Lawmakers are catching some heat for including 22 million dollars of funding for a series of 113 local projects in a supplemental budget bill that’s headed to the Governor’s desk.

Critics like Public Affairs Research Council President Robert Travis Scott say things like refurbishing a lighthouse, park beautification, and sports complex construction can wait until after the state’s pandemic budget woes end…

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House Appropriations Chair Jerome Zeringue disagrees saying that money covered a lot of crucial items like funding for public defenders and more…

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Governor Edwards indicated he may line-item veto expenditures he finds questionable.

Last year lawmakers approved a constitutional amendment for this year’s November ballot, one covering the topic of abortion.

That amendment will be the first on the ballot this year, and asks voters to decide whether or not there should be a right to an abortion, or funding for abortions in Louisiana. Scott says this would mostly kick in should Roe vs. Wade be overturned by the US Supreme Court.

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Again that is amendment number one on your November 3rd ballot. 

This afternoon Senate Education will meet and among other topics take up legislation inspired by the suspension of a Jefferson parish 4^th grader who had a BB gun in the frame of his web camera during class. That bill would create an appeals process for some school discipline issues and flew through the House last week with little to no opposition.

Early voting has begun in Louisiana at select locations. Early voting stations are open 8 AM to 7 PM Monday through Saturday. The lines may look long when you show up, and the pandemic has slowed down the process a good bit and keep in mind you need to wear a mask while in line or you could get an earful like this voter did yesterday at the State Archives Building in Baton Rouge…

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Senator Bill Cassidy and Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins tied in fundraising for the last quarter of the Senate race, but UL-Lafayette Poli-Sci Professor Pierson Cross says Cassidy’s warchest is much bigger and Perkins only reports having 680,000 on hand…

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Cassidy reported having $4.57 million on hand as of September 30^th, greatly outspending his opponents.

There’s some controversy over 22 million dollars for 113 projects approved in a supplemental budget bill by the Legislature. Public Affairs Research Council President Robert Travis Scott blasted it as old-school pet project legislation that covers items like lighthouse refurbishment, park beautification, and sports complex construction at a time when the state budget has been crushed by COVID…

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House Appropriations Chair Jerome Zeringue says those criticisms are not accurate and the bill funds crucial services.

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Zeringue also highlighted the bill sends millions of dollars in funding to various entities to help them pay for their COVID response, and three million dollars to help address public defenders’ current budget woes.

Voters were lined up around the side of the State Archives Building for the first day of early voting Friday and many are lining up again today to cast an early ballot for the November 3^rd election. It’s a bit chilly out but these voters say don’t let the cold keep you from voting…

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Early voting ends October 27th and is available at select locations Monday through Saturdays from 8 AM to 7 PM.

LSU Student Body President Stone Cox asks the administration to implement mandatory monthly COVID testing so that the school could move into Phase Three of the reopening.

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Cox says this would allow for student organizations to hold larger events.

Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins, ties Senator Bill Cassidy in fundraising for the last quarter of the Senate race. UL-Lafayette Poli-Sci Professor Pearson Cross says it’s an uphill battle for Perkins, but if he can force Cassidy into a run-off, it greatly increases his chances of more campaign contributions.

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Overall Cassidy’s warchest is still much larger.

State legislators have approved a supplemental budget bill that contains 22-million dollars for 113 projects. The Public Affairs Research Council has labeled the 22 million “pet-projects” and the Governor has indicated he may use his line-item veto authority on some of the expenditures but House Appropriations Chairman Jerome Zeringue says there are quite a few vital projects on that list…

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State legislators have approved a supplemental budget bill that contains 22-million dollars for 113 projects that some say is old-school pork-barrel legislation. HB 39 contains funding for lighthouse improvements in Madisonville, construction of a sports complex in Central, and other small-ticket items. Public Affairs Research Council head Robert Travis Scott says it’s disappointing…

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Other items included $500,000 for the Louisiana Leadership Institute, $639,000 for fire hydrants in Assumption Parish, and $500,000 for Opelousas parks.

The bill passed the Senate unanimously and cleared the House on a near-unanimous vote despite some concerns that lawmakers had no idea what was in the legislation. House Appropriations Chair Jerome Zeringue says those criticisms are not accurate and the bill funds crucial services.

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LSU Student Body President Stone Cox sent a letter to Interim President Thomas Galligan, suggesting monthly COVID-19 testing for all students in order to move into Phase Three.

