Guidry-Whipple, engineer and business owner Rickey Nowlin, and former state senator Kenneth Smith Sr., while the Louisiana House appointed former state Representative Mike Huval.

Governor Landry created the Fiscal Responsibility Program, a commission consisting of eight state legislators and Steve Orlando tasked with identifying wasteful government spending. The commission held meetings at the Governor's Mansion and the Capitol without public notice or access. Independent experts stated the closed-door meetings violated Louisiana's open meeting laws, though commission members characterized the gatherings as informal discussions rather than official meetings.

Landry signed an executive order creating an enhanced security zone in the French Quarter ahead of Super Bowl LIX. The order was part of a coordinated security plan involving approximately 350 National Guard members and 200 additional Louisiana State Police officers deployed throughout New Orleans. Landry stated at a news conference with federal and local law enforcement officials that security and safety measures had been implemented to address concerns following the January 1st attack on Bourbon Street.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill obtained a grand jury indictment against New York physician Margaret Carpenter for allegedly sending abortion pills to a Port Allen minor, with a judge issuing an arrest warrant on January 31, 2025. Murrill stated her office investigated the case and plans to play a key role in prosecuting the charges, which also included an indictment of the teenager's mother for allegedly coercing her daughter to terminate her pregnancy. New York Governor Kathy Hochul responded by vowing to block any extradition request, citing New York's shield laws protecting medical providers.

Governor Landry's office issued an executive order establishing an enhanced security zone in the French Quarter for Super Bowl LIX, prohibiting coolers, ice chests, and large bags within the designated area stretching from Canal Street to St. Ann Street between Dauphine and Royal streets. When asked about concealed carry regulations within the enhanced security zone, Landry's officials stated that the executive order policy does not address lawfully possessed concealed weapons. Under existing Louisiana state law, concealed weapons remain prohibited in bars, casinos, government buildings, and venues like the Superdome, but are permitted in the enhanced security zone.

President Donald Trump's White House rescinded a memo on Wednesday that had sought to freeze federal grant funding. Governor Landry stated that he believed Trump remained committed to streamlining federal spending but was "going back to the drawing board" to develop a better approach, and that his administration had urged the White House to understand the impact on states and work cooperatively on implementation. Landry expressed continued support for the president's stated objective of ensuring federal dollars had maximum impact on supported programs.

Governor Landry opened a temporary warehouse facility in the Gentilly area of New Orleans on January 15, 2025, to house unhoused individuals removed from downtown encampments ahead of the Super Bowl scheduled for February 9. According to New Orleans City Council Member Lesli Harris, the facility has addressed initial infrastructure problems including heating and water access, though only two individuals had been moved into permanent housing within the first two weeks of operation. Harris reported that residents continued to lack access to personal belongings including identification and cash cards, and that the state did not initially provide adequate caseworker support and wraparound services.

Landry held a press conference on January 29, 2025, at Magnolia Woods Elementary to announce Louisiana's results on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), commonly known as the "Nation's Report Card." Louisiana's fourth graders ranked 16th nationally in reading and achieved the second-highest reading growth among all states, a 26-position jump in national rankings. The state's performance on the biennial NAEP exam, which tests fourth and eighth graders across all states, reflected Louisiana's multi-year initiative to revise reading instruction methods.

A district judge issued a temporary restraining order on January 30, 2025, requiring LSU to immediately reinstate law professor Ken Levy to teaching duties after the university suspended him on January 17 pending investigation into student complaints about classroom statements. The suspension followed Levy's statements during a criminal law course in which he criticized Governor Jeff Landry's public rebuke of another law school professor and made remarks about the presidential election. The court order prohibits LSU from infringing on Levy's rights to free speech, due process, academic freedom, and from retaliating against him on these grounds, with a hearing scheduled for February 10.

