Two different tax increases proposed by Plaquemine Representative Karen St. Germain to help fund road projects will be heard in the House Ways and Means Committee today. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

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A bill that would use funds from unclaimed gambling winnings to pay for rape victims forensic medical exams clears House appropriations. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

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The Baton Rouge Police Department says after their interview Monday with former LSU Tiger La’el Collins, he is still not a suspect in the April 24th murder of Brittany Mills. Jeff Palermo reports…:

Cut 3 (27) “reporting”

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Two different tax increases proposed by Plaquemine Representative Karen St. Germain to help fund road projects will be heard in the House Ways and Means Committee today. President of Louisiana Good Roads and Transportation Association Ken Perret says any effort to increase funding for Louisiana’s roads and bridges is good…

cut 4  (11) “in Louisiana”

The state currently has a $12 billion backlog of road and bridge projects. HB 777 would raise the state’s gas tax dependent on the price at the pump and HB 778 would increase the state’s sales tax by one percent. Revenue from both bills would pay for road and bridge projects. Perret says a first class transportation system is key for the state’s economic growth…

Cut 5  (07)  “products distributed”

Governor Jindal has said he would veto any tax increase that is not accompanied by a tax reduction somewhere else. But Perret sees these measures as an investment that will have a positive return on Louisianians on a daily basis…

Cut 6 (09)  “be upgraded”

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A bill that would use funds from unclaimed gambling winnings to pay for rape victims forensic medical exams clears House appropriations. New Orleans Representative Helena Moreno says under her measure, money from expired winning tickets from casinos and race tracks would go into the crime victim’s reparations fund. Alexandra Stillson is a rape victim.

CUT 7 (11)  “HIV”

Stillson says she was raped by two men who broke into her home while she was watching television. She feels like she relives the traumatic experience every time another bill comes in the mail…:

Cut 8  (08)  “now pay for it” 

Wade Duty, of the Louisiana Casino Association, says while they don’t oppose the bill on its merits, they don’t approve of the funding mechanism. He says winning money is the property of the gaming establishment until the player cashes the ticket…:

Cut 9 (07)  “property”

The bill passed without opposition and now heads to the House floor. Moreno says casinos keep about $1.2 million dollars in gambling money that was never claimed by the player. Duty says this money is not the same as unclaimed property…:

Cut 10 (04) “of the casino”

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The Baton Rouge Police Department says after their interview Monday with former LSU Tiger La’el Collins, he is still not a suspect in the April 24th murder of Brittney Mills. Corporal Don Coppola says Collins is fully cooperating…:

cut 11 (09) “have spoke with”

Cops say Mills was 8 months pregnant when she was gunned down in her home and the baby, Brenton, died a week later. Apparently she and Collins used to have some sort of relationship. Coppola says they may need Collins to stay involved in the investigation…:

cut 12 (07)   “clarification”

Coppola says they are still trying to gather information from people who may know the victim. He says Collins was never considered a suspect…:

Cut 13 (09)  “Brenton Mills”

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A bill that allows for the dispensing of medicinal marijuana to patients who suffer from certain medical conditions makes it off the Senate floor. New Iberia Senator Fred Mills says they’ve been working hard on this legislation to keep everyone happy…:

Cut 14 (06) “law enforcement”

Mills says under the proposed law, medical marijuana could only be prescribed by a doctor for someone clinically diagnosed with glaucoma, spastic quadriplegia (kwod-ruh-plee-jee-uh) or suffering symptoms from chemotherapy cancer treatment. He says it would be grown at only one site in the state and dispensed 10 places in non-smokeable form…:

Cut 15  (07)  “can’t be inhaled”

The vote count was 22-13 and the measure now heads to the House. Medical marijuana has technically been legal in Louisiana since 1991, but there were never rules put in place for ways to get it in the hands of patients. Mills says the bill 24 years ago was left wide open and no limitations were set…:

Cut 16  (12)  “the wild wild west”

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The House appropriations committee approves a plan that would allow the state to draw down federal money that can be used to expand Medicaid coverage. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

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Former LSU offensive tackle La’el Collins met with Baton Rouge police detectives today. Jeff Palermo has more on what happened…

CUT 2 (28) “reporting”

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The House appropriations committee approves a plan that would allow the state to draw down federal money that can be used to expand Medicaid coverage. House speaker Chuck Kleckley says the plan involves hospitals putting their financial resources together so the state can draw down federal dollars that can be used to provide health care to low income individuals…

CUT 3 (07)  “federal dollars”

