Officials with the “Hollywood South” movie industry are apprehensive about changes made by the Senate Finance Committee to a bill that reforms the film tax credit program. The committee lowered the cap for film tax credits from $200 million to $180 million. Louisiana film industry consultant, Sherri McConnell, says this causes concern about projects already in the pipeline, as well as the future growth of the industry…:
CUT 9 (09) “increased production”
She says this is not promising legislation for the film industry on many levels.

State Revenue Secretary Tim Barfield says there’s a greater possibility Governor Jindal will veto the budget, if a tax credit for higher education is NOT approved by the legislature. Barfield says the SAVE tax credit is needed to offset the revenue generating tax bills already approved by the House. The measure failed on a 10-9 vote in the House Ways and Means Committee, but was revived, when it was added to three different bills approved by the Senate Finance Committee.

Legislation that would put spending restrictions on the TOPS scholarship program is headed to Governor Bobby Jindal’s desk. The Governor’s office is not saying whether or not the measure will get the veto pen although they have expressed objection to major changes to the TOPS scholarship program in the past.

The Louisiana National Guard says pilot error was the cause of the fatal Black Hawk helicopter crash off the Florida coast in March. Col Pete Schneider with LANG says the pilots got spatial disorientation which was due to them failing to transition from visual flight procedures to instrument flight as a thick sea of fog rolled into the training area…:
CUT 4 (07) “of the accident”
Four Louisiana National Guardsmen and seven Marines were killed in the crash.