Left and right: Louisianans aren’t being served by extreme partisanship at the State Capitol, Gov. John Bel Edwards told a group on Tuesday, the USA Today Network of Louisiana reports. The governor noted that about 770 Lafayette General workers were notified by that the safety-net hospital could be shuttered and they could lose their jobs on June 30 because of proposed budget cuts. A $648 million shortfall is looming because about $1.4 billion in temporary taxes expire at the end of this fiscal year. Edwards said he doesn’t think that would happen. “But if we don’t fix the problem it will close,” he says. Read more.
In the air: The Baton Rouge Area Chamber is lauding reports that Baton Rouge is back in line with national ozone standards. The region has struggled since December to comply with more ozone standards of 70 parts per billion—an issue that can affect permitting at industrial facilities. “While we still must remain focused on maintaining these environmental gains, we know that having less onerous regulations will make a positive difference for new and expanded business in the region, as well as cost-savings for consumers,” says Michael DiResto, BRAC executive vice president.
Making a deal: CVS Health Corp says it’s progressing with the regulatory review of its $68 billion deal to buy health insurer Aetna Inc. and has suspended its share buyback plan while waiting for the approval, Bloomberg reports. Both CVS and rival Express Scripts Holding Co.—which is being bought by Cigna Corp.—are trying to get regulators to approve their megamergers, as drug middlemen combine with large insurers in the U.S. to offer a larger suite of medical services under one roof. The two deals are being reviewed by the Justice Department. Read more.
