Emotional testimony is being heard right now before a Senate Judiciary Committee on the death penalty. Senator Dan Claitor wants capital punishment to go away in Louisiana, and many in support of the measure spoke for over an hour and a half. Lawmakers are now hearing from victims who say they would live in fear if their offenders were allowed to stay in jail and not be executed.

Governor Edwards is set to release a TV ad aimed at building support for his tax reform plan. Emelie Gunn has more…:
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The deal with the contractor selected to oversee the state’s disaster recovery program is now official. IEM is set to oversee the $1.3 billion dollar federal flood system for homeowners. The size of the contract is an estimated $226.7 million. IEM was the same firm originally chosen to do the work, but the state scrapped the contract because it was too costly. The governor’s office said re-opening the bidding process ended up saving the state money.

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser is not happy about the removal of the Liberty Place monument in New Orleans, and says he’s going to do everything he can to protect the other Confederate era structures…:
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New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu says the city has a right to control its own property. The other monuments also set to be secretly removed are of Confederate generals Robert E Lee, P.G.T. Beauregard and Confederate President Jefferson Davis.