Well-funded watchdog

By Greg LaRose | Editor-in-Chief

Changes to state law will allow the Office of Inspector General to prioritize government efficiency, though the Landry administration has yet to provide detailed proof to back a claim that its prior efforts to target waste saved the state $1 billion.

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Gov. Jeff Landry chose Angele Davis, previously a state budget czar for Gov. Bobby Jindal, as inspector general in January. She told lawmakers this spring she intends to use $3 million this year to hire outside contractors who can help her find ways to reduce state government spending. Prior to becoming inspector general, Davis worked as a private contractor on Landry’s Fiscal Responsibility Program. She and the governor have repeatedly said that effort generated $1 billion of savings for the state, but they have yet to document how that savings was achieved

By Elise Plunk

In comments submitted last week to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, the Sierra Club argues that changes to Meta’s Hyperion facility air pollution permit should require it to have a more stringent permit rather than one it obtained. The Sierra Club also urged state regulators to require the Meta data center to conduct its own air monitoring at the facility as a condition of its permit. 

By Ariana Figueroa

More than 20,000 unaccompanied immigrant children lost their legal representation Monday because the Trump administration has not entered into a new agreement to take over their legal services after it let a longstanding contract with a nonprofit expire. Without legal representation, fewer than 10% of immigrant children win the right to remain in the United States while their case goes through immigration court. Immigration attorneys and advocates worry the loss in legal aid will put children on a fast track to deportations.

By Tim Henderson

An abundance of young workers will turn into an undersupply by 2040, meaning today’s children could be the first generation since the 1970s to do better than their parents. They may even see a surplus of housing to make their lives even easier after recent shortages. 

By Crystal Rommen

August is National Immunization Awareness Month, which celebrates vaccines as one of the greatest achievements in public health. Vaccines have transformed diseases that once caused widespread illness, disability and death into preventable conditions. But vaccines alone don’t protect communities. Strong public health policies help ensure they remain accessible, affordable and available to every family.

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