MAN CHARGED IN KILLING OF TWO ISRAELI EMBASSY STAFFERS 2A
ADVOCATE THE
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M
2025 LEGISLATURE
Senate passes car insurance bills
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F r i d ay, M ay 23, 2025
$2.00X
2025 HURRICANE SE ASON
Above average activity predicted
Contentious legislation backed by governor
BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer
Gov. Jeff Landry showed who’s the boss at the State Capitol when he rammed a car insurance bill through the Senate late Wednesday night over the vehement objections of Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple and business trade groups. House Bill 148 would grant the insurance commissioner greater authority to reject “excessive” rate increases, which Landry has said several times would prompt him to blame “What just Temple if rates passed out of remain high. the Senate, With a lastamendand if passed minute ment sought by into law, would the governor, be the most H B 1 4 8 a l s o comprehensive would require insurance cominsurance panies to make reform in their rate filing Louisiana’s requests pubhistory. These lic. They say changes are this could force geared toward them to expose secrets. addressing the trade But balancing unaffordable out the scales, car insurance the Senate also passed five bills crisis in Louisiana.” that affect who can sue and SEN. PATRICK how much they can collect — McMATH, measures that R-Covington Temple, the insurance industry and their business allies say would reduce payouts and thus reduce rates. The Senate passed the bills over the opposition of trial lawyers and their Democratic allies. “What just passed out of the Senate, and if passed into law, would be the most comprehensive insurance reform in Louisiana’s history,” said Sen. Patrick McMath, R-Covington. “These changes are geared toward addressing the unaffordable car insurance crisis in Louisiana.” Sen. Jay Luneau, D-Alexandria, offered a different take.
NOAA’S HURRICANE SEASON FORECAST
13-19
Named storms
6-10 Hurricanes
3-5 Major
hurricanes
NOAA says warm surface temperatures in Atlantic biggest factor in forecast BY KASEY BUBNASH Staff writer
Another above-average hurricane season is in store for the U.S., federal hurricane forecasters announced Thursday from the New Orleans area, but the outlook isn’t quite as grim as it was this time last year. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association officials presented their 2025 outlook from the Jefferson Parish Emergency Operations Center in Gretna, ahead of the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. They touched on lessons learned since the devastating 2005 storm, and praised Jefferson Parish in particular for its storm preparations.
NOAA is predicting 13 to 19 named storms this year, thanks to warm temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean and a lack of wind shear. Of those, six to 10 are expected to become hurricanes, and three to five of those are expected to become major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or more. An average season ends with 14 named storms, seven hurricanes with three major hurricanes. “Warm sea surface temperatures are probably the No. 1 contributor to the whole thing,” National Weather Service Director Ken Graham said, because they provide the fuel tropical storms need to form and grow.
ä See ACTIVITY, page 10A
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-Benton, announces the final vote total after the House of Representatives passed President Donald Trump’s budget bill on Thursday.
House passes ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill Act’
Extension of tax breaks, cuts to Medicaid, GOMESA cap increase included BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer
WASHINGTON — Louisiana’s four House Republicans helped pass the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” early Thursday morning by one vote, while the state’s two Democratic members voted no. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, held the voting machine open for a few minutes and the bill passed on a 215-214 vote. The bill cuts Medicaid and food stamp spending, as well as phasing out Biden-era clean energy incentives. It includes much of President Donald Trump’s domestic legislative agenda, including extending tax cuts from his first term and funds for building the wall along the Mexican border. Officially titled the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” the measure now heads to the U.S. Senate, where some senators already have said they plan a massive rewrite. A buoyant Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson and the House majority leader, told reporters moments after the vote: “With this One Big, Beautiful Bill, House Republicans are answering that mandate and implementing President Trump’s America First agenda, delivering
ä See HOUSE, page 9A
ä See SENATE, page 9A
Thousands of La. students could have to repeat third grade New law affects pupils far behind in reading
BY PATRICK WALL
Staff writer
Nearly a quarter of Louisiana third graders are ending the school year far behind in reading, the state Education Department said Thursday. Under a new state law, some of those students will have to repeat third grade. About 23% of third graders
WEATHER HIGH 92 LOW 73 PAGE 8B
scored “well below” target reading levels on a recent end-of-year assessment, the state said, indicating they face a high risk of reading difficulties. Nearly 12,000 third graders could fall in that category, based on enrollment numbers. Those students can retake the literacy test two times under the 2023 law, which took effect this school year and only applies to traditional public schools. If their scores don’t adequately improve and they don’t qualify for an exemption, such as being diagnosed with dyslexia, then they cannot move to fourth grade.
State officials said Thursday that they expect the share of third graders who are held back to be much smaller than the 23% who scored at the lowest level on the reading test, called DIBELS. The law also exempts students with certain disabilities and those learning to speak English, as well as students who scored at the “mastery” level or above on this year’s state English test. Third graders at risk of being held back can retake the DIBELS test once before this school year ends and again after
STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK
About 23% of Louisiana third graders scored ‘well below’ expected ä See STUDENTS, page 10A reading levels on an end-of-year assessment.
Business ......................8A Commentary ................7B Nation-World................2A Classified .....................7D Deaths .........................4B Opinion ........................6B Comics-Puzzles .....4D-6D Living............................1D Sports ..........................1C
100TH yEAR, NO. 327