Keeping it local: Decisions on whether to ban or tax disposable plastic bags will remain with Louisiana’s local government leaders. The Associated Press reports a St. Tammany Parish lawmaker today scrapped his effort to create roadblocks for such restrictions. Republican Rep. Paul Hollis, of Covington, initially proposed to prohibit city and parish governments from being able to adopt the plastic bag ordinances. He rewrote the bill to require local voters to authorize any restrictions on the bags used by grocery stores and retailers. Still Hollis faced opposition, particularly from local government officials who say state lawmakers shouldn’t be meddling in municipal decision-making. Hollis described his proposal as protecting personal liberty and stopping onerous business regulations. But amid the pushback, he pulled the bill from consideration in the House municipal affairs committee.
Layoffs: Oklahoma-based Helmerich & Payne International Drilling has announced the closure of the H&P Rig 100 working off the Louisiana shore in the Gulf of Mexico, the Louisiana Workforce Commission reported today. H&P anticipates that approximately 40 to 50 offshore employees will lose their jobs when the facility closes. Layoffs are expected to be made around May 1. The rig is on the Viosca Knoll 989 platform. Its closure is the result of an H&P customer terminating their contract with the company. H&P expects its other facilities to be impacted by the facility’s closure because more experienced employees will be “bumped back” to other facilities and will replace less experienced employees.
Need a lift?: More business travelers are hopping rides with ride-hailing services such as Uber or Lyft—taking more business away from car rental agencies and the taxi industry, according to a new report. USA Today reports the number of trips taken with the ride share services by corporate trekkers nearly doubled in the first quarter of this year compared with the same period in 2015, according to expense management company Certify, which reviewed more than 9 million receipts and expenses. At the same time, there were 10% fewer trips taken in car rentals than in the first three months of 2015. And the number of taxicab rides fell compared with a year ago. From 37% share for taxis at the start of 2014, it fell to 25% last year and now has hit 14%. Read the full story.
