Louisiana’s Legislative Session Reaches Halfway Point

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana's three-month legislative session has reached its halfway point with few issues settled. Lawmakers have taken a long Easter break before getting into the most intense work of the session that must end June 2.

Efforts to raise Louisiana's minimum wage and let school teachers carry guns to work appear dead. Tougher restrictions on payday lending are on life support. No budget decisions have been made.

A handful of noncontroversial bills have reached Gov. Bobby Jindal's desk. Meanwhile, measures to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes await their first hearing, and the House on Monday debates whether to name the Bible as Louisiana's official state book.

New abortion restrictions have easily cleared the House and await Senate debate, despite criticism they would shut down three of Louisiana's five abortion clinics.