Louisiana ranks worst for wage gap for women of color
Louisiana has the highest wage gap between African-American women and non-Hispanic white men, according to the National Women’s Law Center. The group’s data shows African-American women working full time earn $26,030 annually, compared to $53,334 for non-Hispanic white men – or 49 cents for every dollar. One reason for the disparity is that African-American women are more likely to work minimum wage jobs. An easy way to help close the gap would be to raise the minimum wage. Other potential solutions include better enforcement of pay discrimination laws, improving women’s access to high-paying jobs, ensuring pregnant workers are not forced off the job during pregnancy and providing workers with flexibility so they can fulfill care-giving responsibilities.

Obama and Landrieu proposes different health-care “fixes”
President Barack Obama proposed a “fix” to the Affordable Care Act on Thursday that would that would allow insurers to continue offering health insurance plans that fall short of the law’s minimum coverage standards for one year. Obama said the tweak won’t fix every problem, but would help a substantial amount of people. Insurance companies in Louisiana reported that nearly 93,000 policyholders could see their plans discontinued for failing to meet the health care law’s minimum coverage standards. Meanwhile, Sen. Mary Landrieu is pushing for her own health care fix that would require insurers to continue offering health care policies to current policyholders, regardless of whether the companies and regulators wanted to continue with the plans. Landrieu’s proposal would also allow those carrying the sub-standard plan to keep them indefinitely.

State utility regulators receive two-thirds of campaign cash from industries
The newest installment of Nola.com and WVUE-TV’s “Louisiana Purchased” series looks at contributions from regulated industries to their regulators at the Louisiana Public Service Commission. As Nola.com reports: In the four years analyzed, [Public Service Commission] commissioners received more than $1.55 million in total contributions. For every dollar they received, 42 cents came from industries regulated by the PSC, industry employees and employees’ immediate family members. Add interested parties like attorneys, lobbyists and consultants acting directly on behalf of these industries and that number balloons to more than two-thirds of total contributions, or $1.03 million. While many of the commissioners agree that the system is far from perfect, they also say that the generous donations are appealing because campaigns eventually run out of money.

State receives first $68 million for barrier island restoration
Louisiana will receive $68 million for barrier island restoration from the Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund. As The Advocate Reports, the funds are a result of plea agreements in criminal cases against BP and Transocean following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil disaster. The plea agreement calls for $2.5 billion to be distributed to the five Gulf States over the next five years for restoration projects to their barrier islands. In total, Louisiana will receive $1.2 billion for projects. The state plans to spend the first installment of funds for five projects, including one that will move sediment and freshwater into the marsh areas west of the Mississippi River near Myrtle Grove and another that will build up the East Timbalier Island.