Research & Commentary: Environmental Credit Scheme a Bad Idea for Louisiana

Legislation in the Louisiana Senate would set up the framework of a Coastal Zone Recovery Fund (CZRF) and environmental credit cap-and-trade-style system as agreed to by the State of Louisiana in a lawsuit settlement with the mining company Freeport-McRoRan.

Under the terms of the settlement, Freeport agreed to provide $100 million in funds to the state paid over 20 years. Three initials payments totaling $23.5 million would be placed in the CZRF for coastal restoration projects that will generate environmental credits, the sale of which will be used to offset Freeport’s remaining $76.5 million obligation. Read more...

Bill to expand Louisiana Supreme Court advances

An effort to expand the Louisiana Supreme Court from seven justices to nine passed its first legislative hurdle Monday when a Senate committee advanced a measure to do just that.

The aim of Senate Bill 163 is to realign the districts from which the members of the high court are now elected in order to keep each district at roughly the same population numbers. Read more...

For second year, Louisiana bar exam will be open-book test due to COVID concerns

Louisiana bar exam test-takers won’t have to commit material to memory after the state Supreme Court on Thursday announced that July tests will be open book and conducted remotely due to the pandemic.

An order approved Wednesday by the state’s highest court mirrors a similar decision last year that allowed law school graduates and out-of-state attorneys seeking licenses to also take the exam remotely and without proctors. Read more...