Landry issued a joint statement with other Louisiana Republican leaders on January 28, 2025, responding to the Trump administration's freeze on federal grants and loans announced that week. The statement indicated that Landry's administration was evaluating the federal order and seeking clarification regarding its scope, while noting the state was positioning resources to maintain stability. Landry and the other leaders called on the federal Office of Management and Budget to develop a measured implementation plan to avoid jeopardizing Louisiana's financial stability.

The St. Landry Parish School District implemented a new pronoun policy requiring school employees to address students according to their sex assigned at birth or legal name as listed on their birth certificate. The policy aligns with House Bill 121, now Act 680, signed into law by Governor Jeff Landry, which prohibits government entities from requiring public school employees and students to use names or pronouns that do not align with their legal identity. Superintendent Milton Batiste III announced the policy would take effect soon following the school board's approval.

Governor Jeff Landry opened a temporary warehouse facility in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans on January 15, 2025, to house unhoused individuals relocated from downtown encampments ahead of Super Bowl LIX on February 9. The facility initially lacked adequate heating, insulation, and running water, though some of these conditions were subsequently addressed. As of January 28, only two individuals had been moved into permanent housing from the facility, and residents remained unable to access personal belongings including identification and financial cards.

Landry issued a letter dated January 24, 2025, to U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy and John Thune urging the Senate to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In the letter, Landry cited decreased public trust in federal health agencies and stated that Kennedy had been an asset to Louisiana during the COVID-19 pandemic when Landry served as attorney general. Cassidy, a Republican senator from Louisiana who chairs the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, scheduled Kennedy's confirmation hearing for the following Thursday.

Landry announced on December 4, 2024, that Meta would construct a $10 billion artificial intelligence-optimized data center in Richland Parish, Louisiana. The announcement was made at an event in Rayville attended by state economic development officials and representatives from Meta and Entergy Louisiana. The data center project represents a significant economic development initiative for the state.

Landry signed legislation requiring public schools in Louisiana to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms. The law was challenged in federal court by the ACLU and other organizations, and a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking its implementation. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit scheduled oral arguments to review the lower court's decision.

Landry, serving as Louisiana Governor, appeared at a press conference on August 5, 2024, regarding a state law requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms. The law subsequently faced legal challenges in federal court, with hearings held in October 2024 and January 2025 to determine its constitutionality. Landry's administration has been associated with the defense and implementation of this statutory requirement.

Governor Landry provided support for Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill's guidance on Ten Commandments displays in schools, according to a letter to the editor referencing the two officials' positions on the matter. Murrill had provided sample displays of the Ten Commandments to schools for potential implementation. The letter indicated that Landry's administration backed the attorney general's initiative regarding the religious displays.

Governor Landry signed Act 259, legislation establishing a 25-foot buffer zone around police officers during active situations. The law creates a designated perimeter around officers to reduce the risk of bystander involvement in potentially dangerous law enforcement encounters. Act 259 took effect as part of Louisiana's criminal justice legislative agenda.

Governor Landry issued a state of emergency declaration ahead of a winter storm forecasted to bring rare snow and freezing precipitation to Louisiana. The declaration preceded widespread school and local government office closures across the state as temperatures were expected to drop below freezing from Monday through Thursday. The National Weather Service identified Tuesday as the period of highest risk for winter precipitation in the region.

Governor Jeff Landry stated that California wildfire victims should receive federal disaster aid without political conditions attached, disagreeing with House Speaker Mike Johnson and President-elect Donald Trump's suggestions that aid be contingent on policy changes. Landry noted that Louisiana has received approximately $120 billion in federal disaster funding since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 without such conditions and that Congress recently approved a $100 billion disaster relief package for hurricanes in Republican-dominated states without political strings. Landry's position contrasts with proposals to tie federal disaster assistance to changes in California's tax and land management policies.

Governor Jeff Landry directed state law enforcement to clear homeless encampments across New Orleans in January 2025, relocating residents to a temporary shelter in Gentilly or sending them out of state prior to Super Bowl LIX. The state established a temporary shelter at a cost of up to $16.2 million, initially housing over 130 people and planning operations through Mardi Gras. Landry's emergency declaration following the Bourbon Street attack provided legal authority for the governor to direct evacuations and make provisions for temporary housing.

