A lawmaker wants to give voters the final say on a minimum wage increase. Louisiana is one of 20 states in which the minimum wage aligns with the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, which has not changed since July of 2009. Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow says that’s just untenable.
Barrow’s proposed constitutional amendment would raise the minimum wage to $10.25 an hour, with annual increases in line with the consumer price index.
Small businesses in Louisiana are keeping a keen eye on Baton Rouge as the legislative session gets underway. Leah Long, the state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, says one issue facing many small business owners is the quality of labor, and that’s something that she’d like the legislature to address.
Legislation that would allow the Louisiana Wildlife Commission to establish a recreational alligator season has received approval from the Senate Natural Resources Committee. Jeff Palermo has the story.
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A National Guard member is arrested for accidentally shooting and injuring a fellow guardsman. New Orleans Police say 18-year-old Lindz Nagin was handling a gun when it accidentally went off, hitting the victim in the chest. The victim is in stable condition. Nagin is free on five-thousand dollars bond.