The Louisiana House is debating the budget bill today, which is the state’s spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1st. The House Republicans version of the budget differs from the governor. Funding for teacher pay raises is not included and House Appropriations Chairman Jerome Zeringue says they’ve also taken out 52-million dollars in early childhood education assistance…
cut 9 (14) “…as they are”

The House Labor Committee rejected a bill that would have raised the state’s minimum wage to 10-dollars an hour in 2024. Louisiana Association of Business and Industry President Jim Patterson argued the legislation is not needed, because he says there are very few people who work for less than 10-dollars an hour…
cut 19 (12) “….not necessary’

A Bossier City police officer continues to recover after he was shot multiple times while responding to a fatal shooting on Tuesday morning. Police spokesperson Louis Johnson says officers arrived in about 90 seconds after getting word of a shooting at the Valero gas station on Industrial Drive. Johnson says Officer Kenny Gallon was shot four times…
cut 14 (11) “…keep him protected”
The alleged gunman from Alabama is in custody and faces two counts of first degree murder for killing two people inside the store.

The FDA has approved an RSV vaccine for adults 60 years old and up. Pharmaceutical giant GSK has produced the vaccine. In a late-stage clinical trial, a single dose shot lowerd the risk of symptomatic illness by 83-percent and of severe illness by 94-percent. LSU Health New Orleans Infectious Disease Expert Doctor Fred Lopez says the CDC approval is still needed…
cut 6 (09) “…..approve it”
CDC approval could come next month.