Author: James McAllister
-
Louisiana House passes unemployment insurance indexing bill
The Louisiana House of Representatives on May 10 passed a bill that would index the length of unemployment insurance benefits to the state’s unemployment rate. House Bill 340 would reduce the maximum number of benefit weeks to 12 when the unemployment rate is at or below 5%. The bill also proposes capping the maximum benefit…
-
Oklahoma treasurer announces 13 financial institutions can’t do business with the state over ESG policies
Oklahoma State Treasurer Todd Russ (R) on May 3 issued a list of 13 financial institutions that are ineligible to do business with the state under a 2022 law because, according to Russ’s office, they engage in energy boycotts that, in its opinion, hurt the state’s economy. The listed institutions cannot manage state pension funds…
-
U.S. weekly unemployment insurance claims rise to 242,000
New applications for U.S. unemployment insurance benefits rose 13,000 for the week ending April 29 to a seasonally adjusted 242,000. The previous week’s figure was revised down from 230,000 to 229,000. The four-week moving average as of April 29 rose to 239,250 from a revised 235,750 as of the week ending April 22. The number…
-
Louisiana attorney general launches ESG investigation
Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry (R) launched an investigation on April 25 into Climate Action 100+, which describes itself as “an investor-led initiative to ensure the world’s largest corporate greenhouse gas emitters take necessary action on climate change.” Landry’s office says the investigation seeks to determine whether some asset management companies that are part of…
-
Wisconsin Assembly passes unemployment insurance indexing bill
Wisconsin lawmakers on April 25 passed several bills related to unemployment insurance, including one that would index the length of unemployment insurance benefits to the state’s unemployment rate. Assembly Bill 153 would reduce the maximum number of benefit weeks to 14 during times when the unemployment rate is at or below 3.5%. The bill also…
-
Biden executive order incorporates environmental justice into federal agency missions
President Joe Biden (D) issued an executive order on April 21 creating a White House Office of Environmental Justice and directing all federal agencies to prioritize what it described as environmental justice in their policymaking whenever and however possible. According to Fox News: “President Biden will sign an executive order Friday in the Rose Garden…
-
U.S. weekly unemployment insurance claims rise to 245,000
New applications for U.S. unemployment insurance benefits rose 5,000 for the week ending April 15 to a seasonally adjusted 245,000. The previous week’s figure was revised up from 239,000 to 240,000. The four-week moving average as of April 15 fell to 239,750 from a revised 240,250 as of the week ending April 8. The number…
-
New Hampshire governor signs executive order prohibiting ESG in state investments
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) signed an executive order April 11 directing state executive agencies to invest their funds based on expected financial returns (not based on ESG investing criteria), making the state the latest to push back against ESG in public investments. According to NH Journal: “Just weeks after the Biden administration imposed…
-
Wisconsin introduces unemployment insurance indexing bill
Wisconsin lawmakers on April 7 introduced several bills related to unemployment insurance, including one that would index the length of unemployment insurance benefits to the state’s unemployment rate. Assembly Bill 153 would reduce the maximum number of benefit weeks to 14 during times when the unemployment rate is at or below 3.5%. The bill also…
-
Kansas bill opposing ESG passes legislature
Kansas lawmakers approved a bill on April 6 prohibiting ESG considerations in public pension investments. Some measures that were proposed, like certain restrictions on private ESG investing and on public investments in foreign companies, did not make it into the final bill. The bill was sent to the governor for consideration. According to Fox News:…