Governor Bobby Jindal opposes Medicaid expansion, calling it a bad deal for the state. But Kleckley says this plan could save up to $200 million for the state’s budget. He says this is real money that can be put in the general fund…

CUT 4 (07)  “in Louisiana”

Since this measure is a concurrent resolution, Governor Jindal cannot veto the legislation, but it does need a two-thirds vote of both houses for passage. Kleckley says this measure would set up a mechanism for our next governor to pull from Medicaid expansion money next year…

CUT 5 (09)  “and use it”

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Former LSU offensive lineman La’el Collins met with Baton Rouge police detectives today as part of an investigation into the shooting death of a pregnant woman on April 24th. Collins wore a blue suit for his meeting with investigators and his attorney, Jim Boren, says the All-SEC player cooperated fully…

CUT 6 (07)  “they wanted”

Collins meeting with detectives lasted about an hour and a half. Boren says his client is still NOT a suspect in Brittany Mills’ homicide…

CUT 7 (09)  “lady’s murder”

It’s been reported Collins and Mills had a romantic relationship. Boren would not say whether Collins took a paternity test to confirm whether it was his child that died a week after the shooting. But Boren says the Baton Rouge native is cooperating with the investigation and ready to get his NFL career started…

CUT 8 (08)  “that shortcoming”

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Baker Police arrested a 32-year-old mother of three for allegedly leaving her three children inside a vehicle for up to 45 minutes. Chief Mike Knaps says a witness arrived at a store at the same time as Tesha Thomas and noticed that Thomas left her three children in the car. He says 30 to 45 minutes later, the witness saw the kids still in the car and called police…

CUT 9 (07)  “kids crying”

The children, ages 7-years, 20-months, and 4-months, were left in the vehicle with no air conditioning and the windows rolled up. Knaps says, after officers contacted Thomas inside the store and she told them she only went in to pick up a couple of things. He says Thomas was taken into custody after calling another family member to pick up the kids…

cut 10 (05) “child desertion”

He says when officers found the children, the 4-month-old was screaming and its diaper was soaked. Thomas faces three counts of child desertion. Knaps says it is never safe to leave children unattended in a vehicle…

cut 11 (08)  “of that vehicle”

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State Treasurer John Kennedy announces he’s endorsing US Senator David Vitter for Governor. Kennedy outlined key issues he felt would best be addressed by Vitter…:

cut 12 (11)  “21st century”

Kennedy has previously announced he’ll be seeking re-election in the fall and some speculate he’ll be going after the Senate seat should Vitter become Governor. But Vitter says they have not talked about any other election…:

cut 13 (09)  “being presumptuous”

Kenndy says Vitter respects tax payer dollars and has the ability to take on Louisiana’s fiscal challenges…:

cut 14 (09) “crisis to crisis”

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Shreveport Police are investigating a fatal shooting that claimed the life of a four-year-old boy. Cpl. Marcus Hines says officers were called to a hotel room and and found the boy, identified as Cameron Morris, suffering from a single gunshot wound to the head…

cut 15 (10) “that hotel room”

Hines says it appears Morris was shot accidentally by another juvenile in the hotel room. He says adults were present and detectives are working to determine who was responsible for the children at the time of the shooting. No charges have been filed at this time. Hines says the alleged shooter in this incident is very young…

cut 16 (05) “ten-years-old”

This is National Tourism Week and Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne will tour the state to commemorate the event. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (28) “reporting”

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Three weeks are in the books for the current legislative session and many say lawmakers are still not close to finding a solution to the state’s $1.6 billion dollar budget shortfall. Scott Carwile reports…:

Cut 2 (27) “reporting”

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Planned Parenthood supporters from across the state plan to gather at the Capitol Monday morning to support reproductive heath care access in Louisiana. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (29) “reporting”

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This is National Tourism Week and Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne will tour the state to commemorate the event. The purpose of this trip is to celebrate the tourism industry state wide. Dardenne says every part of the state has seen increased tourism numbers…

cut 4  (11) “in Louisiana”

The tour runs through Saturday. Dardenne says almost 29 million people visited Louisiana last year, which is over a million more people than the previous record. He says those tourists spent over $11 billion in the state…

Cut 5  (10)  “visiting our state”

Stops include Lake Charles, Bossier City, Alexandria, and Lafayette. Dardenne says New Orleans remains the state’s biggest tourism draw, particularly for international visitors. But he says the other parts of the state are seeing big increases tourism, particularly in north Louisiana…
Cut 6 (09)  “of the state”

