AM LRN Newscall May 6

President Biden will make two stops in Louisiana today as part of his Getting America Back on Track tour. Brooke Thorington has more on what he’s expected to spotlight in the state.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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With no debate, the Senate overwhelmingly agrees to advance Senator Beth Mizell’s bill to ban transgender athletes from competing in girls’ sports. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington” 

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As the statewide vaccination campaign stalls out officials are looking for ways to begin a more targeted, grassroots approach. Matt Doyle has more on a program aimed at vaccinating homebound Louisianans…

Cut 3 (29)  “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

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President Biden is visiting New Orleans and Lake Charles today as part of his Getting America Back on Track Tour. DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson says Biden promoting his infrastructure plan is comparable to President Franklin D Roosevelt’s response to the Great Depression almost 90 years ago.

Cut 4 (07)“…today.”

Wilson says the state has had ongoing infrastructure needs for decades and Biden’s American Jobs Plan provides a solution for those outdated necessities.

Cut 5 (11)“…achievable.”

On his visit to New Orleans Wilson says the President will most likely spotlight the need to update the city’s water and sewer system, and in Lake Charles the Calcasieu River Bridge that was built in 1952.

Cut 6 (11) “…restore it.”

Biden is also expected to highlight a proposal to remove the I-10 overpass in New Orleans above Claiborne Avenue.

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The US birthrate dropped four percent from 2019 to 2020, now putting the country “below replacement levels” meaning more Americans die annually than are born.

LSU Health New Orleans Professor of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Dr. Robert Maupin says the decline is partially COVID-related, but also the result of advances in contraceptive access and options…

Cut 7 (10)  “…time.”

The drop was biggest amongst women aged 20 to 24 and 25 to 34 at six percent and four percent respectively. Maupin says this is reflecting a cultural shift among young women.

Cut 8 (08) “..family.” 

The US has experienced a two percent annual decline in the birthrate since 2014, but Maupin says last year’s doubled rate of decline is likely COVID-related.

Cut 9 (11) “..year and a half.”

The numbers come courtesy of the National Center for Health Statistics.

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A bill to allow citizens 21 and older to carry a concealed handgun without a permit handily made its way through the House Wednesday. Thibodaux Representative Bryan Fontenot’s bill garnered lively debate. Rep Aimee Freeman spoke against the bill and read a statement from New Orleans PD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson.

Cut 10 (08) “…violence.”

Representative Mack Cormier says it is a God-given right to arm yourself and everyone should have the opportunity to defend themselves.

Cut 11 (08) “….good bill.”

The House did reject an amendment by Oil City Representative Danny McCormick to reduce the minimum age to carry a concealed weapon from age 21 to 18. The amendment failed 29-69.

Freeman says any legislation that has the potential to bring thousands of untrained individuals with weapons to the streets of New Orleans mixed with alcohol is a deadly combination.

Cut 12 (12) “…legislation.”

Fontenot says Louisiana is behind because other states already have constitutional carry, and it hasn’t had a negative impact.

Cut 13 (11) “…standing here.”

The bill passed 72-28. It now heads to the Senate where last week they approved a similar bill, which like the House version is more than enough to override a gubernatorial vet. However, veto overrides are extremely rare in Louisiana.

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State officials are celebrating our low overall COVID caseload while expressing real concern that the vaccination campaign is stalling out sooner than expected.

State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says Louisiana’s percent positivity rate is down to 2.7 percent with six out of nine medical regions seeing week-to-week case decreases. Compared to the nation…

Cut 14 (12) “… per capita.”

And while just under a third of Louisianans have initiated their vaccine series and 27 percent have completed their series Governor Edwards says the rapid decline in demand is concerning.

Cut 15 (12)“..themselves.”

Only 81 percent of all vaccines ordered by the state have been used so far. Edwards says at this point if you want a vaccine, you can get one possibly as soon as same day.

Kanter says they’re beginning to move resources away from mass vaccine events and into targeted community outreach like their new program that vaccinates homebound individuals in their homes.

Cut 16 (09) “…vaccine.”

If you are homebound, or care for a homebound Louisianan call the vaccine hotline at 855-453-0774 and request an in-home vaccination visit.

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The LSU baseball team begins a series tonight at Auburn in the need of victories in order to make the SEC and NCAA tournaments. There are just three SEC series remaining in the regular season and while every series is important, coach Paul Mainieri wants to take a game-by-game approach.

Cut 17 (15) “…one game at a time.”

The Tigers have shown a lot of improvement in the field, nobody more than shortstop Jordan Thompson, who Mainieri says has performed much better than expected.

Cut  18 (13)”…get better.” 

