The Fortified Grant Program which provides grants to homeowners to reinforce their roofs has received $30 million in funding and could begin the application process as early as October. Teiko Foxx has more…
Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Teiko Foxx”
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Fifty-one death row inmates have filed to have their sentences commuted to life in prison. It was just this year that two-term Governor Edwards made his views on the death penalty known. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 2 (24) “….I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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The Fortified Homes grant program recently received $30 million in funding and could begin taking applications by October for Louisiana homeowners to strengthen the quality of thier roof construction. House Insurance Chairman Mike Huval says offering these grants will motivate homeowners to upgrade.
Cut 3 (13) “…fortified standard.”
The program will allow homeowners to receive as much as $10 thousand to retrofit their roofs to the Fortified standard which will make their homes stronger in the face of future hurricanes. The program mirrors Alabama’s efforts where more than 35,000 homes have been built or upgraded to the Fortified standard. The Breaux Bridge Representative says additional legislation requires insurers to change existing policies.
Cut 4 (13) “…roof replacement.”
Certified builders install the roofs and the quality of work is verified by a third party. Homeowners will then receive a certificate to provide to their insurer to receive the discount. Huval says this was an important step to make homes safer.
Cut 5 (13) “…this session.”
Anyone interested in staying updated on programs and details visit ldi.la.gov.
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Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy is a co-sponsor of a Republican plan that seeks to lower college costs and student debt. It’s a package of five bills that Cassidy says addresses the root causes of the student debt crisis…
Cut 6 (10) “…financially succeed”
Cassidy says the legislative package includes a bill he’s introduced before, the College Transparency Act. The Baton Rouge lawmaker says it would help students decide whether to take on debt to attend programs that do not translate into high-paying jobs…
Cut 7 (15) “…that program”
The bills are filed as U-S Supreme Court is expected to rule soon on President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness program. Cassidy says the president’s plan does nothing to address the causes of the debt crisis…
Cut 8 (11) “… for the left.”
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Clemency has been filed for fifty-one of the state’s fifty-seven death row inmates, asking Governor John Bel Edwards to commute their death sentences to life in prison. Edwards has made several comments recently that he opposes the death penalty, and when asked if he plans to commute the sentences…
Cut 9 (12) “…happens.”
Edwards even addressed his feelings on the death penalty at his State of the State address in April…
Cut 10 (06) “…exonerations.”
According to the Louisiana Capital Appeals Project since 1999, nine innocent people have been exonerated from death row and the state’s death penalty is overwhelmingly imposed on people of color.
Edwards says he’ll consider the petitions after they’ve been reviewed by the Board of Pardons.
Cut 11 (12) “… judgment.”
The state’s constitution authorizes the governor to commute a death sentence upon favorable recognition from the Board of Pardons.
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The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education has approved an appeals process for high school seniors who are unable to graduate because they do not meet the LEAP test scoring requirement. BESE President Doctor Holly Boffy (Bow-fee) says this new policy will prevent teens from dropping out of school…
Cut 12 (11) “…high school diploma.”
Boffy says four-percent of high school seniors are unable to graduate, because they didn’t pass the LEAP test. She says appeals will be administered at the local school level…
Cut 13 (11) “…employability.”
Louisiana is one of eight states that still require minimum standardized test scores, but only Louisiana did not offer students an appeals process. Boffy says BESE recognizes some kids do not perform well on tests and that should not serve as the sole barrier from graduation…
cut 14 (12) “…standardized test.”