State Rep. Jeffery “Jeff” Wiley said a House bill that raises state compensation to the families of police and firefighters killed in the line of duty is the right thing to do. The bill unanimously advanced to the Senate on Monday. (Photo courtesy of Louisiana House of Representatives) BATON ROUGE — A bipartisan bill increasing the financial compensation to more than $400,000 for family members of law enforcement officers and firefighters who lose their lives in the line of duty advanced...

State Rep. Barbara Carpenter’s bill requiring the Corrections Department to post to its website data on prison populations and demographics advanced to the Senate Monday. (Photo by Cross Harris / LSU Manship School News Service) BATON ROUGE — A House bill requiring the Department of Public Safety & Corrections to publish prison data on its website advanced 59-32 Monday with no debate. House Bill 525, authored by state Rep. Barbara Carpenter, D-Baton Rouge, would require the Corrections...

Gary Westcott, secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, says extending the early-release period for terminally ill prisoners would be carefully vetted. (Photocourtesy of Department of Public Safety and Corrections) BATON ROUGE — A House committee voted 7-0 to advance a bill Tuesday that would allow terminally ill inmates to be released up to 120 days before their expected death, doubling the current 60-day window for early release. Under the current statute,...