Louisiana news briefs

Louisiana ranked 48th in annual health survey
BATON ROUGE (AP) — Louisiana ranked poorly among states in overall health, according to United Health Foundation’s 2013 America’s Health Rankings.
Louisiana came in at No. 48 in the annual rankings, moving up one spot from last year.
The state’s strengths included high-immunization coverage among adolescents; low incidences of pertussis, or whooping cough, infections; and little disparity in health status despite differences in education levels.
But the report also showed high percentages of Louisiana residents aren’t exercising, and residents have high rates of obesity and diabetes. The state also has a high percentage of children in poverty, high rates of infant deaths and a high prevalence of low birth weight.
Hawaii ranked as the healthiest state. Mississippi was in last place.

Landrieu running her first Senate race campaign ad
BATON ROUGE (AP) — U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu’s campaign launched its first TV ad of the election cycle Wednesday, touting the Democratic senator’s push to keep people from losing insurance policies because of the federal health care overhaul.
The 30-second commercial, running in most media markets around the state, tries to blunt a series of ads by outside groups that have attacked Landrieu for her support for President Barack Obama’s health care law.
In the ad, Landrieu takes credit for Obama’s decision to allow insurance companies to renew individual health insurance plans that had been slated for cancellation under Obama’s health law.
Landrieu introduced legislation requiring insurers to renew policies, before Obama allowed the renewals. The TV spot suggests pressure from Landrieu was a driving factor in Obama’s decision.
“The President made a promise, and Sen. Landrieu is working to make sure it is kept and will continue her legislative efforts to fix and improve the Affordable Care Act,” Landrieu campaign manager Adam Sullivan said in a statement.
The commercial doesn’t mention Landrieu’s strong support for the federal health overhaul, which is unpopular in Louisiana. The senator’s approval ratings have fallen sharply, amid the troubled rollout of major provisions of the health law.

OSHA cites Geismar
plant for 6 safety violations
GEISMAR (AP) — The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has proposed fines of $99,000 against Williams Olefins for a June explosion that killed two workers and injured 80.
OSHA on Wednesday cited the company for six process safety management standard violations, including one willful. OSHA says a willful violation is one committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law’s requirements, or with indifference to worker safety.
Process safety management encompasses detailed procedures employers must follow to address hazards with processes and equipment using large amounts of hazardous chemicals. In this case, OSHA says it was the use of propylene.
The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s Baton Rouge area director, or contest the findings.

Donelon: Fewer customers have Citizens insurance
BATON ROUGE (AP) — Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says fewer homeowners and businesses have property insurance through the state-run insurer of last resort.
Donelon announced Wednesday that Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp. has 93,000 policies, nearly all of them for homeowners. The number represents less than 3 percent of the homeowners’ insurance market in the state.
That’s down from a peak of 174,000 policies in February 2008, when Citizens had nearly 10 percent of the market.
More than 14,000 residential insurance policies are being transferred to private companies in the latest round of Citizens “depopulation,” in which private insurers select Citizens policies they’d like to write themselves.
Donelon says the decline means more and cheaper insurance options are available to residents. Citizens’ rates are required by law to be the highest in each parish.

Supreme Court rules
in gun amendment case
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Louisiana Supreme Court has punted on its first chance to decide whether a new state constitutional provision declaring gun possession a fundamental right could void a long list of criminal statutes that regulate firearms.
In a ruling Tuesday, the court scrapped a lower court’s finding that the state law forbidding felons from having firearms is now unconstitutional. The opinion hinges on the specific circumstances of a single case, ignoring the larger question of whether the law is constitutional.
The court said the felon-in-possession law, at least in the case of Glen Draughter is reasonable, even in light of a change to the state’s constitution strengthening gun rights. The case will be sent back to state court, where Draughter will face the gun charge.

FBI descends on Baton Rouge charter school
BATON ROUGE (AP) — State and federal agents descended upon the Kenilworth Science and Technology Charter School and carted away boxes from the Baton Rouge school.
But details of their investigation remains a closely guarded secret, as school and law enforcement officials refused to discuss the reason for Wednesday night’s visit.
More than a dozen agents wheeled several boxes to unmarked white van parked by the front doors.
School officials, including Principal Hasan Suzuk, referred inquiries about the raid to Mark Lambert, a spokesman for the charter school, who was equally tight lipped. Lambert said the school is cooperating fully with law enforcement and classes would resume today.

Employees to receive raise
BATON ROUGE (AP) — About 600 state Revenue Department employees are getting a 4 percent pay raise retroactive to Oct. 1.
State Revenue Secretary Tim Barfield said the agency has identified dollars to provide for the across-the-board raise instead of the lump sum, one-time bonus originally contemplated.
The state Civil Service Commission on Wednesday approved rescinding the bonuses in favor of the general pay increase.
The pay raise will cost about $1 million annually. The one-time bonus would have run about $650,000.