Kudos: An editorial in today’s Wall Street Journal that criticizes Florida Gov. Charlie Crist’s drive to control property insurance premiums praises Louisiana’s handling of the issue. While Florida has pushed people to join Citizens Property Insurance Corp. and has set up the state-run firm as a competitor with other casualty companies, Louisiana has worked to drive people from its version of Citizens. “By law, Louisiana Citizens cannot offer competitive prices, save in a few high-risk coastal areas,” says the editorial, which notes Louisiana has a “thriving private insurance market” while State Farm became the latest firm to pull out of Florida. Read the editorial here.
Launches online petition: Zatarain’s has gotten nearly 100,000 signatures for an online petition to make Mardi Gras a national holiday. The New Orleans-based company says it wants Congress to declare the final day of Carnival season, Fat Tuesday, as a holiday. A high-profile New Orleans resident has signed up for the campaign: Olivia Manning, the wife of former Saints quarterback Archie Manning, and the mother of current stars Peyton and Eli Manning. A survey conducted by Zatarain’s says 70% of those polled support making Mardi Gras a national holiday.
Tied for last: Louisiana was tied with Kentucky and Oklahoma for having the nation’s weakest gun control laws, according to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. The state’s score actually dropped in 2008 after the Legislature passed a bill allowing employees to bring guns into workplace parking lots. California was ranked as having the toughest gun control laws. See the list here.