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According to a recent InsuranceQuotes-dot-com study, Louisiana is the fifth most expensive state for car insurance. They say rates in Louisiana are 33-percent higher than the national average. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says high insurance premiums have been a problem in Louisiana for quite a while…

CUT 7 (10)  “No Pay, No Play”

The “No Pay, No Play” law, which was passed in the ’90s, prohibits an uninsured driver involved in an accident from filing an insurance claim, even if they are not at fault. Donelon says the biggest reason for the state’s high auto insurance rates is the state’s litigation rate…

Cut 8  (11)  “of the state” 

Many think the number of uninsured drivers in the state are to blame for the high insurance rates here, but Donelon says that’s not entirely the case. He says when you combine the 15-percent of uninsured motorists with the 40-percent of drivers who only have the minimum amount of insurance required, that’s not good for insurance rates…

Cut 9 (11)  “to be legal”

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Three weeks are in the books for the current legislative session and many say lawmakers are still not close to finding a solution to the state’s $1.6 billion dollar budget shortfall. Jeremy Alford of Lapolitics.com says there is just as much uncertainty today as there was in January…:

Cut 10 (10) “insists upon”

Alford says it’s a misconception that Governor Bobby Jindal is not staying involved in what’s going on at the Capitol because he’s making it very clear to legislators that the budget will have to be balanced in a revenue neutral way…:

cut 11 (05) “following suit”

Alford predicts it’ll be 15 days out of the end of the session before any real plan starts to take shape. He says legislators could go with an inventory tax repeal which business is in favor of and local governments are opposed to or make certain tax credits non-refundable which the administration is pushing but business is against…:

cut 12 (10)   “neutral manner”

___________________________________

Planned Parenthood supporters from across the state plan to gather at the Capitol Monday morning to support reproductive heath care access in Louisiana. Spokeswoman Raegan Carter says the plan is to talk to our elected officials about the importance of women having access to high quality healthcare they provide in Louisiana…:

Cut 13 (09)  “citizens”

Carter says the Jindal administration has made it clear they plan to launch a full-blown attack on the true needs of the people of Louisiana. She says they believe families deserve access to healthcare no matter who they are or where they live….:

Cut 14 (08) “screenings”

Carter says basic health care rights are the foundation of freedom and opportunity for women and families. She says they want the message to be clear that politics should be left out of reproductive health care and of what Planned Parenthood provides…:

Cut 15  (09)  “those services”

________________________________________________________________

The Saints used two of their nine draft picks on cornerbacks. In the third round, they selected Florida State All-ACC player P.J. Williams and in the fifth round they picked Damian Swann, who was a three-year starter at Georgia. Coach Sean Payton likes the versatility of both players…

Cut 16  (12)  “with em”

The Saints first pick in the 5th round is a player most football fans never heard of. Linebacker Davis Tull from Tennessee-Chattanooga, who is a three-time Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Payton says they had a high grade on Tull and they were forunate to get him in the 5th round…

Cut 17 (16)  “the nickel”

The saints selected defensive players with six of their nine picks. Payton hopes all of them can contribute in some way..

Cut 18 (17) ”   the draft “‘

The St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office reports that three people have been arrested in connection with the overdose death of 26-year-old Lance Gordon. Michelle Southern has more…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

==================

The full Senate has approved a measure that would require public school systems to promote the online homework assistance service which is offered through state and local libraries. Don Molino reports.

CUT 2 (25) “reporting”

===================

The St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office reports that three people have been arrested in connection with the overdose death of 26-year-old Lance Gordon. Lt. Clay Higgins says Gordon became extremely ill after allegedly being injected with a drug cocktail prepared by 29-year-old Jessica Stelly. He says then, instead of calling 9-1-1, Stelly called a couple of associates…

CUT 3 (09)  “on his sofa”

Higgins says Stelly, 27-year-old Stephan Godeaux, and 34-year-old Gene Dunbar brought Gordon to his home and left him on the sofa where he later died. Higgins says the three face some serious charges…

CUT 4 (11)  “of justice” 2X

Stelly faces charges of second degree murder and obstruction of justice. Godeaux and Dunbar are each charged with negligent homicide and obstruction of justice. Higgins calls Gordon’s death a terrible loss of a young life and their hearts go out to his family…

CUT 5 (08)  “day in court”

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The full Senate has approved a measure that would require public school systems to promote the online homework assistance service which is offered through state and local libraries. The bill is by Napoleonville Senator Troy Brown who says parents have been having a hard time helping out with homework because the new standards have made it so challenging. He says many people don’t know there is help available…:

