A third special session begins later this afternoon as lawmakers come back to Baton Rouge to see if they can pass a sales tax bill that could generate enough cash to avoid cuts to TOPS, higher education, department of corrections and the food stamp program. Louisiana Association of Business and Industry President Stephen Waguespack wishes lawmakers had the opportunity to use this third special session to address Medicaid and pension reform or statutory dedications which limits what legislators can do during tough budget times. He says instead the call issued by the governor only gives the legislature two options…
cut 8 (08) “other priorities”
The fifth penny of the state sales tax is set to expire June 30th. But Governor John Bel Edwards wants lawmakers to renew a portion of that expiring penny to close the budget hole.

New research finds that opiods can increase the risk of bone facture and also make it harder for bones to heal. Doctor Bob Zura is the head of orthopedics at LSU Health New Orleans,….
cut 4 (12) “..healing their obones”
Zura says Tyenol might be a better option to handle pain associated with bone fractures.

There’s renewed interest in the state’s Unclaimed Property program after the State Treasure publizied the return of two-point-three million dollars to a north Louisiana resident. John Schroder says the unclaimed property comes in the form of insurance, pensions or in the case of two-point-three-milliond dollars, oil royalities…
cut 11 (11) “…return it”