The waiting game: Louisiana won’t be shortening the waiting period for a divorce. The Associated Press reports lawmakers in the state House of Representatives rejected a bill on Tuesday that would have cut the wait to six months for a no-fault divorce when the married couple has children under 18. Under existing law, such couples must live separate and apart for one year before they can get a divorce, unless there are certain special circumstances such as domestic abuse. Only 44 lawmakers in the House voted to shrink the wait, while 52 voted against it. The bill needed 53 votes to pass. Opponents of the bill said the longer wait gives couples time to patch things up.
Getting deals done: The first quarter of 2017 saw a record $73 billion in announced U.S. oil and gas mergers and acquisitions, nearly triple the same period last year, FuelFix.com reports. According to the latest report from London-based consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, more companies also prepared last quarter to go public, signaling a potential increase in initial public offerings this quarter. The year started “at a blistering pace,” says Doug Meier, the firm’s U.S. oil and gas deals leader. Companies announced deals worth $49 billion in January alone—far and away the highest total of any first quarter since 2010, Meier says. Read more.
Bank on it: As it nears the 100-day mark, the Trump administration is embroiled in battles on several fronts: How to replace the Affordable Care Act, overhaul the tax code and fund a wall along the Mexico border. Now, The Washington Post reports President Donald Trump and Republican leaders in Congress are opening another potentially explosive door: Gutting Obama-era Wall Street regulations. Today, the House Financial Services Committee is scheduled to take up legislation that would slash many of the rules put in place by 2010’s Dodd-Frank Act to rein in banks after the financial crisis. Trump has ordered three reviews of banking rules, including two last week. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is scheduled to deliver a report to Trump in June on which industry rules should be rolled back. Read more.