CUT 6 (10)  “dealing with”

The bill now moves to the House for consideration. He says under this proposal, schools would have to include information about the HomeworkLA.org program in their handbooks…:

CUT 7 (10) “everyday”

Brown says there is a disconnect between the state’s new curriculum standards and parents and this bill seeks to fill that void. He says Common Core has been a big change that some schools have had success with, but others continue to struggle…:

CUT 8 (10)  “that shortcoming”

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It’s going to be a gorgeous weekend in Louisiana getting lots of folks out on the water and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announces tomorrow is Boating Education Lagniappe Day. LDWF spokesman Gabe Giffin says they will be hosting these boating education certificate events at 9 locations throughout the state…:

CUT 9 (11)  “January 1, 1984″

Giffin says anybody born after January 1, 1984 must complete a a NASBLA approved boating education course and carry proof of completion to operate a motorboat in excess of 10 horsepower. He says boating classes could last 6-8 hours so they’ve created these events to make it fun for families…:

cut 10 (10) “on the water”

Giffin says you can get more information online at wlf.louisiana/lagniappeday to find locations near you. He says completion of the course will result in the student being issued a vessel operators certification card…:

cut 11 (12)  “navigation rules”

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The Saints picked up two players in last night’s first round of the NFL Draft. First, the Black & Gold selected offensive lineman Andrus Peat from Stanford. Peat was an A.P. second team All-American selection last season as well as an Outland Trophy finalist. Coach Sean Payton says Peat is a player he’s familiar with and felt fortunate he was available with the number 13 pick…

cut 12 (08)  “at that time”

With their second pick in the first round, the Saints drafted inside line backer Stephone Anthony from Clemson. Anthony was a first team All-ACC selection last year. Payton says they did a ton of research on Anthony leading up to the draft…

cut 13 (06)  “either position”

Payton is pleased with how the first round of the draft unfolded for the Black & Gold and is looking forward to adding more players to the roster… (The Saints have the 12th pick in the second round.)

cut 14 (06) “second round”

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A legal analyst says former LSU football player La’el Collins is making the right decision in not rushing to speak to cops about a murder of a pregnant woman. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

______________________________________

The Senate Education committee approves a bill to prohibit the suspension or expulsion of a student between Kindergarten and third grade, unless the child posed a threat to the safety of the school. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

______________________________________

About five-hundred LSU students marched onto the steps of the state capitol urging lawmakers not to make significant cuts to higher education. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (29) “reporting”

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A legal analyst says former LSU football player La’el Collins is making the right decision in not rushing to speak to cops about a murder of a pregnant woman. Baton Rouge Police want to interview Collins about the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Brittney Mills. Tim Meche says it’s not in anyone’s interest to talk to police until all the facts are known. He says he’d be surprised if Collins ever talks to police…

cut 4  (11) “position should do”

Authorities say Collins is not considered a suspect in this case but think he may have useful information since the two had previously been involved in a relationship. Meche says if Collins does not voluntarily speak to police, it’s his Constitutional right…

Cut 5  (11)  “all of us”

BRPD says Collins will be interviewed sometime after the NFL Draft. Police have yet to identify a suspect in this case. Meche says the public should let the facts of the case surface before jumping to any conclusions…

Cut 6 (09)  “proven guilty”

______________________________________

The Senate Education committee approves a bill that would prohibit the suspension or expulsion of a student between Kindergarten and third grade, unless the child posed a threat to the safety of the school. The author of the measure, Baton Rouge Senator Sharon Weston Broome, says children who are taken out of school so young don’t get to live up to their potential…:

CUT 7 (12)  “who they are”

The legislation now heads to the Senate Floor. Broome says when you send a child home at such a young age, they aren’t getting an opportunity to learn. Louisiana School Boards Association executive Director Scott Richard says they understand the concern, but don’t want to put such a restriction on principals…:

Cut 8  (07)  “last resort” 

Richard says he realizes that mistakes can be made, but we have to be able to trust school leaders’ discretion when it comes to making these last resort decisions. Debra Schum is the Executive Director of the Louisiana Association or Principals. She says sometimes they just can’t allow a single student to disrupt the education of others…:

Cut 9 (10)  “doing the right thing”

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With LSU facing big budget cuts that officials say could cripple the university, hundreds of students showed up on the steps of the state capitol yesterday to speak up about the proposed reduction in higher education funding. LSU Student Government Association  President Andrew Mahtook says the student body is very concerned about the school’s future…

