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LGBTQ+ residents balk as culture war bills advance

By Jessica Williams | Capitol News Bureau Editor​ ​ ​

Culture wars: Bills that would ban classroom talk about gender and sexuality and stop the use of certain pronouns in school advanced this week, over objections from LGBTQ+ residents and allies, James Finn reports. Another bill to limit access to certain materials in libraries also advanced after the Senate cut off opposing testimony. 


Medicaid expansion: The more than 600,000 Louisianans who have benefited from a recent expansion of the state's Medicaid program can breathe a bit easier, as almost every candidate for governor said this week that they'd keep that benefit intact, Tyler Bridges reports. 


Hemp changes: State House Speaker Clay Schexnayder is going back to the drawing board after his bill to tweak Louisiana's hemp rules was heavily criticized this week, Sam Karlin reports. The speaker had proposed keeping the current 8mg cap of THC per serving, but now says he'll lower that cap. 


Political Buzz

Air pollution monitoring bill gains traction in Louisiana Senate after fourth attempt

Sen. Cleo Fields' bill would require more than 450 plants to install real-time air monitoring systems.  Read more

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Numbers to Know

450: Petrochemical plants that would install air-pollution monitors under Senate Bill 35 

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$1.8B: Extra state cash the Legislature must decide how to spend 

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600K+: Louisianans who have benefited from Medicaid expansion 

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Source: Louisiana State Legislature, Gov. John Bel Edwards' office. 

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