Col. Robert Hodges will retire this fall and Gov. Jeff Landry has tapped Lt. Col. Frank Besson as his successor.

A private construction listing names ICE and DHS as owners of a $400M Hammond project with a Sept. 1, 2026 start date; local officials say they weren’t contacted.

Louisiana ordered two‑year revalidations for high‑risk Medicaid providers and may pause new enrollments for some DME and home‑health agencies to curb improper billing. The state is also stepping up screenings and data analysis.

The LPSC certified a 100MW battery at the Amite Solar site, waiving competitive bidding while ordering strict financial monitoring. Supporters tout faster reliability; critics warn of ratepayer risk.

Lawmakers set up a dedicated Watershed Restoration and Conservation Fund for the Amite River Basin, funneling sand severance revenues into local restoration and flood‑risk projects. Officials say the modest pot could unlock federal matches for basin‑scale work.

The Secretary of State reopened certification for voting machines and set a July 2 application deadline as Louisiana moves to replace decades‑old equipment. Officials hope to pick a system by year’s end and begin phased rollouts in 2027.

A push to bar No‑Party voters from some party primaries stalled in the Legislature, leaving unaffiliated Louisianans able to pick a major‑party ballot this cycle. Lawmakers say they may try again in 2027.

A new law will fold Jean Lafitte’s independent levee board into the West Bank flood authority, shifting project control, appointments and liability ahead of an Aug. 1 takeover.

Early voting in St. John Parish runs June 12–20 at LaPlace and Edgard locations. The June 27 ballot includes an $80M bond and a 3.81‑mill in‑lieu tax for roads and safety.

Councilman Joey LaHatte filed a June 11 resolution to restore 2% annual raises for Kenner firefighters, require cancer-screening reports and push mediation in pay-plan litigation.

Sen. John “Jay” Morris helped bring Meta’s Hyperion project to Richland Parish and then bought and sold land beside the megasite, sparking ethics concerns. The deals come as the state approved big tax breaks and a multi-plant power buildout for the campus.

Act 608 expands state death benefits so surviving spouses and children of reserve and auxiliary officers can claim the same $250K payment as full‑time officers.

The Louisiana Judiciary Commission has accused Judge Steven Tureau of misconduct tied to a 2023 Gonzales bar scuffle and has scheduled a September hearing.