Cut 10 (11) “personal level”

About five-hundred students showed up for the rally, carrying signs that said “No Funds No Future” and “Jindal cuts like a knife.” LSU student Justin Dicharia made the point that Jindal wasn’t even in Baton Rouge to hear from the students…

cut 11 (12) “boo fades”

An 80-percent cut in higher education funding is possible because of a one-point-six billion dollar budget shortfall. Geaux-Vote President Valencia Richardson asks how can lawmakers gut the state’s colleges and universities…

cut 12 (11)   “cheer”

After the rally, some of the students went inside the capitol to talk with lawmakers. In the senate finance committee meeting, Chairman Jack Donahue told them they are working to solve the funding problem…

Cut 13 (09)  “solve that problem”

___________________________________

The man accused of killing West Monroe Representative Frank Hoffmann’s 85-year-old sister has been indicted on one count of first degree murder. A Ouachita Parish Grand Jury returned the indictment against Robert Nelson on the April 23rd homicide of Shirley Cagle. Assistant DA Neal Johnson…:

Cut 14 (10) “first degree”

Monroe Police say Nelson confessed to the murder of Cagle who was found in her burning home — but exact cause of death has not been released. Cops believe he was robbing the place in a desperate attempt to support his drug habit. Johnson says the indictment for 1st degree murder carries the possibility of the death penalty…:

Cut 15  (06)  “before then”

Representative Hoffman released a statement regarding the tragic death saying she’s in a wonderful place now, but this is sad for the entire family and a woman who had a great life, worked hard and made a lot of difference in a lot of lives. Johnson says 1st degree isn’t something you see often in Ouachita Parish…:

Cut 16  (09)  “her own home”

The St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested a Beau Chene High School teacher who is also an assistant football coach for allegedly kissing a student inside a classroom. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

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LSU students gathered at the state Capitol today to protest cuts to the university. Jeff Palermo reports.

CUT 2 (32) “reporting”

===================

LSU students rallied at the Capitol today to protest cuts to the university. Officials say the proposed cuts could result in the closing of of satellite campuses and drastic losses of academic programs and faculty on the main campus. LSU President King Alexander says students have every right to be concerned about these cuts…:

CUT 3 (08)  “or three”

Alexander says an LSU degree should be one that’s highly valued in our economy, but if these cuts go through it will affect students ability to get a quality degree…:

CUT 4 (09)  “for our students”

Alexander says there are many scenarios higher ed is looking at in the face of massive reductions. He says cuts need to be mitigated substantially or colleges throughout the state may consider filing for bankruptcy…:

CUT 5 (10)  “for students”

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The St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested a Beau Chene High School teacher who is also an assistant football coach for allegedly kissing a student inside a classroom. They say 25-year-old Gregory Fontenot is charged with one count of prohibited sexual conduct between an educator and a student. Lt. Clay Higgins says the alleged incident happened around February…

CUT 6 (08)  “years old”

Higgins says the alleged kiss took place in a classroom after school. He says Fontenot denies the allegation…

CUT 7 (07) “by the detectives”

School Board officials say Fontenot has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Higgins says the charge against Fontenot indicates, perhaps, some degree of consent by the student…

CUT 8 (07)  “day in court”

============================

The Baton Rouge Police Department is now saying that former LSU player and potential first round draft pick La’el Collins will not be interviewed about the murder of a pregnant woman until after the NFL draft. Cpl. Don Coppola says there has been contact between Collins and the police…

CUT 9 (04)  “Mr. Collins”

Authorities say Collins is not a suspect in the murder of 29-year-old Brittney Mills but think he may have some information that can be helpful in their investigation since the two had previously been in a relationship. Coppola says detectives would like to interview Collins as soon as possible…

cut 10 (06) “after the draft”

The NFL Draft begins tonight and runs through Saturday. Police have yet to name a suspect in Mills’ death. Coppola says details of the meeting with Collins are up in the air at this time…

cut 11 (07)  “place and time”

============================

State Police announce a recent multi-state operation which resulted in the rescue of six missing or exploited children. Lt. JB Slaton says between April 14th-16th, several agencies took part in an initiative which is designed to teach troopers how to recognize at-risk children who are exploited for sexual purposes…:

cut 12 (08)  “endangered children”

Slaton says the participants in the operation included nine states and two municipalities. He says in addition to rescuing the children, the operation also saved one adult victim, made four initial arrests and launched three investigations…:

cut 13 (10)  “other states”

Slaton says two of Col Mike Edmonson’s main initiatives is going after criminals who exploit children for sexual purposes — and partnerships in training to do that…:

cut 14 (09) “but I push on”

The LSU Alumni Association’s Tiger Advocates is sponsoring a march today on the State Capitol to protest the state’s proposed $600 million budget cut to higher education. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

______________________________________

Senate president John Alario is denying any wrongdoing despite a media report that says federal investigators are looking into how he spent campaign contributions. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

______________________________________

The full Senate approves a bill that’s designed to control the cost of the TOPS scholarship program. Scott Carwile reports…:

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

______________________________________

The LSU Alumni Association’s Tiger Advocates is sponsoring a march today on the State Capitol to protest the state’s proposed $600 million budget cut to higher education. Stacey Messina, Association Director of Marketing and Communications, says if these cuts take place, it’s the students that are impacted most…

cut 4  (10) “going to effect”

LSU officials say these proposed cuts could result in the closing of satellite campuses and drastic losses of academic programs and faculty on the main campus. The march will begin at AZ Young Park at the Pentagon Barracks and proceed to the steps of the State Capitol at 1PM. Messina says anyone who supports LSU is invited to participate…

Cut 5  (07)  “to attend”

She says Senator Dan Claitor and Representative John Bel Edwards will speak at the event, as well as students expressing their concerns about the proposed cuts. Messina says students are very well aware of the gravity of the situation…

Cut 6 (07)  “from happening”

______________________________________

Senate president John Alario is denying any wrongdoing despite a media report that says federal investigators are looking into how he spent campaign contributions. Apparently the FBI is looking into his campaign records after media reports suggested Alario misreported as much as $20,000. But Alario says this is news to him…:

CUT 7 (06)  “want to cooperate”

According to reports Alario didn’t disclose the proper amount he spent for LSU tickets and a fundraiser at a New Orleans golf course. Alario says they have filed all of the reports required and followed all state laws, but they did make a couple of mistakes…:

Cut 8  (07)  “not a criminal intent” 

Alario says when this is all said he done he is confident that everything will be okay…:

Cut 9 (04)  “experience at times”

______________________________________

The full Senate approves a bill that’s designed to control the cost of the TOPS scholarship program. Mandeville Senator Jack Donahue’s legislation would provide each TOPS recipient with a set amount and it will not automatically go up with the cost of tuition. He says this is about ensuring the future of the program for our kids…:

Cut 10 (04) “be able to afford it”

The bill now heads to the House for further debate. Governor Bobby Jindal has already said he opposes the measure. Baton Rouge Senator Dan Claitor says he’s gotten a lot of letters from students and others who are against messing with TOPS…:

cut 11 (06) “cap on it”

Each student would get a base amount and under the proposal the rate would be locked in at the 2015-16 level. The amount would not automatically go up even if tuition goes up, without legislative approval. New Orleans Senator JP Morrell says on its current track, the TOPS program is not sustainable…:

cut 12 (08)   “out of business”

______________________________________

State Police say a Lake Charles woman led cops on a wild 24 minute long chase Wednesday on I-10. Sgt. James Anderson says a trooper near Welsh encountered the driver who made eye contact with him then began to speed up and pass vehicles on the shoulder for an unknown reason…:

Cut 13 (09)  “spike strips”

Anderson says the driver, later identified as 28-year-old Shannon Laycock, refused to stop and continued to drive recklessly at a high rate of speed. Troopers deployed spike strips and the vehicle was successfully stopped on I-10 near Duson in Acadia Parish. She faces many charges…:

(Laycock was arrested for reckless operation of a motor vehicle, aggravated flight from an officer, speeding, driving on the shoulder, 2 counts of aggravated battery (for striking police vehicles with the vehicle she was driving), and resisting arrest. )

Cut 14 (08) “resisting arrest”

Anderson says Laycock was booked into the Acadia Parish Jail and she will face additional charges in Jefferson Davis Parish. He says the woman resisted arrest after hitting cop cars with her vehicle…:

Cut 15  (09)  “minor injuries”

______________________________

Tonight is the first round of the NFL draft and there are two players from LSU that could hear their name called, but both are dealing with off the field issues. One of them is offensive tackle La’el Collins, who Baton Rouge police want to question about the murder of a pregnant woman. NFL Draft analyst Mike Detillier still believes Collins is a sure fire first rounder

Cut 16  (15)  “30 years”

Cornerback Jalen Collins, no relation to La’el, also has a chance to be selected in the first round, but it’s been reported Jalen failed multiple drug tests at LSU. Detillier says Collins could be a late 1st first round pick or early second round selection as some teams are not scared off by failed drug tests…

Cut 17 (12)  “bit differently”

Tonight is the first round of the draft and the draft will continue with rounds two and three on Friday and then rounds four through seven will be Saturday. The Saints have nine draft picks, including two in the first round. General Manager Mickey Loomis says its unrealistic to think that all nine players they will select, will be future starters

Cut 18 (15) ” we did’

There’s a lot of talk from all of the teams about selecting players with high character. Loomis says they won’t write a player off, just because of a couple of red flags…

Cut 19 (19)  “each team “

New Orleans state Representative Austin Badon is once again pushing legislation that would lessen the penalties for some marijuana possession arrests. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

==================

Medical marijuana is one step closer to becoming legal in Louisiana as Senate Bill 143 moves out of committee and heads to the Senate Floor. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

===================

New Orleans state Representative Austin Badon is once again pushing legislation that would lessen the penalties for some marijuana possession arrests. Badon says House Bill 149 in no way legalizes marijuana for either medical or recreational use. He says the bill only brings fairness to sentencing for simple marijuana possession…

CUT 3 (09)  “subsequent convictions”

He says the bill will keep current provisions for first convictions, but lowers the penalties for second and subsequent convictions. Badon says this would bring much needed reform to Louisiana’s drug law. He adds that this measure would take simple marijuana possession out of the state’s “Three Strikes You’re Out” law…

CUT 4 (11)  “for life”

This is the third time Badon has filed this legislation and he hopes the third time is the charm. He says the Louisiana District Attorney Association is not opposed to the bill. Badon has also reached out to the Louisiana Sheriff’s Association who vehemently opposed the measure last year…

CUT 5 (10)  “in Louisiana”

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State Police is investigating the shooting of an armed teenager in Livingston Parish early this morning. L-S-P Lt. JB Slaton says authorities responded to a 9-1-1 call of a suicidal person and when deputies arrived at the home, 19-year-old Matthew Peyronnin, was on the front porch with a shotgun raised in the direction of the officers…

CUT 6 (06)  “several rounds”

Slaton says after being confronted with a weapon, a Livingston Parish Deputy fired his weapon and his bullets struck Peyronnin….

CUT 7 (07) “four rounds”

Peyronnin was transported to a hospital in Baton Rouge and is in stable condition, with non-life threatening injuries. Slaton says Peyronnin will be booked on attempted second-dgree murder of police officer charges……:

CUT 8 (09)  “the deputies”

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Legislation that requires sex education to be taught in seventh through 12th grade in every public  schools in Orleans Parish was approved by the House Education Committee today .New Orleans councilwoman LaToya Cantrell, a supporter of the proposed law, says comprehensive sex education needs to be mandatory…

CUT 9 (09)  “new cases”

Under current law, sex ed may be offered in Louisiana public schools, but it must promote abstinence until marriage. However,  Cantrell says the abstinence message is not working…

cut 10 (06) “they need”

The bill passed House Ed on an 8-to-6 vote and the controversial topic now heads to the full house for more debate. During committee debate, a resident of New Orleans expressed her concerns about the legislation…

cut 11 (11)  “to condemn”

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Medical marijuana is one step closer to becoming legal in Louisiana as Senate Bill 143 moves out of committee and heads to the Senate Floor. There were many people who spoke in support of the legislation by New Iberia Senator Fred Mills. Michelle Hall from Vernon Parish says she adopted a little girl who has epilepsy…:

cut 12 (09)  “stop that”

Pete Adams, executive director of the Louisiana District Attorneys Association, was the only one who spoke against the bill…:

cut 13 (09)  “diseases”

Mills filed similar legislation last year which failed to pass but he says for 2015 he’s addressed many of the concerns such as dispensing, prescribing and cultivation regulations. Tommy Mead, an LSU Health Sciences Center student, told the committee that medicinal marijuana can help with his physical suffering…:

cut 14 (09) “but I push on”

The legislation moved forward without objection. Adams says his heart goes out to those in committee who are suffering…:

cut 15 (09) “opposition to this”

The US Supreme Court begins hearing a case today challenging the constitutionality of Oklahoma’s lethal injection procedure. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

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The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s office says one person is under arrest and they are looking for 10 others as part of a million dollar theft scam involving Comcast Cable customers. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

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A senate committee approves legislation that would give domestic abuse victims the ability to break a lease or get their abuser out of a home without penalty from their landlord. Scott Carwile has the story….