Governor Jeff Landry implemented a new sales tax on streaming services that took effect January 1, applying a 10% tax to video streaming platforms such as those provided by Cox. The tax increase was part of Landry's plan to modernize Louisiana's tax code and offset revenue losses from state income tax reductions and corporate franchise tax cuts enacted by Louisiana lawmakers. The change resulted in Louisiana having combined sales tax rates ranging from 10% to 12%, among the highest in the country.

In January 2025, Landry's administration requested that state department leaders prepare budget proposals based on a "standstill" model for the upcoming fiscal year. The standstill budget approach, as explained by Deputy Commissioner Patrick Goldsmith of the Division of Administration, focuses on workload adjustments and legally required expenditures rather than expansionary spending. The request does not necessarily preclude budget increases, as certain costs such as mandatory salary increases and constitutionally required spending remain outside departmental discretion.

Landry stated that drones were spotted over Louisiana nuclear reactors and remarked that there is a significant gap in security regarding drone activity. The Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and the Louisiana Advanced Aviation and Drone Advisory Committee developed a proposal to grant Louisiana State Police authority to mitigate drones using counter-UAS systems. The proposed legislation would transfer drone mitigation capabilities from federal agencies to state law enforcement.

Landry appointed Roy Carubba, president of Carubba Engineering, to the board of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East and named him president in early October. Adviser Shane Guidry, working on behalf of the governor, has undertaken an effort to restructure the east bank levee authority and expand the role of the agency's police force beyond flood infrastructure protection to include broader crime prevention activities. These changes followed the resignation of the agency's previous director, Kelli Chandler, whose departure Guidry attributed to disagreements over the scope of the police department's responsibilities.

Louisiana's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority announced a $1.8 billion spending plan for the 2026 fiscal year covering 133 projects across coastal Louisiana, with 73 projects entering construction phases. The plan includes continued funding for the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, a $3 billion coastal restoration project that Governor Landry had cast in doubt. The draft plan requires approval from the state Legislature, with public hearings scheduled before the board grants final approval and presents the plan to lawmakers on April 21.

Landry issued notices requiring residents of a homeless encampment beneath the Pontchartrain Expressway in downtown New Orleans to relocate to a transitional center in Gentilly. The state-issued notices established a deadline and outlined steps for the relocation process. Residents were notified on January 14, 2025, and directed to gather their belongings and prepare to move to the temporary shelter facility.

Landry, as Louisiana Governor, implemented a policy to remove unhoused individuals from New Orleans through forced relocations and establishment of a detention camp in Gentilly ahead of the Super Bowl in February 2025, with some individuals being sent out of state entirely. The state police agency Troop Nola conducted sweeps beginning January 15, 2025, with the Gentilly camp designed to hold up to 200 unhoused persons at an estimated cost of at least $11 million for 90 days of operation. The relocation effort was expected to continue through the end of Carnival in early March 2025.

Landry announced a multimillion dollar initiative to remove encampments near the Superdome and surrounding areas ahead of the Super Bowl in February 2025. The plan includes opening an $11.4 million temporary warehouse facility near Joseph Bartholomew Golf Course with capacity for up to 200 unhoused people, operating for 60 days with options for a 30-day extension, and providing meals, bedding, medical care, and support services. Additionally, Landry's office stated that unhoused individuals determined to have "means" will be provided bus or train tickets to relocate out of state, with sweeps scheduled to occur between January 15-17, 2025.

Attorney General Murrill submitted a filing in federal court regarding the New Orleans Police Department's consent decree, calling for an immediate end to court oversight of the police department. U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan heard arguments on Monday from the city, the Department of Justice, and Murrill's office regarding a joint motion to initiate a two-year exit plan from the consent decree, which has governed police reforms since 2012. Morgan announced she would issue a ruling on Tuesday morning on the motion to begin the exit process.

