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BATON ROUGE—A Senate committee on Wednesday rejected a bill by Sen. Regina Barrow, D-Baton Rouge, that would have expanded mail-in voting in Louisiana.
It was the second straight day that Republican lawmakers defeated a bill to allow more mail voting to minimize health risks from the coronavirus. The vote on Barrow’s bill was 6-3, with all Republicans voting against it and three Democrats voting for it.
A similar bill by Rep. Mandie Landry, D-New Orleans, was killed 9-5 by a House committee Tuesday.
Since the coronavirus outbreak, many states have expanded voting by mail in efforts to limit the spread of the virus. Even before the virus, voters in Colorado, Oregon and Washington voted entirely by mail in all elections, and red states such as Alaska, Montana, Utah and Wyoming have switched to mail-in ballots for this year’s presidential primary.
Michigan, a key swing state, announced Tuesday that it would send applications for mail-in absentee ballots to all its voters in this year’s elections, and Nevada recently announced that its primaries would be conducted through mail-in ballots.
President Trump, who opposes mail voting, threatened on Wednesday to withhold federal funds from the states for doing so, though federal officials do not have control over state election rules. Trump won Michigan in 2016, while the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clin-ton, narrowly carried Neva-da. Both states have Demo-cratic governors.
Trump and other Repub-licans claim that expanding mail-in voting would lead to voter fraud, although national data shows voter fraud is rare, especially when using mail-in ballots.
Democrats have pushed to expand voting by mail to give access to voters who may be concerned about going to the polls, especially with the risks from the COVID-19 pandemic. Louisiana’s absentee voting laws allow registered voters to vote by mail, but only under certain conditions such as military deployment, being away for college, or being 65 years of age or older. Barrow’s bill proposed removing these requirements.
“Voting is a fundamental right that I stand very strongly on,” said Barrow. “I think it’s important that we do not suppress the vote.”
Proponents argued that groups that are already underrepresented, such as African Americans, are especially harmed by current absentee voting requirements.
A majority of the people who have died from COVID-19 in Louisiana are African Americans. While African Americans make up a little over 30% of the state’s population, nearly 70% of the people who have died from COVID-19 are black, according to Gov. John Bel Edwards.
The Southern Poverty Law Center, the Fair Elections Center and Arnold & Porter, a national law firm, filed a suit Tuesday against Edwards, Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin and other state officials over what it called the state’s lack of safe voting options during the pandemic.
The lawsuit claims the current absentee ballot requirements violate the First and Fourteenth Amendments by placing an undue burden on the fundamental right to vote and denying voters due process.
“We should not be making folks make the choice of protecting their health and going to vote,” said Mike McClanahan, the president of the NAACP Louisiana State Conference.
Ardoin, a Republican, and Edwards, a Democrat, had agreed on an emergency election plan that would have made mail-in absentee ballots available in the presidential primary in July to anyone affected by the coronavirus or who did not want to vote in person for fear of catching it.
But Republican lawmakers objected to that plan in March. Under a compromise approved by the Legislature, Louisiana residents who are already allowed to mail in absentee ballots, such as those age 65 and older, will be able to vote by mail in the presidential primary and in state elections in August. Because of the threat from the virus, people with serious medical conditions or those who are quarantined or taking care of someone quarantined also will be able to mail ballots.
Lawmakers also blocked other proposals by Ardoin to temporarily allow voting by mail for people between ages 60 and 65 or those caring for a child whose school was closed. They also rejected his plan to extend early voting in person to 13 days from seven.

