COURT UPHOLDS EDWARDS’ RESTRICTIONS - A Louisiana judge has rejected an effort by Republican state House members to force an end to Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards' coronavirus restrictions. Sixty-five Republican state House members recently invoked a 2003 state law provision allowing a majority in either the House or the Senate to force an end to a governor's declared public health emergency. State Judge William Morvant agreed with Governor Edwards on Thursday that the provision violates the state constitution's requirement that a law be approved by both legislative bodies. Meanwhile, the state reported that new COVID-19 cases grew by 2,173 in the past two days. But hospitalizations dropped from 684 to 676.