April 14th, 2023

Friends,

Louisiana's legislative session just completed its first week. Yesterday, LFF had the privilege of hosting a dozen legislators in a message training session with Bruce Smith, the former Director of Media at Alliance Defending Freedom. This spicy Louisiana native and master messenger delivered a powerful presentation on life, liberty, and libraries!

This week's news highlights include The Advocate's report on Sen Beth Mizell's bill, which seeks to ban people under 21 from entering Louisiana bars, citing the LSU Madison Brooks tragedy. In addition, part of the training includes three bills aimed at protecting children's innocence regarding gender identity. The Given Name Act requires school employees to use a student's given name and pronouns unless the student has parental approval. HB 466 seeks to prohibit classroom discussions about sexual preference or gender identity, while Representative Gabe Firment's bill aims to ban gender "reassignment" surgery and "transition" procedures for minors in the state. BRProud reports on another bill by Rep Laurie Schlegel, which allows the Attorney General to seek damages from porn sites that refuse to comply with Louisiana's age verification law. 

Also noteworthy is The Daily Advertiser’s report on the Legislative Auditor's findings, revealing that Louisiana approved hundreds of illegal hemp products with illegal and elevated THC levels. 

These issues are important efforts to preserve childhood mental, physical, and moral innocence. Pray the legislature successfully defends Louisiana children and their future.

First, in response to a proposed Title IX rule regarding trans athletics, Louisiana's Superintendent of Education, Dr. Cade Brumley, wrote a letter to Eddie Bonine, the chair of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association, expressing his personal objection and professional criticism of the Biden proposed rule change that would allow males to compete in female sports.

Brumley points out that the proposed rule, which would "govern a [federal financial assistance] recipient's adoption or application of sex-related criteria that would limit or deny a student's eligibility to participate on a male or female athletic team consistent with their gender identity," violates Louisiana law and the LHSAA should not feel compelled to follow that rule. Brumley says to "make no mistake - this proposed rule provides for sports participation based on gender identity, not biological sex."

The Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) also issued a statement this morning reaffirming its commitment to following Louisiana law regarding transgender student-athletes' participation in sports. You can read the full statement here.

Secondly, Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin announced that he will not seek reelection. Ardoin has been in office since 2018 and oversaw several high-profile elections, including the 2020 presidential election. He cited personal reasons for his decision not to seek another term. This announcement has sparked speculation about who might run to replace him in the upcoming election. The Secretary of State is a critical position in Louisiana, responsible for overseeing elections and ensuring the integrity of the electoral process. As such, it will be crucial for the state to elect a qualified and competent candidate to take on this role.

The 2023 elections in Louisiana are shaping up to be highly competitive and closely watched! Stay tuned!

On Wednesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit decided to uphold a federal district court’s order that requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to restore critical safeguards to chemical abortion drugs while the lawsuit is ongoing. The court’s ruling requires abortionists to no longer mail chemical abortion drugs, which is a direct violation of long-standing federal law.

Furthermore, the permissible gestational age for taking chemical abortion drugs has been moved back from 10 to seven weeks, and doctors must once again check for complications after the procedure. The court also ruled that the FDA’s approval of generic mifepristone was unlawful and that the manufacturer must halt production by Friday!

Erin Hawley, Senior Counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), praised the ruling and emphasized the importance of holding federal agencies accountable for illegal actions. “The 5th Circuit’s decision is a significant victory for the doctors we represent, women’s health, and every American who deserves an accountable federal government acting within the bounds of the law,” Hawley stated.

Friends, Royal Alexander's recent commentary in The Hayride brings uplifting news as more states follow Louisiana's lead in adopting school choice in education. With 21 states now offering education choice, parents have the ability to select the best education for their children, regardless of their zip code or income. This empowering opportunity allows parents to take a more active role in their child's education, ultimately leading to positive outcomes and advancements in education across the nation. It's heartening to see the momentum for education choice continue to grow, and we can look forward to more states providing this important opportunity to families.

In His Service,

Gene Mills
President
Louisiana Family Forum

P.S. A reminder that LFF’s Legislative Briefing for pastors and organizational leaders is next Tuesday. Don't forget to RSVP here!