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41-year-old Kendrick Myles of Baton Rouge has been charged with 1st-degree murder and other offenses after an alleged spree of crimes that began with the kidnapping of a nine-year-old who was reportedly Myles nephew and at one point involved the shooting of a two-year-old who later died at a hospital.

Alabama head football coach Nick Saban tested negative for COVID-19 on Thursday, after testing positive on Wednesday, according to the director of sports medicine at the University of Alabama. The initial positive result came from an outside lab used to supplement SEC testing. According to the SEC if Saban receives three negative tests, each 24 hours apart, the initial test would be considered a false positive and he would be allowed to return to the team.

LSU Student Body President Stone Cox has sent a letter to University Interim President Thomas Galligan suggesting that all students participate in mandatory monthly Covid-19 testing to move the school into phase 3.  Cox says that moving into phase 3 would be a big step in the right direction.

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Campaign finance reports indicate U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy has raised as much money in the last quarter as his main Democratic challenger, Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins. But overall, Cassidy’s war chest is much larger.  UL-Lafayette Poli-Sci Professor Pierson Cross says numbers indicate Perkins is appealing to both state and national democrats.

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Friday was the first day of early voting and a long, socially distanced line wrapped around the Secretary of State’s office. This voter says she’s a frequent early voter and has never seen this many people in line before. She says when she first saw the line she turned around but decided to come back…

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LA Tech takes on Marshall at 4:45 Saturday. Both teams are undefeated.

It’s the first day of early voting and a long, socially distanced line wrapped around the State Archive’s Building as voters braved the chilly weather to cast Louisiana’s first votes in the November 3^rd election. Despite the wait, this voter says showing up to cast a ballot is certainly worth it.

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Early voting ends October 27th and is available at select locations Monday through Saturdays from 8 AM to 7 PM.

Campaign finance reports indicate U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy has raised as much money in the last quarter as his main Democratic challenger, Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins. UL-Lafayette Poli-Sci Professor Pierson Cross says if Perkins can force Cassidy into a run-off, it greatly increases his chances of more campaign contributions.

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Legislators are under fire for passing a bill that contains $22.6 million dollars earmarked for projects that some say is old-school pork-barrel legislation. HB 39 contained items like lighthouse improvements in Madisonville, construction of a sports complex in Central, and other items. Public Affairs Research Council head Robert Travis Scott says it’s disappointing…

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LSU Student Body President Stone Cox wants the University to require students to participate in mandatory monthly Covid-19 testing to move the school into phase 3. While some students may be concerned about testing positive and having to quarantine Cox, says that the ability to have larger events may be an incentive.

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Voters are wrapped around the State Archives building for the first day of early voting. Matt Doyle spoke with a few of them as they waited in the chilly weather.

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Early voting hours and days are extended due to the pandemic from 8am until 7pm, Monday thru Saturday and ends on Tuesday, October 27^th. For locations use the Geaux Vote App, that’s G-E-A-U-X.

Legislators are coming under fire for passing a $22.6 million dollar bill full of 113 projects that some say is old-school pork-barrel legislation. HB 39 contained items like lighthouse improvements, construction of a sports complex, and other small-ticket items. Governor Edwards says he’ll take a look at the appropriations bill before signing it and might line-item veto a few of the more questionable expenditures. Appropriations Chairman Jerome Zeringue countered…

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LSU Student Body President Stone Cox wants the University to require students participate in mandatory monthly Covid-19 testing to move the school into phase 3. Student lead organizations is one area that would benefit from phase 3.

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Long lines have been reported at early voting locations as today is the first day of early voting. These voters say they’re eager to cast their ballot despite the wait and some of the pandemic hassle…
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Early voting at select locations will run through October 27th from 8 AM to 7 PM, except on Sundays.

A U-S Senate race is also on the ballot. According to the latest campaign finance reports, Republican Incumbent Senator Bill Cassidy has four-point-five million dollars on hand, while his main Democratic challenger, Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins has 680-thousand. U-L Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says that’s not enough to make an impact…
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State lawmakers are facing criticism for approving a supplemental budget bill that contains 22-million dollars in so-called pet projects that lawmakers requested to have in the legislation. There’s money for a lighthouse in Madisonville, fire hydrants for Assumption Parish and a sports complex in East Baton Rouge Parish. Public Affairs Research Council President Robert Travis Scott says the amended bill never received a public hearing.
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House Appropriations Chairman Jerome Zeringue…
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The supplemental budget bill heads to the governor’s desk, where he will have the option to use his line-item veto powers.