On the table: A proposal to abolish the death penalty in Louisiana could help prevent a crisis the state’s public defenders say they are hurtling toward without drastic changes in how the state handles defense for the indigent. But as The Manship News Services reports, because the bill does not apply to those already convicted or indicted of capital offenses, the savings in money earmarked for such cases will come slowly. Sen. Dan Claitor, R-Baton Rouge; Rep. Terry Landry, D-New Iberia; and Rep. Steve Pylant, R-Winnsboro, are authoring or co-authoring legislation that would end the death penalty. Claitor’s bill will get its first hearing on Tuesday. Read more.
New market: The ride-sharing service Lyft could be on its way to Shreveport soon, although the company won’t say. The Shreveport Times reports the San Francisco-based company, a competitor to Uber, joined the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce on March 24, Chamber Marketing Director Erin Smith says, adding that the company is advertising for Shreveport-area drivers. “While Shreveport would be a great fit for Lyft, we don’t have any launch plans to share at the moment,” Lyft Senior Policy Communications Manager Chelsea Harrison says. Read more.
Going bust: Retailers are filing for bankruptcy at a record rate as they try to cope with the rapid acceleration of online shopping, Bloomberg reports. In a little over three months, 14 chains have announced they will seek court protection, according to an analysis by S&P Global Market Intelligence, almost surpassing all of 2016. Few retail segments have proven immune as discount shoe-sellers, outdoor goods shops and consumer electronics retailers all have found themselves headed for reorganization. Meanwhile, America’s retailers are closing stores faster than ever as they try to eliminate a glut of space and shift more business to the web. S&P blamed retailer financial struggles on their inability to adapt to rising pressure from e-commerce. Read more.
