Jack Richards, a marketing and social media strategist in New York City, shares their painful experience with monkeypox to raise awareness about the outbreak and the difficulties in accessing vaccines and treatment. After initially mistaking the symptoms for jet lag, Richards developed sores and, along with their partner, was diagnosed with monkeypox. The pain from the sores was intense, leading to discomfort in daily activities and requiring over-the-counter pain medication and topical lidocaine for relief. Richards highlights the challenges of isolation, the spread of monkeypox within the LGBTQ community, and the inadequate vaccine supply in New York City. Despite improvements in their condition, Richards emphasizes the need for better public health measures.

A bill to create the Louisiana Governmental Reorganization Commission, which would recommend ways to make the executive branch more efficient, was presented by Lake Charles Mayor Randy Roach at the Task Force on Structural Changes in the Budget and Tax Policy. Authored by Sen. Ronnie Johns, Senate Bill 55 would require a constitutional amendment and obligate the Legislature to act on its recommendations. The bill, which was not submitted for a committee hearing during the regular session, is being refined for potential presentation in the 2017 regular session. The Task Force has not yet made a formal recommendation on the proposal.