Over 11-hundred bills have been filed for the regular session. Kelley Ray spoke with LAPolitics.com publisher Jeremy Alford on what lawmakers will take about over the next couple of months…
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Kelley Ray.”

Tomorrow, the House Appropriations Committee will hold its first budget hearing. Chairman Cameron Henry says they will work to pass a budget for next fiscal year in this regular session, even though the administration claims the cuts will be to deep.

During this session legislators will not be able to vote on revenue raising bills, which means there’s a great uncertainty over whether TOPS will be fully funded next school year. Governor Edwards told legislators he knows of a student who is considering Alabama instead of LSU, because of uncertainity with TOPS funding..
Cut 12 (09) “on both.” (audience clapping)
If lawmakers fail to find a solution to the billion dollar budget gap, TOPS could receive an 80 percent cut in funding.

There are several bills filed for this legislative session that will seek to make major changes to the state’s gaming industry. Executive Director of the Louisiana Casino Association Wade Duty says the state legalized riverboat gambling in 1991 and now those casinos are looking to have gambling space on land…
Cut 4 (10) “games themselves.”
Duty says these changes are designed to help casino operators and benefit the state with more tax revenue.