| BY CHAD CALDER | Staff writer |
State bill banning gender affirming care advances : A bipartisan committee in the Louisiana House of Representatives approved a bill Tuesday that would ban gender-affirming health care for transgender youth in the state. The bill advanced despite the objection of mainstream medical practitioners. James Finn has the story. Higher ed leaders push back against anti-diversity education efforts: Higher education and faculty leaders are pushing back against the Louisiana Republican Party's recent call for lawmakers to get rid of campus diversity departments and restrict how racism is studied. They say it would be detrimental to the state's colleges and universities and make it harder for them to compete. James Wilkins has the story. Homelessness rises: Homelessness in the New Orleans area is rising again, with the number of people living in shelters and on the street the highest it's been since 2016. Street homelessness, which includes those sleeping in tents and abandoned structures, increased by more than 50% over last year. That's according to the latest federally mandated count, which comes as as pandemic-related government support peters out and rents and evictions soar. Ben Myers has the story. By the way, we have a new newsletter in the works. If you're interested in Jefferson Parish news, sign up for Jefferson Parish Today at this link. Thanks for starting your day with Morning Headlines. Catch up on the latest news on NOLA.com. Chad | 