Moving pieces: The Metro Council on Wednesday opted not to lend its nonbinding support to a bill moving through the Legislature that would prohibit BREC from relocating the Baton Rouge Zoo. House Bill 481 by Democratic Rep. Barbara Carpenter would amend the state law that created BREC to prohibit the agency from moving the zoo outside of an area that includes its current location at Greenwood Park near Baker. Councilwoman Chauna Banks sought to rally the council behind the measure, but a majority of members said they could not support the bill, citing legislative overreach in a local matter. The council voted 7-5 against deferring the measure for two weeks.
Church and state: Louisiana senators have unanimously agreed to require the state’s public schools to display “In God We Trust” in their buildings. Sen. Regina Barrow’s proposal also requires schools to teach students about the motto. The Baton Rouge Democrat says she sponsored the bill because she thinks “it’s really important that young people understand the patriotic history” of the country. Schools will have to fulfill the requirements by the 2019-20 school year if the House signs off on it. The Senate voted 33-0 Wednesday for the measure, with no debate.
Bank on it: Federal and state agencies have approved a planned merger of Union Savings and Loan Association and Hibernia Bancorp Inc., both of which are based in New Orleans. The merger, announced in December, involves Union buying Hibernia and changing its own name to Hibernia Bank. The two say in a news release that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., the Federal Reserve System board and the Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions all have approved the deal. Union plans to pay $32 per share for Hibernia in an all-cash deal worth about $28.2 million, and create a community bank with five offices and over $200 million in assets. The Associated Press has the full story.
