For too long, special interests and political insiders have controlled Baton Rouge. I expected backlash this session for challenging them. Unfortunately, this is modern politics. Like President Trump in DC, I am confronting powerful special interests and prioritizing people. It’s a tough battle, but necessary to achieve meaningful change.

Our recent legislative session challenged trial lawyers, insurance companies, PBMs, and other insiders. For too long, lobbyists benefited while working families lost out. To make Louisiana thrive, we need conservative values, populist policies, and reforms that support families, small businesses, and everyday people.

During this session, we addressed the corruption of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (with further actions forthcoming), streamlined government operations, and reorganized our Departments of Transportation and Natural Resources. Additionally, we put an end to legacy lawsuits. We confronted the most challenging issues in our state directly. While we knew it would enrage special interest, my commitment remains to serve you, the people.

For far too long, our insurance rates have skyrocketed, putting our families in crisis. Louisiana’s legal climate has consistently been ranked one of the worst. To address this, we implemented reforms based on suggestions from insurance companies, who indicated that passing their recommendations would lead to reductions in premiums. (See attached)

Following their lead, we implemented all of these recommendations, which were assigned significant savings. These measures include reforming the “No Pay, No Play” policy to address uninsured drivers, reversing the Housley Presumption to ensure that individuals suing cannot claim pre-existing injuries without evidence, realigning our Comparative Fault law, and prohibiting illegal aliens from collecting certain damages. These steps have been taken to protect our system from abuse. Additionally, we introduced new transparency in medical billing to prevent fraud and improper windfalls.

To ensure that insurance companies uphold their commitments, we empowered our Insurance Commissioner to reject excessive rate hikes. Additionally, we have ensured that costly advertising expenses are not included in your premiums, thereby saving you money. Someone must keep them honest too!

These are huge reforms and faced opposition from both trial lawyers and insurance companies. These changes have been decades in the waiting and no governor has achieved such sweeping reforms since Governor Foster. We ruffled a lot of other feathers this session but passed serious reforms.

Furthermore, I vetoed a bill that would have negatively impacted our families by leaving them vulnerable to insurance companies that delay or unfairly deny legitimate claims. If insurance companies were as willing to pay honest and legitimate claims as they were to accept premiums, this bill would not have been required. However, the bill was not focused on promoting honesty or reform; it aimed to absolve large insurance companies of their responsibilities. Our experiences in insurances companies paying claims after Hurricanes has taught us better.

I intend to hold everyone accountable, and make no mistake, we’re just getting started! Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) will soon realize that we will continue fighting until we achieve true reform, lowering prescription drugs.

Our commitment to education freedom remains unwavering, and we will continue pushing for a complete overhaul of state government, making it leaner, more efficient, and ultimately more accountable to the taxpayers.

True leaders like Teddy Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, and Donald Trump have demonstrated that real conservatism is rooted in strong values, giving us the resolve to stand firm—even when our efforts to serve the people face resistance from insiders and special interests. I have found that the only way to combat these special interest groups in Baton Rouge is by holding each of them accountable with meaningful reforms. My Pop Pop, who was a back-tail gunner on a WWII bomber use to say, “you always know when you are over the target when you are receiving the most amount of flak.”

It’s knowing that special interests are unhappy that confirms we achieved our goal this session–put the people first, always.

Jeff Landry is the Governor of Louisiana.