Cut 3 (31) “reporting”

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The US Supreme Court begins hearing a case today challenging the constitutionality of Oklahoma’s lethal injection procedure. The case argues to end the use of midazolam as a sedative in Oklahoma’s lethal injection protocol. Loyola Law Professor Dane Ciolino says protocols changed when the makers of sodium thiopental and pentobarbital refused to sell to states that use it for corporal punishment…

cut 4  (08) “in the alternative”

Midazolam, which is also part of Louisiana’s lethal injection protocol, is an anti-anxiety drug that has no pain relieving properties and there are questions in its effectiveness as a sedative. This lawsuit was filed after four apparently botched executions that made national headlines last year. Ciolino says this case raises the issue of whether Midazolam does what states claim that it does…

Cut 5  (11)  “of serious pain”

The Supreme Court has ruled that a method of execution would violate the Constitution’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment if it presents a substantial, intolerable risk of serious pain and there are less painful alternatives available. Ciolino says it will be interesting to see what the Supreme Court will do…

Cut 6 (09)  “from this case”

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The granddaughter of Saints owner Tom Benson made an appearance at the state capitol Tuesday. Rita Benson Leblanc spoke in support of the state’s film tax program. During testimony, LeBlanc identified herself as a former sports executive who said the film tax credit program helped New Orleans get the Super Bowl in 2013…:

CUT 7 (11)  “in that”

LeBlanc says cities compete against each other and it’s paramount Louisiana differentiate itself  when attracting major events. She says the state’s film tax program helps major events like the Super Bowl with their visual and media elements…:

Cut 8  (09)  “networks themselves” 

LeBlanc says remaining competitive in the film industry requires tax credits. She says it’s amazing that Louisiana is #1 in making movies and we should strive to stay that way…:(The bill was amended to put a $200 million dollar cap on the program and advanced out of committee without objection and now heads to the House floor. Other cap bills were also approved in committee.)

Cut 9 (09)  “of America”

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The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s office says one person is under arrest and they are looking for 10 others as part of a million dollar theft scam involving Comcast Cable customers. Spokeswoman Cindy Chadwick says the scheme involved out of state cable contractors who would use real Comcast customers information to open up fake accounts in order to get commission

Cut 10 (09) “they would make a commission”

Chadwick says financial loss in commissions, equipment and services to Comcast and victims was well over $1.2 million dollars. She says one of the suspects worked for Comcast directly and had an agreement with the contractors that she would provide identities of legitimate customers:

cut 11 (13) “customers”

Chadwick says the now former Comcast employee involved in this scheme is in jail and booked with 107 counts of identity theft and one count of criminal conspiracy. The information was used by the contractors to open 3,630 fake Comcast accounts in Caddo Parish. Chadwick says the victims in this case have seen their credit reports ruined by this scam because their social security numbers were tied to fake accounts that weren’t being paid…:

cut 12 (09)   “investigation”

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A senate committee approves legislation that would allow a domestic abuse victim to immediately move out an apartment or rented home without facing a penalty for violating the lease. Baton Rouge Senator Sharon Weston Broome says her legislation also has a provision in cases where the victim doesn’t want to leave the home…

Cut 13 (10)  “is evicted”

Cashuana Hill, executive director of the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Center, says this legislation is needed, because there are numerous cases where a domestic abuse victim is evicted from their home, because the apartment complex has a policy against domestic violence…

Cut 14 (05) “for that abuse”

The legislation heads to the Senate floor, but the Apartment Association of Louisiana lobbied against the bill. Jennifer Ansardi says domestic violence cases are sometimes he-said versus she-said incidents and landlords are not trained to be a judge and jury

Cut 15  (07)  “handle this”

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Baton Rouge police say their detectives want to speak with former LSU Tiger La’el Collins about the shooting death of a pregnant woman in the capitol city. 29-year-old Brittney Mills was gunned down at her home last Friday. Corporal Don Coppola says Collins is not considered a suspect in her murder, but they know he had a relationship with the woman…

Cut 16  (08)  “this crime”

Coppola would not go any further about the type of relationship Collins and Mills had. He says as part of their investigation into Mills’ murder, they believe Collins may know why someone would want to shoot her…

Cut 17 (10)  “Ms Mills killer”

Coppola says it will be a few days before they can talk to Collins, who is expected to be selected in the NFL’s first round on Thursday night….

Cut 18 (11) ” may have’