January: A new year means a host of new laws for Louisiana, WBRZ-TV reports. House Law 119 went into effect Jan. 1, and requires insurers to give prescribers a list of five alternative comparable medications if a prescription drug is denied. House Law 438 is centered around filling vacant positions within the police department in the city of Baton Rouge; it goes into effect March 31. Read the full story.
Job gains: House minority leader Rep. Steve Scalise says that the recently ratified U.S. free trade agreement with Mexico and Canada, known as the USMCA, should generate thousands of new jobs, WAFB-TV reports. Scalise predicts the agreement will drive increases in shipping through Louisiana’s ports. Read the full story.
Economic metrics: U.S. consumer confidence slipped ever so slightly in December, as expectations fell about economic growth over the next six months. The Conference Board said this week that its consumer confidence index edged down to 126.5 from November’s reading of 126.8. Americans felt largely confident about business conditions this month amid the holiday shopping season, yet their confidence wavered somewhat regarding job availability. Read the full report.
