Gov. John Bel Edwards has authorized hotels and motels to cancel reservations and other contracts with future guests to ensure electrical line workers, health care workers and thousands of others responding to Hurricane Ida continue to have a place to stay.
That could mean others will have a hard time finding rooms in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and other parts of southeast Louisiana.
The executive order, which lasts at least through Sept. 24 but could be extended, means hotels can hold the spots for all these workers indefinitely and not incur problems if they have to cancel bookings that had been made months beforehand.
The executive order is similar to one that was issued after Hurricane Katrina 16 years ago.
