BEACH BOYS FOUNDER BRIAN WILSON DIES AT 82 3A THE
ACADIANA
ADVOCATE
T H E A C A D I A N A A D V O C AT E.C O M
|
T h u r s d ay, J u n e 12, 2025
$2.00X
Pharmacy bill stirs fierce debate CVS texts warning of closures in Louisiana
BY ALYSE PFEIL, MATTHEW ALBRIGHT and MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writers
A bill that could reshape the landscape of Louisiana pharmacies emerged on the second-tolast day of the legislative session, provoking a furious debate on the House floor and a massive public lobbying campaign from drugstore chain CVS. House Bill 358 surfaced Wednesday afternoon from a conference
Rep. Dixon McMakin, R-Baton Rouge, defended House Bill 358 on Wednesday after CVS launched a public lobbying campaign.
2025 LEGISLATURE
pharmacy benefits manager and a chain of drugstores, said the bill would force them to close 119 Louisiana pharmacies, affecting 1 million patients across the state and committee with a major new ad- 22,000 patients who receive highdition: It would ban pharmacy cost specialty drugs that smaller benefit managers from owning pharmacies could find difficult to pharmacies. The goal, supporters handle. It would also put 2,700 CVS emsaid, is to stop those big companies from using their buying power to ployees out of work, the drug resqueeze out local independent tailer said. pharmacies and give consumers The company launched a fewer choices. ä See PHARMACY, page 4A But CVS, which owns both a
STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK
Trump wants to phase out FEMA after hurricane season
LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Member gets ethics ruling State panel says district vendors can’t sponsor customer appreciation nights at his bar BY ASHLEY WHITE Staff writer
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By EVAN VUCCI
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday joined by, from left, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
President says states should be responsible for disaster recovery BY MARK BALLARD
Staff writer
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump wants to phase out the Federal Emergency Management Agency at the end of this year’s hurricane season and leave states more on their own when responding to natural disasters. Talking with reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he planned to phase out FEMA as it exists now and “wean” states off federal aid. The agency handles relief and recovery after hurricanes, floods, tor-
“We’re going to give out less money. We’re going to give it out directly. It’ll be from the president’s office.”
able to handle it, and frankly, if they can’t handle it, the aftermath, then maybe they shouldn’t be governor,” he added. “We’re going to give out less money. We’re goPRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP ing to give it out directly. It’ll be from the president’s office.” Gov. Jeff Landry, an ardent supporter nadoes, earthquakes, wildfires and other of Trump’s, did not respond to requests Wednesday for a comment. catastrophic disasters. Trump said he wants to change FEMA “We want to wean off of FEMA, and we want to bring it down to the state level,” after hurricane season, which began June 1 and ends Nov. 30. Trump said Tuesday night. “If a certain state gets hit by a hurriä See FEMA, page 4A cane or tornado, the governor should be
The Louisiana Board of Ethics determined that a Lafayette Parish School Board member’s business can’t allow district vendors to sponsor customer appreciation nights while he serves on the board. School Board member Jeremy Hidalgo asked the board to issue an opinion about whether local businesses that work with the school Hidalgo district can sponsor his Youngsville bar’s customer appreciation nights. The ethics board said that’s not allowed under the Louisiana Code of Ethics. It unanimously adopted the opinion without further discussion during its Friday meeting. “I asked for an advisory opinion because it was the right thing to do. I take my duty to students and taxpayers seriously, and I’ve always made sure to stay within the rules,” Hidalgo told The Acadiana Advocate. “The Ethics Board made its
ä See ETHICS, page 4A
UL withdraws affirmative action, equal employment policy BY ASHLEY WHITE Staff writer
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is withdrawing its affirmative action and equal employment opportunity policy to “remain compliant with current
WEATHER HIGH 88 LOW 74 PAGE 6A
legal standards,” according to an email sent to faculty Wednesday morning. The change comes “in response to recent federal and state directives,” according to a screenshot of the email shared with The Acadiana Advocate.
The university did not respond to a request for comment. The policy appears to address only employment and not admissions. While the policy was still posted on the university’s website as of 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, it was removed by the end of the day.
The email cites President Donald Trump’s January executive order that prohibits federal contractors and grantees from maintaining affirmative action and diversity, equity and inclusion programs. “As a federally funded institution, the university must comply
Business ...................10C Commentary ................3B Nation-World ................2A Classified .....................4B Living............................5C Opinion ........................2B Comics-Puzzles .....7C-9C Metro ...........................1B Sports ..........................1C
with this order to retain eligibility for federal contracts and grants,” the UL email stated. The university said in the email that Gov. Jeff Landry “issued directives consistent with federal
ä See POLICY, page 4A
100TH yEAR, NO. 347