On January 13, 2025, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill announced a partnership to end the New Orleans Police Department's federal consent decree, which was enacted over a decade ago by the United States Department of Justice in response to unconstitutional policing practices. Landry and Murrill characterized the consent decree as an expensive bureaucratic process and stated their intention to represent the city in court to obtain a ruling on its motion to terminate the decree. On January 14, 2025, Federal Judge Susie Morgan granted the NOPD a two-year sustainment period rather than immediately ending the consent decree, during which the department must maintain compliance with established guidelines.

Landry directed the Louisiana State Police and other enforcement agencies to reduce the size of homeless encampments across New Orleans and relocate individuals experiencing homelessness to a temporary shelter located beneath the U.S. 90 overpass between the Smoothie King Center and Home Depot in the Gentilly area. The directive, issued in October 2024, authorized the clearance of multiple encampment sites throughout the city. Landry's administration subsequently announced plans to bus homeless individuals either out of state or to the temporary Gentilly warehouse location.

Landry announced a joint effort with Attorney General Liz Murrill to end the New Orleans Police Department's consent decree, which has been in place since 2012 following federal findings of unconstitutional policing practices. In a statement, Landry and Murrill urged Judge Susie Morgan to rule that the city is in compliance rather than imposing a sustainment period, arguing that the federal oversight had become costly to taxpayers and diverted police resources from street work. The pair characterized the consent decree as an expensive bureaucracy while the city of New Orleans simultaneously filed a motion seeking to terminate the agreement entirely.

Governor Landry announced emergency state funding and initiated a sweep of homeless encampments in New Orleans, with individuals relocated to The Transitional Center, a warehouse facility on France Road in Gentilly. The operation involved multiple state agencies including the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency, Department of Children and Family Services, Louisiana Department of Health, and Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs. According to Landry's statement, the initiative was undertaken to secure state-maintained infrastructure, ensure public spaces were clean and accessible, and provide humane shelter ahead of Super Bowl LIX and Mardi Gras.

Landry directed the Louisiana State Police and other enforcement agencies to clear homeless encampments across New Orleans and relocate residents to either a temporary shelter in a Gentilly warehouse or to undisclosed locations outside the state. The action was announced as part of a broader effort to clear downtown areas ahead of the Super Bowl scheduled for February 9, 2025. The directive involved the consolidation of individuals from multiple encampments throughout the city to the single warehouse location or out-of-state destinations.

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals is hearing arguments in Nairne v. Landry, an appeal of a lower federal court ruling that found the Republican-controlled Louisiana legislature violated Section Two of the Voting Rights Act through legislative redistricting maps. A federal district court previously determined that the maps constituted racial discrimination and vote dilution affecting Black voters, and ordered the creation of additional state senate and house seats to achieve proportional representation. The state appealed the federal judge's decision, and the Fifth Circuit is reviewing whether to uphold or overturn the lower court's findings.

Landry called for the Federal Aviation Administration to grant Louisiana state authority to take down or disable drones, citing drone sightings over the River Bend Station nuclear power plant in early January. Landry stated that while the FAA has restricted airspace over some critical infrastructure in the state, this restriction does not adequately address the threat and that available technology exists to mitigate drones. The West Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Office confirmed an investigation into multiple unidentified drone sightings reported over the preceding two weeks.

Cantrell filed a legal motion requesting that U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan rule on the city's 2022 petition to terminate the consent decree governing the New Orleans Police Department, which has been in place since 2013. The filing was submitted on Friday ahead of a scheduled Monday court hearing and represented a shift from the city's previous position supporting a two-year sustainment period before full exit from federal oversight. The consent decree has mandated police reform practices across the department for over a decade.

Landry's administration directed Louisiana State Police and other enforcement agencies to clear homeless encampments across New Orleans and relocate unhoused individuals to a temporary shelter location beneath the U.S. 90 overpass between the Smoothie King Center and Home Depot. The administration established the temporary shelter with a capacity of 200 people. The encampment clearances were conducted in conjunction with enforcement operations in the city.

