Approximately 94,000 former public-sector workers in Louisiana are now eligible to collect more Social Security benefits under legislation that President Joe Biden signed on Sunday. The Social Security Fairness Act, which was co-sponsored by U.S. Rep. Garret Graves of Baton Rouge and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, eliminates federal provisions that reduce benefits for teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public employees who later moved to the private sector. The Times-Picayune | Baton Rouge Advocate’s Mark Ballard reports on the move and when people will start receiving their full benefits: 

The Social Security Administration is working out the regulations and calculations to start including the amounts removed from the benefits of those affected, a procedure that could take more than a month. “The recomputation process involves substituting the years with higher earnings for the years with lower earnings that were used in previous calculations,” according to the Social Security Administration. Biden said public servants will receive an average $360 more per month. Those impacted also will receive a lump sum for the missing payments of 2024. The agency will provide more information on its website at ssa.gov.

What will happen to the Inflation Reduction Act?

Many climate-change experts and advocates are concerned about what a looming Republican trifecta in Washington will mean for efforts to reduce planet-warming fossil fuels. Brookings’ Riki Fujii-Rajani and Sanjay Patnaik examine the future of the Inflation Reduction Act – the nation’s largest investment in climate change and renewable energy policies: 

Recent attempts by Republican lawmakers to partially repeal or hinder the implementation of the IRA suggest that there may be specific sections of the IRA that are particularly vulnerable under the next administration. The slimness of majorities in the Senate and House could present challenges for Republican lawmakers in creating a coalition for a full repeal of the IRA, as incentives in the IRA have benefitted Republican constituents.  However, the IRA remains vulnerable as congressional coalitions are not needed for executive action that challenge the implementation of the IRA.

Bob Marshall, in a guest column for The Times-Picayune | Baton Rouge Advocate, writes that House Speaker Mike Johnson seems unlikely to seek accommodation with Democrats on climate policy. 

His major reason: “With a Republican White House, Senate and House, we are confident we will secure stronger and more comprehensive permitting reforms in the next Congress.” So much for working across the aisle. And that means a renewal of Trump´s first term campaign to gut environmental protectionism, without the checks of a split Congress.

New year, new laws

The Louisiana Legislature met four times in 2024, creating dozens of new laws in the process. WWNO’s Athina Morris breaks down the major changes, including a new law that reduces the amount of time people can collect unemployment benefits:

Currently, unemployed individuals qualify for up to 26 weeks of government benefits, but under Act 412 / HB119, they’ll only be eligible for up to 20 weeks. The exact duration depends on the unemployment rate, with the maximum set at 20 weeks if the rate reaches 8.5%. If it dips below 5%, workers will only qualify for up to 12 weeks of benefits.

Biggest issues to watch in 2025

State leaders across the country will be facing significant challenges in 2025, as tax revenue declines, federal pandemic aid expires and a second Trump administration assumes power in Washington. Governing’s Jared Brey, Alan Greenblatt, Jule Pattison-Gordon and Carl Smith lay out 10 of the biggest issues to watch this year: 

As has been long anticipated, extra federal aid from the pandemic era has mostly run out. State sales tax revenues have been in decline for several straight months. Expected tax and spending cuts at the federal level could have a profound effect on states, particularly if Medicaid is slashed. State and local governments receive a third of their revenues from Washington and Medicaid accounts for two-thirds of that money. “State budgets are facing significant risk with reduction of that support,” says Wesley Tharpe, a state tax expert at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a left-leaning think tank.

Number of the Day

48.1% – Share of total U.S. workforce that will live in a state with a minimum wage at or above $15 an hour by 2027. Louisiana is one of only five states without a state minimum wage law, meaning some workers in our state are still earning the $7.25 federal minimum wage. (Source: Economic Policy Institute)