State leaders heard grim budget news today, which likely means a special session next month. Jeff Palermo has the story…

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Napoleonville Senator Troy Brown issued a statement saying he has no intention of leaving office, even as some state lawmakers are calling for his resignation after he was convicted for a second time on a charge of domestic abuse battery. Brown says expulsion is the most severe punishment available, calling it the political equivalent to execution.

Governor John Bel Edwards leaves today for a weeklong trip to Italy where he’ll meet with experts on how to combat human trafficking and he’s also hoping to visit with the Pope. The governor says he will pay out of pocket for himself and his wife to travel to Rome.

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State Police Superintendent Mike Edmonson and a couple of lawmakers will accompany the governor on the trip, and they are also paying out of pocket. State dollars will only cover the cost for the governor’s security detail.

Nearly 10,000 people are expected to be in Baton Rouge this weekend for the state’s biggest running event of the year- The Louisiana Marathon. That’s according to spokesman Danny Bourgeois, who says over the last 5 years, they’ve seen runners attend from here and beyond.

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The marathon kicks off at the state capitol, and the race is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon.