Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser is in Juneau, Alaska this week as part of a partnership between our two states to jointly promote domestic seafood. He says Louisiana and Alaska are the two biggest producers of domestic seafood in the US and the partnership is a natural fit. Nungesser says after visiting Alaska he will be hosting their Lt. Governor on a trip to New Orleans later on.
Cut 6 (12)”…winning that”

LSU’s AgCenter is seeking volunteers to participate in a study of an insect repellant. Medical Entomologist Kristen Healey says they are helping a company rate the effectiveness of an existing product. Before insect repellants are available to the general public, Health says they are thoroughly tested so what you read on the EPA label is backed by proper research and that’s what they are doing with these forms of the product.
Cut 9 (06) “…by science”
Healey says the manufacturer picked the right state to test their product because Louisiana has more than 60 individual species of mosquitos.
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Governor Edwards reiterated his commitment to vetoing a bill that’s been sent to him by the Legislature that would remove the requirement for those over 21 to have a permit to concealed carry.
Edwards says the current requirement that anyone concealed carrying be trained on marksmanship, carrying laws, safety, and law enforcement interactions is not burdensome.
Cut 12 (11) “…problems.”

A bill to cover bariatric surgeries for state employees passes overwhelmingly in the legislature after a long-fought battle.
A fiscal note attached to the bill estimates that covering the surgeries will cost more than $5 million in the first year but decrease to half that by 2026 due to savings on prescription drug benefits and other medical costs like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Bill sponsor Sen. Regina Barrow
Cut 15 (09)“…go down.”

The LSU Ag Center is participating in a trial to show the effectiveness of a new form of insect repellant, Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser is in Juneau, Alaska this week as part of a partnership between our two states to jointly promote domestic seafood.
Nungesser says the partnership will certainly boost the profile of Louisiana seafood and help promote tourism into the Bayou State, but it will also spread another important message.
Cut 5 (08)” …country.”

The legislative session ends Thursday so legislation that would dedicate .45 percent of the state sales tax that will expire in 2025 to infrastructure has only four days left. Port Allen Senator Rick Ward would begin shifting that sales tax money into an infrastructure sub-fund starting in 2022. The bill is waiting to be heard on the Senate floor and it needs a two-thirds vote to pass.
Edwards says he understands the idea behind the bill and admits something must be done to generate more infrastructure funds.
Cut 11 (09) “…fund.”

A bill to cover bariatric surgeries for state employees passes overwhelmingly in the legislature after a long-fought battle. Bill author Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow says she hopes this is just the beginning.
Cut 14 (07) “…as well.”

Opposition from the Conservative Caucus and a lack of outright support from Governor Edwards may end up dooming an effort to dedicate a portion of the state sales tax to infrastructure. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

LSU’s AgCenter is seeking volunteers to participate in a study of an insect repellant. Medical Entomologist Kristen Healey says participants will be outfitted in scrubs, like those in healthcare wear, and enter a mosquito area to test the repellant.
Cut 8 (09) “…comparison.”

A bill to cover bariatric surgeries for state employees passes overwhelmingly in the legislature after a long-fought battle. Bill author Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow says this is welcome news for state employees in an effort to extend their life and reduce the costs spent on morbidly obese-related illnesses.
Cut 13 (09) “…were on.”

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser is in Juneau, Alaska this week as part of a partnership between our two states to jointly promote domestic seafood.
Nungesser says Louisiana and Alaska are the two biggest producers of domestic seafood in the US and the partnership is a natural fit.
Cut 4 (12)”…takeovers”

LSU’s AgCenter is seeking volunteers to participate in a study of an insect repellant. Medical Entomologist Kristen Healey says they are helping a company rate the effectiveness of an existing product but not available yet in the forms of a wipe and lotion.
Cut 7 (10) “…formulation.”

The legislative session ends Thursday so legislation that would dedicate .45 percent of the state sales tax that will expire in 2025 to infrastructure has only four days left to get over the finish line. Conservative lawmakers oppose it and Governor Edwards says he likes the idea, but the devil is in the details.
Cut 10 (12) “…expire”

Severely obese state employees will soon be eligible for bariatric surgery after legislation that has been in the works for almost 20 years passes this session. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

After receiving several letters and complaints from numerous business groups and owners to end the federally enhanced unemployment benefits before they expire in September, Governor John Bel Edwards says he asked for a study on the issue, but he does know that Louisiana is heavily dependent on tourism.

Cut 10 (09) “…not jobs”

The extra $300 weekly benefit is set to expire on Labor Day.

The Gulf of Mexico “Dead Zone” is expected to cover an area of 4,761 square miles this summer ranging from Louisiana to Texas. That’s according to LSU scientist Dr. Nancy Rabalais who says the low oxygen area in the gulf, where it’s hard for living resources to survive, is about 500 square miles less than previous years but still a disappointing number.

Cut 3 (7) “…might come through”

An effort to extend the state’s 180-million-dollar film tax credit program into 2028 was rejected by the House and appears unlikely to pass by the end of the session next week. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 1 (30) “ …I’m Matt Doyle.” 

Louisiana Tech announces the Ruston Regional has sold out of its entire inventory of all-session tickets available to the general public. It’s the first time the Bulldogs are hosting a regional in baseball. LA Tech is squaring off against Rider and North Carolina State and Alabama are also playing in the regional.

The House rejected an attempt to extend the state’s 180-million-dollar film tax credit out to 2028 from its current sunset date of 2025. Alexandria Representative Lance Harris notes the credit is worth about half of the .45 percent sales tax extension that was approved by lawmakers in 2018.

Cut 7 (11) “…state” 

The final vote was 45 in favor with 37 against with 23 members absent.

After receiving several letters and complaints from numerous business groups and owners to end the federally enhanced unemployment benefits before they expire in September, Governor John Bel Edwards says he wants to make an informed decision before reacting.

Cut 9 (11) “…or not.”

Two men were struck and killed while changing a tire on the shoulder of I-10 westbound in St. James Parish on Thursday afternoon. State Trooper Taylor Scrantz says 33-year-old Jermaine Irvine of St. Francisville’s vehicle veered off the roadway as 33-year-old Daniel Thomas was assisting 50-year-old James Breaux of Donaldsonville with a flat tire… Scrantz says Breaux and Thomas were pronounced dead at the scene and toxicology samples have been taken from all three parties…

Cut 13 (6) “…be filed as well”

A flash flood watch is in effect this weekend across south Louisiana.  The National Weather Service says there’s the potential for two to five inches of rain with localized higher amounts. Assistant Professor of Research at LSU Dr. Vinny Brown says that rain will fall on already saturated soil…

Cut 16 (09) “…soil saturation.” 

An effort to extend the state’s 180-million-dollar film tax credit program into 2028 was rejected by the House and appears unlikely to pass by the end of the session next week. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 1 (30) “ …I’m Matt Doyle.” 

Louisiana Tech announces the Ruston Regional has sold out of its entire inventory of all-session tickets available to the general public. It’s the first time the Bulldogs are hosting a regional in baseball. LA Tech will host Rider tonight at 6 PM. North Carolina State and Alabama are also playing in the NCAA Regional.

The Gulf of Mexico “Dead Zone” is expected to cover an area of almost 5,000 square miles this summer ranging from Louisiana to Texas. That’s according to LSU scientist Dr. Nancy Rabalais. The low oxygen conditions began 50 years ago due to agricultural practices in the Midwest. Rabalais says the dead zone also has an economic side effect.

Cut 5  (11) “…low oxygen increases”

After receiving several letters and complaints from numerous business groups and owners to end the federally enhanced unemployment benefits before they expire in September, Governor John Bel Edwards says he asked for a study on the issue, but he does know that Louisiana is heavily dependent on tourism.

Cut 10 (09) “…not jobs”

The extra $300 weekly benefit is set to expire on Labor Day.

Those who’ve been vaccinated will be able to visit Louisiana’s 21 state parks and 18 historic sites for free through July 31st.

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

Two Louisiana men are facing contest fraud after the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries investigated tips the men caught bass fish before the tournament started. Hunter Moss of Mooringsport and Phillip Purcell of Oil City admitted to retrieving three bass and kept them alive in a basket off a dock in Caddo Parish. Contest fraud brings a $3,000 fine and one year in jail.

With just shy of a week left in the legislative session there are still a few loose ends to tie up. LaPolitics.com publisher Jeremy Alford says lawmakers still have some major gaming-related bills to finish.

Cut 5 (09)”…betting.”

The Slidell casino vote recently escaped a Senate committee it had been stuck in for weeks and is headed to the Senate floor.

A Baton Rouge nurse is on a mission to vaccinate two thousand people by July 4th. Carla Brown’s husband died from the virus last year after she unknowingly brought COVID into her home. Brown says so far, she’s vaccinated nearly one-thousand people…

Cut 14 (11) “…not available.”

Only 32-percent of Louisianans are fully vaccinated, one of the lowest percentages in the country

With less than a week left in the legislative session and while the budget is completed, there’s still a few things left to debate before 6 PM on June 10^th.  Lawmakers need to pass the taxation portion of legislation that allows the use and sale of the raw form of medical marijuana, but it’s been amended to include an infrastructure-related tax proposal.

Cut 6 (09)”…passing.”

A Bill to make kindergarten mandatory at age 5 passed in the house on a 59-31 vote. New Orleans Representative Jason Hughes says it’s time to make an investment in the future of children in the state.

Cut 12 (12) “…sense.”

The amended bill now returns to the Senate. If passed would go into effect fall of 2022.

A Baton Rouge nurse began a door-to-door campaign earlier this year to educate and vaccinate people for COVID. Carla Brown lost her husband to COVID after she exposed him to the virus, a man who survived a gunshot wound to the head as a child and cancer twice, only to succumb to the virus.

Cut 13 (13) “…in vain.”

Brown has vaccinated just shy of a thousand residents. Her goal is to reach two thousand by the 4^th of July.

Governor Edwards announces that vaccinated individuals can now gain free entry into all Louisiana State Parks and historic sites through July 31^st. Edwards says it doesn’t matter when you got your shot, if you have proof, you get in free.

Cut 7 (11)  “…state parks.”

The 2021 regular legislative session will be over by this time next week and while there are still a few issues left most of the heavy lifting has already been completed. Matt Doyle has more…

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

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 Those who’ve been vaccinated will be able to visit Louisiana’s 21 state parks and 18 historic sites for free through July 31st. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

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A bill to make kindergarten mandatory beginning at age five passed in the House and now returns to the Senate. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 3 (31)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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There’s just under a week left in the legislative session and while most of the heavy lifting is done there are still a few hot topics left for lawmakers to debate before 6 PM on June 10^th.

The budget is wrapped up and several controversial culture war bills are headed to the Governor, but LaPolitics.com publisher Jeremy Alford there’s one major hold up…

Cut 4 (08)”…weekend.”

Edwards is expected to veto any legislation removing the need to have a permit or training to concealed carry and legislation removing the ability for trans athletes to participate in women’s sports.

Alongside the tax reform issues, Alford says lawmakers still have some major gaming-related bills to finish.

Cut 5 (09)”…betting.”

The Slidell casino vote recently escaped a Senate committee it had been stuck in for weeks and is headed to the Senate floor.

Lawmakers also need to pass the taxation portion of legislation that allows the use and sale of the raw form of medical marijuana, but it’s been amended to include an infrastructure-related tax proposal.

Cut 6 (09)”…passing.”

The Conservative Caucus has vowed to block any efforts to use the point four-five percent of the sales tax that is expiring in 2025 to permanently pay for infrastructure projects.

___________________________

Governor Edwards announces that vaccinated individuals can now gain free entry into all Louisiana State Parks and historic sites through July 31^st.

Edwards says it doesn’t matter when you got your shot, if you have proof, you get in free.

Cut 7 (11)  “…state parks.”

Louisiana has 21 state parks and 18 historic sites.

Edwards says many of these facilities got overhauls and renovations over the course of the last year and are more family-friendly than ever before.

Cut 8 (09) “…sites.”

Edwards says they’re still offering their shot for shots program to those who are still on the fence about getting vaccinated…

Cut 9 (10) “…future” 

Only 32 percent of Louisianans are fully vaccinated.

__________________

A bill to make kindergarten mandatory beginning at age five passed in the House on a 59-31 vote. New Orleans Representative Jason Hughes presented the bill for Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields and says he’s tired of Louisiana consistently being ranked towards the bottom of the list in education.

Cut 10 (08) “…our kids.”

The bill faced opposition from Houma Representative Beryl Amedee, she believes the mandatory age to begin school should remain at seven and kindergarten a choice.

Cut 11 (10) “…parental rights.”

Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Texas have mandatory kindergarten laws and Hughes says it’s time to make an investment for a better future for children in Louisiana.

Cut 12 (12) “…sense.”

The original bill required children who turn five by September 30th to attend but was amended to March 31st for the school calendar year. The amended bill now returns to the Senate where it passed in the upper chamber on a 34-1 vote. If passed would go into effect for the 2022-23 school year.

__________________

A Baton Rouge nurse began a door-to-door campaign earlier this year to educate and vaccinate people for COVID. Carla Brown lost her husband to COVID after she exposed him to the virus, a man who survived a gunshot wound to the head as a child and cancer twice, only to succumb to the virus.

Cut 13 (13) “…in vain.”

Brown along with the assistance of Baton Rouge pharmacy has vaccinated just shy of a thousand residents. Her goal is to reach two thousand by the 4^th of July.

Cut 14 (11) “…not available.”

When Brown’s husband contracted COVID he ended up at the hospital and due to visiting restrictions, died alone. Brown is now a Hospice Nurse in an effort to comfort patients in their last moments, something she couldn’t do for her husband.

Cut 15 (08)“…one lives.”

Brown shared her story last month on ABC’s talk show The View.

__________________

Louisiana Tech announces the Ruston Regional has sold out of its entire inventory of all-session tickets available to the general public. It’s the first time the Bulldogs are hosting a regional in baseball. Tech Coach Lane Burroughs says he’s seen teams hosting their first regional tighten up

Cut 16 (24) “…let it rip.”

The Bulldogs will host Rider tonight at 6 PM. Burroughs says staff ace Jonathan Fincher will get the start…

Cut 17 (16) thinking things.” 

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Tonight at 9 PM, it will be LSU and Gonzaga facing off in the Eugene Regional. The Bulldogs will send seven-game winner Alek Jacob to the hill. He has 103 strikeouts on the season. Jacob doesn’t throw hard, but he has a lot of swing and miss to his game. First baseman Tre Morgan on their approach…

Cut  18 (08)”..to this guy.”

LSU will send Landon Marceaux to the mound. Coach Paul Mainieri wants Marceaux to pitch to contact…

Cut 19 (11) “…the end.” 

Morgan on playing for Mainieri who is retiring at the end of the season…

Cut 20 (14)  “…high note.”