LSU is still looking for a third-weekend starter since Jaden Hill suffered his season-ending injury.  Ma’Khail Hilliard got the start this past weekend and performed well.  Hilliard explained his mindset when he knows he’ll start.

Cut 19 (16) “…doing my deal.” 

4:30 LRN Newscast May 5

Legislation that would have established a closed party primary system for Louisiana congressional elections gets shelved for the session. Louisiana GOP Deputy Chairman Charlie Buckles says the party authored a resolution in support of the bill and says the jungle primary system results in elections that are less issue-based.

Cut 7 (12) “…rat.”

Louisiana is one of the few states in the nation that does not have a closed primary system.

The House Natural Resources Committee approves legislation that would increase the cost of recreational hunting and fishing licenses. A basic fishing license would increase to 17-dollar and a basic hunting license would climb to 200-dollars.  Abbeville Representative Ryan Bourriaque says his constituents are concerned about the increases and he’s hoping that as the bill moves through the legislative process they can find other sources of funding…

Cut 11 (10) “…hurricanes”

More discussion on the bill is expected in the House.

ID.me the new verification process for unemployment goes into effect today to help reduce fraud. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (27) “ …I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

President Biden will visit New Orleans and Lake Charles Thursday as part of his Getting America Back on Track Tour. The plan focuses on repairing highways, rebuilding bridges, upgrading airports, and transit systems. Winter storms in February and multiple hurricanes last year highlighted the state’s need to update several outdated systems.

3:30 LRN Newscast May 5

The House Natural Resources Committee approves legislation that would increase the cost of recreational hunting and fishing licenses. A basic fishing license would increase to 17-dollar and a basic hunting license would climb to 200-dollars. State Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Jack Montoucet says his department has been doing more with less money, but it can’t go on.

Cut 10 (09) “..this bill” 

Several other types of licenses related to hunting and fishing would also see an increase.

Louisiana Workforce Commission Secretary Ava Cates says ID.me a new verification process for benefits goes into effect today. The new identification process is a federal requirement for COVID-related unemployment claims. Cates says the process also protects claimants.

Cut 5  (09)  “…those benefits.”

Legislation to establish a closed party primary system for Louisiana congressional elections gets shelved for the session. Bill author Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt says under the current jungle primary system voters don’t have much incentive to make sure they register with a party that matches their views.

Cut 6 (13) “…record”

Former LSU President F. King Alexander says the opposition he faced from local leaders on his move to deprioritize standardized test scores in admissions was racist. Alexander says he doesn’t regret the firestorm his policy change created and says he wouldn’t have done it differently in that regard.

Cut 14 (10) “…university” 

Alexander made the comments on Talk Louisiana with Jim Engster.

1:30 LRN Newscast May 5

The House Natural Resources Committee approves legislation that would increase the cost to purchase recreational hunting and fishing licenses. State Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Jack Montoucet says license fees have remained steady for the last 20 years and a fund that’s helped finance the department is nearly dry

Cut 9 (07) “…big dilemna”

The proposal calls for the cost of a basic fishing license to increase from $9.50 to 17-dollars, a basic annual hunting license would climb from 150 to 200-dollars.

A new verification process ID.Me begins today for Louisianans filing new claims for unemployment. Workforce Commission Secretary Ava Cates says those filing claims and existing claimants transitioning from one form to another will be required to use the new verification process.

Cut 4 (11) “…social security card.” 

She says the process takes about five to 10 minutes.

 

Legislation that would have established a closed party primary system for Louisiana congressional elections gets shelved for the session. Louisiana GOP Deputy Chairman Charlie Buckles says the party authored a resolution in support of the bill and says the jungle primary system results in elections that are less issue-based.

Cut 7 (12) “…rat.”

Louisiana is one of the few states in the nation that does not have a closed primary system.

A Port Allen police officer who used a stun gun twice on a man who was seated resigns from the department. Nolan Dehon III was scheduled for a hearing Tuesday before the Port Allen City Council, to consider his termination but resigned before the hearing. A letter obtained by WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge says he chose to resign in the best interest of his family and the community. He was arrested on battery and malfeasance in office charges from the incident.

12:30 LRN Newcast May 5

A new program goes into effect today to help speed up the verification process for Louisianans filing for unemployment. Louisiana Workforce Commission Secretary Ava Cates says ID.me will help ensure the correct person collects benefits.

Cut 3 (11)  “…10 minutes” 

Legislation that would have established a closed party primary system for Louisiana congressional elections gets shelved for the session. Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt wrote the bill. She says under the current jungle primary system voters don’t have much incentive to make sure they register with a party that matches their views.

Cut 6 (13) “…record”

The bill had a 5.5-million-dollar price tag due to the need to hold additional election cycles.

A New Orleans legislator Mandie Landry pulls her bill to decriminalize prostitution. There were about three hours of testimony on the proposal in a House committee yesterday, Landry saw that the opposition was too great…
cut 10 (10) “….happens”
Landry filed the bill after hearing from women who say sex work is a form of labor if it’s consensual.

For restaurants looking for federal assistance to recover pandemic-related revenue losses, they can now apply for funding through the S-B-A’s Restaurant Revitalization Fund. Louisiana Restaurant Association President Stan Harris…
cut 15 (09) “….run on the funds”
For more information go to S-B-A-dot-gov.

10:30 LRN Newscast May 5

Legislation that would have outlawed the use of corporal punishment in Louisiana schools is defeated on the House floor. Pollock Representative Gabe Firment debated the merits with bill author and New Orleans Representative Stephanie Hilferty…
Cut 4 (11)“…methods”
But not enough House members agreed with Hilferty and the measure came up four votes short of passing and 29 school districts can still use a paddle on students.

 

After three hours of testimony in House Criminal Justice Representative Mandie Landry pulled her bill to decriminalize prostitution from consideration. Supporters say the government should not be involved with the sexual activities of consenting adults. Lakeesha Harris representing Women With a Vision and a former sex worker says the profession is unfairly judged and policed.

Cut 9 (04) “…the table.”

Some opposed on moral grounds and others said it would increase human trafficking.

Teachers would get an 800 dollar pay raise under a budget approved by the House Appropriations Committee. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 3 (29)  “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

An investigation by the Special Victims Unit of state police at the request of the West Carroll Parish Sheriff’s Office results in the arrest of 21-year old Caleb Bowden for second-degree cruelty of a juvenile. State Police say after interviewing Bowden they determined he violently shook an infant who suffered serious injuries and was admitted to a hospital. Bowden was booked into the Ouachita Correctional Center and bond was set at 100-thousand.

AM LRN Newscall May 5

Superstar LSU Women’s Basketball head coach Kim Mulkey calls on lawmakers to pass legislation allowing student-athletes to sell their image and receive compensation for selling their likeness. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

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Efforts to decriminalize prostitution in Louisiana are halted by the bill’s author after a lengthy debate in House Criminal Justice. Brooke Thorington has more

Cut 2 (36) “…I’m Brooke Thorington” 

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Teachers would get an 800 dollar pay raise under a budget approved by the House Appropriations Committee. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 3 (29)  “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

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Legislation that would have outlawed the use of corporal punishment in Louisiana schools is defeated on the House floor.

Pollock Representative Gabe Firment debated the merits with bill author and New Orleans Representative Stephanie Hilferty…

Cut 4 (11)“…methods”

29 school districts still allow the use of corporal punishment.

Plaquemine Representative Chad Brown asked Hilferty about one of the primary reasons for the bill.

Cut 5 (12)“…Americans.”

The final vote was 50-47 against.

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New LSU Women’s Basketball head coach Kim Mulkey implored lawmakers to pass legislation allowing student-athletes to receive compensation for their image and likeness.

Mulkey says this legislation would allow those student-athletes to do things that are transformative in their lives.

Cut 6 (10) “…everybody’s life.”

The legislation by Senator Patrick Connick would allow students to sell their likeness and appear in advertisements or endorsements without having their status or student benefits impacted. The bill awaits a hearing in Senate Finance.

Mulkey says this bill will make the lives of all student-athletes better, even ones from small schools.

Cut 7 (10)  “…most of you.”

Mulkey, a hall of fame coach with three titles from her time in Baylor, was hired last month by LSU to revive the struggling women’s basketball program. Since her hire 3,000 deposits have been paid for season tickets.

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After close to three hours of testimony in House Criminal Justice, New Orleans Representative Mandie Landry pulled her bill to decriminalize prostitution. Gloria Blankenship with Purchase Not for Sale, an organization to assist victims of sexual exploitation, says while she agrees with the intent of the bill, she’s unable to support it in its current form.

Cut 8 (10) “…exploitation.” 

Other opponents disapproved of the bill on moral grounds.

Supporters say the government should not be involved with the sexual activities of consenting adults. Lakeesha Harris representing Women With a Vision and a former sex worker says the profession is unfairly judged and policed.

Cut 9 (11) “…stigmatized.”

After lengthy testimony on both sides of the issue, Landry decided to shelve the bill.

Cut 10 (10) “…happens.”

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House Appropriations approves a 36 billion dollar budget plan that includes an 800 dollar pay raise for K-12 teachers and a 400 dollar pay raise for support staff.

The Governor’s initial budget only called for a 400 dollar teacher pay raise. Louisiana Federation of Teachers Legislative Director Cynthia Posey says teachers needed more than that…

Cut 11 (06) “….enough.”