The Louisiana Supreme Court ruled that the state has constitutional authority to clear homeless encampments without prior notification, overturning a December 2024 preliminary injunction issued by a New Orleans judge that had required 24-hour written notice before such clearings. Justice Jay B. McCallum's ruling cited public safety concerns and stated there is no absolute constitutional right to imperil public health and safety. Landry had sought to clear encampments ahead of major events including the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras, actions that had been temporarily blocked by the lower court ruling.

The Louisiana Supreme Court ruled in January 2025 that the Landry administration has the authority to clear homeless encampments in New Orleans without prior notice to residents. The decision overturned a preliminary injunction issued by Orleans Civil District Court Judge Ethel Julien that had restricted the state's clearance operations. Justice Jay B. McCallum wrote that the state's actions were justified on grounds of public safety and health rather than aesthetic concerns related to tourist events.

Governor Landry announced appointments to the Board of Regents and the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors in January 2025 following the expiration of several terms in December 2024. Landry named three new members to the 15-member Board of Regents—Ted Glaser, Dallas Hixson, and Christy Reeves—and reappointed David Aubrey and Darren Mire to six-year terms. To the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors, Landry appointed Captain Lee Jackson Jr. and Keith G. Myers as new members and reappointed five existing members—Jo'Quishia Lethermon, John Noble Jr., Mark Romero, Kristine Russell, and Joe Salter—to additional terms.

Slidell Mayor Greg Cromer departed his position on January 20, 2025, to accept a position within Governor Jeff Landry's administration, leaving his post approximately 18 months before the end of his term. City Council member Bill Borchert assumed the role of mayor following Cromer's departure, with a special election scheduled for October 2025 to fill the vacant mayor's office. A regular mayoral election cycle is scheduled to occur in March 2026 to elect a mayor for a full four-year term.

President Biden issued an executive order in January 2025 withdrawing 625 million acres of federal seabed from oil and gas drilling, protecting coastlines along the Atlantic, Pacific, and portions of Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico. The order excluded federal waters off Louisiana, which remained available for new and existing oil and gas production. Biden stated that the action was intended to protect coastlines for future generations and limit climate change impacts.

Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley issued a letter to school system leaders requesting that Louisiana public schools observe a moment of silence at 9 a.m. on Monday to honor victims of the January 1, 2025 vehicle and shooting attack in New Orleans. The letter characterized the attack as a "heinous act of terrorism" and encouraged school districts to participate in the statewide observance. Brumley's request was issued as Governor Jeff Landry signed an executive order directing flags to be lowered to half-mast for two weeks beginning Monday in remembrance of the victims.

Governor Landry signed an executive order on Friday declaring a period of mourning for the victims of the terrorist attack in New Orleans on January 1, 2025. The order directs state flags to be flown at half-staff on designated days, with each day dedicated to honoring one of the fourteen victims as their names became public. The executive order encourages all political subdivisions, private entities, and educational institutions throughout Louisiana to lower flags of the United States and State of Louisiana at half-staff during the corresponding periods of remembrance.

On January 3, 2025, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill released guidance and sample posters to school districts for displaying the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms pursuant to House Bill 71, which requires K-12 schools and colleges to post the Ten Commandments in every classroom. Murrill's letter instructed schools to select and display one of four sample posters at their discretion, with options available on the attorney general's website, and provided a sample resolution for school boards to adopt. This guidance was issued weeks after U.S. District Court Judge John deGravelles ruled in November that the Ten Commandments mandate was unconstitutional and temporarily barred enforcement of the law.

Governor Landry announced the mobilization of a military police company from the Louisiana National Guard comprising 100 personnel following a vehicle and shooting attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans on January 1, 2025, that resulted in 10 deaths and dozens of injuries. The National Guard force was tasked with assisting local law enforcement, state police, and the FBI in response to the incident. Landry also issued an emergency declaration for Orleans Parish to mobilize necessary resources for the emergency response.