Governor announces restructuring of GOHSEP in continued effort of 'streamlining government'
BATON ROUGE — Gov. Jeff Landry announced Thursday that the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness would be restructured as he continues his "commitment to cutting waste and streamlining government."
Landry said that GOHSEP will now be under the control of the Louisiana National Guard, naming Brig. Gen. Jason Mahfouz as the group's interim director.
"This move not only delivers significant cost savings but also aligns with my belief in the importance of relying more on our National Guard to strengthen our state's resilience," Landry said.
He noted that Mahfouz will be responsible for the department's day-to-day operations. Maj. Gen. Thomas Friloux has been appointed to provide oversight to GOHSEP during the transition, Landry added.
“GOHSEP Director Jacques Thibodeaux took on a challenging role and served our state with dedication under difficult circumstances. We deeply appreciate his service," the governor said.
Landry said the shift would be "an opportunity to save millions by bringing GOHSEP under the National Guard."
The move to reconfigure GOHSEP follows multiple moves Landry has made with the expressed aim of eliminating excess spending, including an executive order that limited the automatic renewal of leases on state buildings and his plans to sign an order having government workers return to the office.
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All of these actions are in line with a shifting national attitude spearheaded by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.