SENATE APPROVES SPENDING BILL TO AVERT SHUTDOWN 5A
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S at u r d ay, M a r c h 15, 2025
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La. execution back on for next week Federal appeals court vacates district court ruling
The 5th Circuit vacated the preliminary injunction. “In sum, the district court didn’t Jr. next week with nitrogen gas. Dick issued a preliminary in- just get the legal analysis wrong BY ANDREA GALLO, MEGHAN The New Orleans-based federal junction, allowing time for a full — it turned the Constitution on its FRIEDMANN, JOHN SIMERMAN appeals court on Friday night va- trial on whether death by nitrogen head, by relying on an indisputably and JOSEPH CRANNEY cated a Tuesday ruling from U.S. gas amounts to cruel and unusual more painful method of execution Staff writers District Judge Shelly Dick of Lou- punishment, which is forbid- as its proposed alternative,” the The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Ap- isiana’s Middle District, who had den under the U.S. Constitution’s appeals court’s ruling states, writpeals has cleared the way for Lou- blocked the state from moving Eighth Amendment. Attorneys for ten by Judge James Ho, an appoinisiana to resume plans to execute forward with Hoffman’s execu- the state issued a notice of appeal tee of President Donald Trump. within minutes of Dick’s ruling. Dick’s ruling had said that death row inmate Jessie Hoffman tion, scheduled for Tuesday.
Hoffman’s team had given enough evidence that death by a firing squad could be a more humane way for Hoffman to die. In an emergency appeal brief, attorneys for the state urged the appeals court to vacate Dick’s ruling. The state of Alabama, the only state to employ nitrogen gassing in a modern-day execution
ä See EXECUTION, page 6A
Central to get flood insurance discount
Better rating drops premiums for residents by 25% BY DAVID J. MITCHELL Staff writer
Residents in Central were hit with severe flooding in 2016.
STAFF FILE PHOTO By BILL FEIG
Central residents should get a 25% discount on their flood insurance premiums when bills go out next fall, city officials said. The city received a better rating from the National Flood Insurance Program because of its stormwater management and other measures designed to reduce flood risk in the East Baton Rouge Parish community. Central just received a Class 5 rating from the flood insurance program, up two spots from its current one, city officials said. In 2024, only two governments in Louisiana shared that rating: Jefferson Parish and the city of Mandeville. Central’s 25% discount takes effect Oct. 1. The current discount for Central is 15%. Despite the coming discounts, Central residents and businesses could still see an increase in flood insurance rates overall, albeit smaller than it might otherwise be, due to longer term changes
ä See CENTRAL, page 5A
Four constitutional amendments on ballot in Louisiana BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer
On March 29, residents in every parish will have the chance to vote on four proposed amendments to the Louisiana Constitution. The changes deal with courts, taxes, how juveniles are treated in the criminal justice system, and elections for judges. Three of the constitutional amendments have faced controversy — and court challenges. One of those, Amendment 2, is part of
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a push by Gov. Jeff Landry and the Legislature to overhaul Louisiana’s tax system. This month, every ballot includes the four proposed amendments, but some parishes will vote on local issues, too. There are 23 parishes that will consider just the amendments, while 41 parishes will also vote on local races or propositions. Early voting runs from March 15 to March 22, excluding Sunday, and early voting locations are open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Voters can find out where to vote at www.GeauxVote.com, on the GeauxVote mobile app or by calling their parish registrar of voters. Here are the four proposed constitutional amendments in the order they appear on the ballot.
family preservation courts, within a parish or a judicial district. It would also clarify that, under the Louisiana Constitution, the state Supreme Court has authority over disciplinary cases involving lawyer misconduct by out-of-state attorneys working in Louisiana. Amendment 1 Currently, the constitution only This amendment would give says the Supreme Court has austate lawmakers new, broader au- thority over “disciplinary proceedthority to create regional or state- ings against a member of the bar.” Proponents say Amendment 1 wide specialty courts. Currently they can only create specialty ä See AMENDMENTS, page 4A courts, such as drug courts or
Business ......................5B Deaths .........................4B Nation-World ................2A Classified .....................7D Living............................1D Opinion ........................6B Comics-Puzzles .....4D-6D Metro ...........................1B Sports ..........................1C
IS IT TIME? HAVE YOU HADD YOOUR COLONOSCOPY? TH HE RECOMMENDED AGE TO B BEGIN SCREENING IS 45.
ELECTION 2025
EARLY VOTING Early voting runs from March 15 to March 22, excluding Sunday, and early voting locations are open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Voters can find out where to vote at www.GeauxVote.com, on the GeauxVote mobile app or by calling their parish registrar of voters.
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