The governor has signed a bill into law that increases the fines for texting or using social media while driving from $175 to $500 for a first offense. State Police Major Doug Cain says unfortunately, they see a lot in crashes caused by distracted driving.
Cain says troopers do write tickets for this offense.
The Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs committee approves a bill that would make industries choose between taking an industrial tax exemption or receiving an inventory tax credit. Business groups expressed concerns about losing one of these tax credits. But New Orleans Sen. Karen Peterson says the state can’t afford these large tax breaks, when it’s facing cuts to higher ed, public schools and healthcare…
The measure is heading to the Senate floor.
A heat advisory is in effect for the upper half of Louisiana until 7 o’clock Thursday night. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the summer is off to a hot start, with temperatures reaching into the mid and upper 90s. He says on top of that, humidity levels are running high leading to high heat index values.
Keim says the lack of rain the state will see this week is contributing to the extreme heat.
FEMA has released a smartphone app to help residents get prepared for potential natural disasters. It also allows users to receive safety and preparedness tips, including practicing a fire escape plan and updating emergency tips. FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate says many tools are built in to the app.
The app is available in the iTunes store and on Google Play.