Better Business Bureau
Sweepstakes, lottery and prize schemes have devastated victims financially and emotionally with ever-evolving methods for years. Scam operators – often based in Canada – are using the telephone and direct mail to either entice U.S. consumers to buy chances in high-stakes foreign lotteries or simply congratulate them for their recent win in an attempt to collect their personal financial information.
Typically, these frauds concentrate on seniors, targeting them by direct mail, cold calling, social media, even text messages and smartphone pop-ups.
These lottery solicitations violate U.S. law, which prohibits the cross-border sales or purchase of lottery tickets by phone or mail. Still, authorities continue to intercept and destroy millions of foreign lottery mailings sent or delivered by the truckload to the US and consumers who are lured by the prospect of instant wealth.
Better Business Bureau Serving Acadiana recently received, from a local Acadiana consumer, a foreign lottery scam direct mail from Interprovincial Lottery Corporation allegedly based out of Ontario, Canada. The notification stated that it was the consumer’s "Final Award Notification" and that she needed to submit information back to them to claim her prize. Of course, the information needed included her personal identifiable information, including her Social Security number, and her bank account and routing numbers for payment processing. This consumer reported to BBB that she knew it was a scam because she hadn’t even entered into a lottery drawing. BBB urges consumers to be cautious when dealing with foreign lottery solicitations as most are likely to be scams attempting to collect your personal financial information.
BBB offers the following tips for consumers to avoid being caught in lottery or sweepstakes fraud:
—True lotteries or sweepstakes don’t ask for money. If they want money for taxes, themselves, or a third party, they are most likely crooks.
—Call the lottery or sweepstakes company directly to see if you won. Publishers Clearing House does have a sweepstakes but does not call people in advance to tell them they’ve won. Report PCH imposters to their hotline at 800-392-4190.
—Check to see if you won a lottery. Call the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries at 440-361-7962 or your local state lottery agency.
—Do an internet search of the company, name, or phone number of the person who contacted you.
—Law enforcement does not call and award prizes.
—Talk to a trusted family member or your bank. They may be able to help you stay in control of your money in the face of fraudster pressure.
Consumers should keep in mind that playing a foreign lottery through the mail, over the phone or Internet generally violates federal law and is illegal. If you receive what looks like lottery material from a foreign country, turn it over to your local postmaster.
“Look for the Seal” and Start with Trust. BBB Serving Acadiana is a private non-profit organization that strives for a trustworthy marketplace by maintaining standards for truthful advertising, investigating and exposing fraud against consumers and businesses. BBB strives to make Acadiana a better place to live and work.
Please contact Better Business Bureau at (337) 981-3497 24 or bbb.org 24 hours a day for information on businesses throughout North America. Consumers can also sign up for our free BBB “Scoop” eNewsletter by visiting bbb.org and clicking on the “Programs & Services” tab.
BBB Serving Acadiana services the parishes of Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Martin, St. Landry and Vermilion.

Staff Report
Two Napoleonville men have been arrested and accused of sexually assaulting another man in October, Assumption Parish Sheriff Leland Falcon said.
— Ira Wayne Liles III, 34, La. 402, Napoleonville, was booked Tuesday into the Assumption Parish Detention Center on a charge of sexual battery.
—Lance Sanchez, 34, La. 402, Napoleonville, was arrested Tuesday and booked on a charges of third-degree rape.
On Oct. 27, deputies responded to an alcoholic beverage retail outlet near Napoleonville in connection with a reported rape. The complainant advised he left the bar with Lance Sanchez to go to a “party” at another location.
Upon arrival, the victim advised that Sanchez proceeded to perform sexual acts upon the victim without his consent. Shortly thereafter, Liles is accused of committing a sexual battery upon the victim.
DNA analysis samples were obtained from both suspects and a rape assault examination was performed on the victim.
Upon receiving crime lab results on the various testings, detectives secured arrest warrants for Sanchez and Liles.
Both suspects were incarcerated in the Assumption Parish Detention Center.
— Deinontrey Dwayne Miles, 21, Cedarcrest Avenue, Baton Rouge, was arrested Tuesday on charge of possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, switched license plates and driving under suspension.
—Gloria Miles 40, Peterville Lane, Belle Rose, was booked on a charge of possession of cocaine.
—Vincent Whitson, 43, Oak Meadow Street, Gonzales, was issued a summons for possession of drug paraphernalia and release.
A narcotics unit on assignment observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation near Napoleonville and proceeded to stop the vehicle.
Upon investigation, Deiontrey Dwayne Miles was identified as the driver. There were two passengers, namely Gloria Miles and Vincent Whitson.
After conducting driver and passenger interviews, the agent requested a K-9 unit.
The K-9 conducted an open-air sniff of the vehicle and alerted to particular areas. A search of the vehicle yielded illegal narcotics and drug paraphernalia.
Both Deiontrey Miles and Gloria Miles were incarcerated pending a bond hearing.
St. Mary Parish Sheriff Blaise Smith reported these arrests:
—Ronald Stanley Billiot Jr., 38, Electric Lane, Morgan City, was arrested at 6:42 a.m. Tuesday on a charge of possession of marijuana. Billiot was released on a summons to appear Aug. 21.
—Leslie Ann Bonvillian, 40, Lake Palourde, Amelia, was arrested at 9:47 a.m. Tuesday on charges of battery of a dating partner and driving under suspension. Bonvillian was released on a $3,500 bond.
—Kevin James Diggs, 44, Joey Street, Patterson, was arrested at 7:42 p.m. Tuesday on charges of switched license plate/stolen license plate and driving under suspension. Diggs was released on a summons to appear Aug. 21.
—Kenneth Ray Collins, Sr., 63, Flattown Road, Charenton, was arrested at 9:12 p.m. Tuesday on charges of careless operation and driving while intoxicated-second offense. Collins was released on a $5,500 bond.
—Caitlyn Rose Case, 31, Maple Ave, Houma, was arrested at 10:40 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia and on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of operating a vehicle while license is suspended/revoked/canceled and speeding. No bail has been set.
—Caylin Renee Moneaux, 22, Pollard Avenue, New Iberia, was arrested at 2:32 a.m. Wednesday on a charge of driving while intoxicated-first offense. Moneaux was released on a $2,500 bond.
—Juvenile male, 15, Franklin, was arrested at 2:17 p.m. Tuesday on charges of escape-simple and aggravated, possession of stolen things and unauthorized entry of inhabited dwelling. The juvenile was booked and released to a Probation and Parole Officer, Office of Juvenile Justice.

