State Rep. Mike Johnson failed Monday in trying to reverse a law giving the state power to expropriate private land to support carbon capture projects. (Photo by Cross Harris / LSU Manship School News Service) BATON ROUGE — A bill to prevent the state’s use of eminent domain to support carbon capture storage and pipelines failed 12-7 in an extraordinarily tense House committee hearing Tuesday   House Bill 7, authored by House Speaker Pro Temp Mike Johnson, R-Pineville, marked

State Rep. Dodie Horton proposed a bill to add an image of a flying eagle to driver’s licenses. (Photo by Cross Harris / LSU Manship School Statehouse Bureau) BATON ROUGE — A House bill that would require the Office of Motor Vehicles to add an image of a flying eagle to a driver’s license as a symbol of verified U.S. citizenship easily advanced to the Senate on a 71-29 vote Monday. “Any time I can brag about being a United States citizen, I love it,” said state Rep. Dodie Hor

Rep. John Wyble deferred a bill Monday that proposed gradually reducing the state income tax rate over a 10-year-period. ( Photo by Sheridan A. White/LSU Manship School News Service) BATON ROUGE — Efforts to eliminate or significantly reduce Louisiana’s state income tax appear to be on hold this legislative session, as lawmakers have signaled a more cautious approach following recent tax reductions. House Bill 253 by state Rep. Danny McCormick, R-Oil City, and House Bill 411

State Rep. Gerald “Beau” Beaullieu has proposed mandating the use of a federal citizenship verification program in Louisiana.  ( Photo  by Cross Harris / LSU Manship School News Service) BATON ROUGE — Though a voting rights advocate cautioned that technology used for voter checks could pose security risks to residents' personal identification information, the House Governmental Affairs Committee voted 9-7 Wednesday to move forward with a bill requiring use of the system. Loui

State Rep. Debbie Villio, R-Kenner, has authored two bills that would tighten Louisiana’s bail laws for those convicted of major crimes against children. Photo by Francis Dinh / LSU Manship School News Service) BATON ROUGE — State Rep. Debbie Villio, R-Kenner, introduced two pieces of legislation focused on tightening Louisiana’s bail laws for individuals convicted of certain crimes against children. Both measures advanced without opposition in the House Administration of Cri

Sen. Jay Morris wants to ask voters to approve a constitutional amendment to give legislators a role in removing judges. (Photo by Cross Harris / LSU Manship School News Service) BATON ROUGE — A bill asking voters to approve a constitutional amendment giving legislators a say in removing judges advanced through a Senate Judiciary committee Tuesday. Other bills advancing through judiciary committees would provide for an increase in infrastructure protections from foreign adver