Unanimous jury verdicts in criminal cases are a public vote away from becoming law in Louisiana. At first liberal advocacy groups like the ACLU and Southern Poverty Law Center were all for it. Then other groups like Louisiana Family Forum joined and the District Attorneys took a neutral stand. New Orleans Senator JP Morrell says that’s when things began to change.
Cut 3 (08) “tremendous momentum”
It passed the House yesterday on a 82-15 vote and will appear on the ballot this November, where a majority of voters will have to approve before it becomes law.

If you think it’s a little to hot for the middle of May, you are right. Records high temperatures were broken yesterday and more could go down today….
cut 13 (06) “…ninety-six”
That’s Michael Hill with the National Weather Service in New Orleans, who says we’ll see some cooler temperatures tomorrow as rain chances increase.

House Republican lawmakers are criticizing the Edwards administration for sending out letters to Medicaid recipients, warning them they could lose their benefits after July 1st because of a lack of state dollars for health care funding. Lafayette Representative Nancy Landry says the letters were completely unwarranted as the budget process is not yet finished…
cut 7 (09) “….day weekend”
Some 20-thousand nursing home residents received this letter. Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne pushed back, arguing that the feds require Medicaid recipients to be informed of program cancellations ahead of time, so that they can try to find other programs to qualify for.
cut 8 (10) “for medicaid”
The Edwards administration is optimistic revenue measures will be approved in a special session set to begin next Tuesday that will provide the state with adequate funding.