An initial proposal by House Speaker Clay Schexnayder called for a 1,000 dollar raise. That’s still a possibility, pending a revenue projection by the Revenue Estimating Conference.

Posey says without this raise and raises in the coming years we risked seeing even more teachers head across state lines, or even give up on the professional altogether.

Cut 12 (09) “…pay teachers.”

Posey says this raise is a boost to local economies because the money will stay in the community, particularly rural areas that have trouble retaining educators.

Cut 13 (06) “…children there.”

The increase is being paid for in part by the influx of one-time federal dollars the state got from the Biden Administration. Some Republican lawmakers raised concerns about how the raise will be financed in future years once the federal funds run out.

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Governor John Bel Edwards encourages owners of restaurants, bars and other food-related establishments to register with the Small Business Administration’s new Restaurant Revitalization Fund. Louisiana Restaurant Association President Stan Harris says $28-billion has been set aside to fund the program.

Cut 14 (11) “… disadvantaged businesses.”

Harris says the funding is part of the American Rescue Plan and there’s a portal to preregister your business at SBA.gov. He says owners should do so ASAP and so far 110-thousand have signed up.

Cut 15 (09)“…run on the funds.”

Unlike previous assistance with PPP loans, Harris says Revitalization funding is based on the value of your lost revenue.

Cut 16 (13) “…you’ve received.”

Harris says this is another lifeline to help the industry and highly encourages owners to register.

4:30 LRN Newscast May 4

A proposal to prevent transgender athletes from competing on girls sports teams in schools fails to pass out of the House Education Committee on a six to five vote. Two Republicans on the committee joined with Democrats to kill this particular bill for the session. The announcement of the final vote drew a reaction from the audience…

Cut 15 (12) “…thank you.” 

A similar bill remains alive in the Senate is waiting on a vote.

The Louisiana Department of Education is partnering with Ochsner Health to give teachers and school support staff workers free access to virtual visits with a licensed mental health professional. State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley….

Cut 6 (08) “…private format”

A House committee votes 8-2 in favor of legislation allowing St. Tammany voters the opportunity to decide whether they’d like a waterfront casino in Slidell. Louisiana Baptists Office of Public Policy Director Will Hall says the state has the 4th highest incidence of problem gambling.

Cut 12 (08)   “…research” 

The legislation advances to the House floor. A similar bill on the Senate side is stuck in the Finance Committee.

The United Cajun Navy is explaining why they are no longer aiding in the search for the seven remaining missing crewmen of the SEACOR Power that capsized on April 13th. UCN spokesperson Brian Trascher says it’s due to a group of former volunteers who continue to slander the organization. and they’ve had to take the matter to court before.

Cut 4 (11) “…judge.” 

3:30 LRN Newscast May 4

Legislation allowing St. Tammany voters to vote on allowing a waterfront casino to operate in Slidell is headed to the House floor. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (30) …I’m Matt Doyle.”  

After close to three hours of testimony in House Criminal Justice, New Orleans Representative Mandie Landry voluntarily pulled her bill to decriminalize prostitution from consideration.  Supporters of the bill stated government should not be involved in sexual activities of consenting adults and while opponents voiced the legislation would increase human trafficking and others disapproved on moral grounds.

The United Cajun Navy is explaining why they are no longer aiding in the search for the seven missing crewmen of the SEACOR Power that capsized on April 13th. UCN spokesperson Brian Trascher says they cap search efforts at two weeks and also opted to end their participation due to a smear campaign launched by former members.

Cut 3 (10)  “…oxygen” 

He says they still plans to assist family members of the missing crew members financially.

State Education is partnering with Ochsner Health to give teachers and school support staff workers free access to virtual visits with a licensed mental health professional. State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley says educators have done hero’s work through a pandemic and a record-breaking hurricane season and this is one way they can offer support.

Cut 8 (11) “…everyday.”

12:30 LRN Newscast May 4

The United Cajun Navy is explaining why they are no longer aiding in the search for the seven remaining missing crewmen of the SEACOR Power that capsized on April 13th. UCN spokesperson Brian Trascher says it’s due to a group of former volunteers who continue to slander the UCN and they’ve had to take the matter to court before.

Cut 4 (11) “…judge.” 

Trascher says they still plan to assist family of the missing crew members financially and have already donated to three families.

The Louisiana Department of Education is partnering with Ochsner Health to give teachers and school support staff workers free access to virtual visits with a licensed mental health professional. State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley….

Cut 6 (08) “…private format”

Legislation allowing St. Tammany voters to vote on allowing a waterfront casino to operate in Slidell is headed to the House floor. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (30) …I’m Matt Doyle.”