The Senate Health and Welfare Committee has passed a comprehensive nutrition bill that would prohibit schools that receive state funding from serving lunches that contain certain artificial ingredients and additives.

Much of the discussion on the bill centered around a provision in the proposed law that would prohibit SNAP recipients from using their benefits to purchase drinks, with over five grams of added sugar or artificial sweetener, which means soft drinks. The bill’s author Covington Senator Patrick McMath…

Cut 14 (07) “…non nutrious”

Democrats on the Senate Health Committee have a problem with restricting what low-income individuals can purchase with their SNAP benefits. Monroe Senator Katrina Jackson-Andrews was the first one to speak out.

Cut 15 (06) “…for their children.”

The bill passed on a four to three vote and heads to the Senate floor.

The Louisiana Senate has approved legislation that seeks to eliminate enforcement cameras that issue tickets. Monroe Senator Stewart Cathey’s legislation would charge public officials with malfeasance in office if unmanned traffic cameras issue citations by mail. Before sending the bill to the House, Shreveport Senator Alan Seabaugh added an amendment that would allow mobile speed cameras in school zones, but signage needs to be posted notifying the public that red light cameras are in operation…

Cut 4 (09) “….not following the law”

TOPS acceptance rates have been on the decline since 2018. In 2023, only 81-percent of eligible students accepted their awards, a ten-year low. Higher Education Commissioner Kim Hunter Reed says some high school grads are not able to pursue a college education right out of high school…

Cut 19 (12) “…to be eligible”

Reed says there’s an effort in the legislative session to increase the amount of TOPS awards.