DEAR ABBY: A few weeks ago, my husband and I had what I thought was a minor conflict, from which I walked away to avoid escalation. I could hear him continuing to rant, so I pulled up the security camera on my phone and watched and listened as he continued to say horrible things for an hour or more. He called me a disgusting blob, said there is nothing appealing about me, and I should go out in the yard and kill myself just like my father did.
The words were so painful that I began to sob uncontrollably and screamed in anguish. He never came to console me. In fact, he told me to “shut up.” I’m not a crier, typically, so his blatant disregard for the effect his words had on me raises another level of concern.
We have since discussed the event, and his first defense was to say he didn’t know I could hear him. Meanwhile, I have to live with the fact that I’m married to a man who has such a low opinion of me that he thinks I should kill myself.
I have no family, and I’m hesitant to upend a life that is finally stable after a chaotic childhood and early adulthood. My husband isn’t typically abusive, but this incident has me questioning everything. We have been together for 22 years and married for nearly 16 with no children. What are your thoughts?
THROWN INTO TURMOIL

DEAR THROWN: My first thought is that you and your husband need to find a healthier way to deal with your “conflicts” than your walking out on him, and him saying nasty things into a camera knowing full well he might be heard. If your definition of stability is tolerating further verbal abuse, then you are — and will be — paying a high price for it.
I sincerely hope the two of you will try to iron out your differences with the help of a licensed marriage and family therapist. After all the years you have invested in each other, it’s worth a shot.

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I married 20 years ago. He never proposed; he just came home one day from boot camp and said, “We need to get married tomorrow so that I can get paid more,” and we did. I regret that day. It wasn’t what I wanted, and it meant nothing to me.
Since then, so much has happened. He cheated on me while he was in the service, and had PTSD to the point where he tried to kill himself, among other things.
We are now in a happy place and have two awesome kids. I would like to redo our wedding day and for him to propose to me. The problem is, he isn’t ready. He said he hasn’t done it because we have had more lows than highs. He said he will eventually, when he feels the time is right.
My feelings are hurt, and now I’m questioning why I am still here. I have stuck by his side for 20 years, through thick and thin. I deserve that and much more. I’m not asking for anything over the top. Do you think I’m overreacting, or should I finally move on?
TIRED OF WAITING IN TEXAS

DEAR TIRED: I don’t think you are overreacting; I think you are over-orchestrating. You say you and your husband are in a happy place now after years of struggle, plus you have two awesome kids. Now is not the time to upset the apple cart. More important than redoing his proposal and your wedding day is devoting some time to working on communicating more effectively with each other.
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What teens need to know about sex, drugs, AIDS and getting along with peers and parents is in “What Every Teen Should Know.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 to: Dear Abby, Teen Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447.