A second special session for 2016 begins tonight at 6:30 PM and lawmakers will look at changes to income taxes as they try to close a 600-million dollar shortfall for next fiscal year. Halen Doughty has more…
voicer 1 (29) “….I’m Halen Doughty”

Legislators are also finishing up their work on the regular session, which must end by 6:00 tonight. A bill making it out of both chambers today would create electronic driver’s licenses. It would allow drivers to open an app on their phone and show their driver’s license to law enforcement.

Governor Edwards has signed the Louisiana Family Caregiver Act into law, which requires hospitals to offer caregivers instruction and demonstration of medical tasks. Andrew Muhl, with AARP Louisiana, says this legislation will save the state money by reducing costly hospital readmissions, as family caregivers will be able to perform the tasks patients need…
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Twenty-two states have similar legislation.

A State Trooper is recovering after his patrol car was struck by an alleged drunk driver. Trooper Melissa Matey says it happened early Sunday morning in St. Charles Parish on the Bonne Carre Spillway…
cut 13 (06) “…reckless operation”
Matey says the Trooper was on the scene of a fatal wreck that involved another suspected drunk driver.

A special session designed to raise revenues to close a 600-million dollar budget deficit begins tonight at 6:30. A key bill to watch is House Bill 11, which would limit federal itemized deductions on income taxes. LSU economist Doctor Jim Richardson says this would mostly impact higher income taxpayers…
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The town of St. Joseph in Tensas Parish has agreed to a fiscal administrator which paves the way for the state to provide dollars to fix their tap water, which has been a murky brown. The governor’s communications director, Richard Carbo, says they’re making progress, but it’s unknown when clear drinking water will be avilable…
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St. Jo needed a fiscal administrator, because the town failed to provide an audit of its finances, so the state couldn’t provide them money to fix the drinking water.

The Louisiana Family Caregiver Act has been signed by the governor and it goes into effect August 1st. Michelle Southern tells us what it does….
voicer 2 (30) “…I’m Michelle Southern”

Legislation that would allow for an electronic driver’s license is heading to the governor’s desk. It could be used by Louisiana drivers as a form of identification when they are pulled over by police. All they would have to do is open the app. The electronic licenses could not be used to gain entry into a bar or other private establishments.

The Governor has signed the Louisiana Family Caregiver Act into law, which supporters say will provide critical help for families across the state. Advocacy Director for AARP Louisiana, Andrew Muhl says this will assist the more than 660-thousand family members who help out an aging relative…:
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Muhl says this measure requires hospitals to offer caregivers instruction and demonstrations of medical tasks.

The special session to address the $600 million dollar budget shortfall begins today at 6:30. LSU economist Jim Richardson also serves as the chairman of the task force for long term budget reform. He says changes to income taxes will likely need to be made which would impact everyone…:
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The regular session must end today by 6pm.

A trooper was injured in a fatal St. Charles Parish crash that involved two suspected drunk drivers and a man who stopped on the Bonne Carre spillway to urinate into Lake Ponchartrain. State Police trooper Melissa Matey says Louis Hernandez pulled his truck over to pee, and at that time a man suspected of being impaired, 42-year-old Joel Ybarra, crashed into the stopped vehicle
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Ybarra is charged with vehicular homicide. Another drunk driver who hit the respnoding trooper is also charged in this incident.

Citizens in Franklin Parish continue to mourn the death of a Winnsboro Police Department officer who died in a car crash while he was on-duty over the weekend, according to officials. They say Sergeant Derrick Mingo, who is also a former employee of the Franklin Parish Sheriff’s Office, was on his way to help another officer dealing with a drunk driver, when he left a roadway and crashed into a tree. State Police say he was not wearing a seat belt.

A second special session for 2016 begins tonight at 6:30 pm, and lawmakers will look at changes to income taxes as they try to close a $600 million shortfall for next fiscal year. Halen Doughty has more…:
CUT 1 (29) “I’m Halen Doughty”

A trooper was injured in a fatal St. Charles Parish crash that involved two suspected drunk drivers and a man who stopped on the Bonne Carre spillway to urinate into Lake Ponchartrain. State Police say it was Louis Hernandez who pulled his truck over to pee, and at that time a man suspected of being impaired, 42-year-old Joel Ybarra, crashed into the stopped vehicle killing the truck’s occupant. A trooper responding to the scene had his unit hit by another impaired driver who was also charged in the incident.

A small Tensas parish town is one step closer to having clean water after being plagued by murky brown tap water for the better part of a decade. The town of St. Joseph has agreed to appoint a fiscal administrator so audits on the town can be cleared up and work can begin to repair the town’s water system. The governor’s Communications Director, Richard Carbo says getting a fiscal administrator is a step in the right direction….:
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Carbo says they’re making progress, but at this point it’s still not clear when clean water will flow from the taps in St. Joseph.

Last night the House finally approved a $26 billion dollar budget, but there’s still a $600 million dollar hole in expenses for the fiscal year that begins July 1st. The plan on the table currently contains deep cuts to TOPS and partnership hospitals. LSU economist Jim Richardson, who also serves as the chairman of the task force for long term budget reform, says to raise that much money, lawmakers will likely have to alter personal income taxes…:
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Governor John Bel Edwards says he’s confident lawmakers will make the tough choices needed over the next two weeks in the special session to balance the state’s operating budget.

Tropical Storm Colin continues to gain speed and strength as it heads to Florida, which forecasters say could cause serious flooding along much of the state’s gulf coast. The system should have no impact on Louisiana weather.

Looking back on this final day of the session, it’s been and up and down for the governor. Political analyst Clancy Dubos says one of the many things Governor Edwards is dealing with right now is pressure to veto a bill that gives patients the ability to see a physical therapist without a doctor’s referral…:
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The regular session must end by 6 today, and the special session will begin at 6:30.

Another bill on the governor’s desk would force pet stores to display licensing information on the animals it sells. Alicia Haefele with the Louisiana SPCA says the aim is to stop puppy mills from selling sick puppies who have been living in unsanitary conditions….:
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Haefele says these regulations do not apply to animals up for adoptions from shelters.

The 2016 regular legislative session must conclude by 6pm tonight. Political analyst Clancy Dubos says even though key items of Governor Edwards agenda did not pass, he did have a victories including the bill that would increase the age to 18 for which a person can be tried as an adult…:
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He says the budget lawmakers passed last night is closer to the one Edwards first proposed. The special session begins at 6:30.

The number of Louisiana homes at risk for storm surge damage has increased since last year, according to CoreLogic. Hazard risk scientist for CoreLogic, Tom Jeffery says that’s because new construction is booming along the coast and he doesn’t see that slowing down anytime soon…:
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Legislation to require pet stores to keep records of animals and with licensing information awaits the Governor’s signature Emelie Gunn has more…:
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The community continues to mourn the death of a Winnsboro Police Department officer who died in a car crash while he was on-duty over the weekend, according to officials. They say Sergeant Derrick Mingo, who is also a former employee of the Franklin Parish Sheriff’s Office, was on his way to help another officer dealing with a drunk driver, when he left a roadway and crashed into a tree. State Police say he was not wearing a seat belt.

State lawmakers have approved a 26-billion dollar budget for next fiscal year that does not fully fund the TOPS scholarship program and hospitals that provide care for the poor and uninsured. Baton Rouge Representative Barry Ivey voted against it, because health care and higher ed are underfunded…:
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Because of a 600-million dollar revenue shortfall, the budget also contains cuts to public schools, universities, prisons and child welfare programs.

A man from Texas is behind bars in Louisiana on many charges in both states related to a high speed chase and the attempted murder of police officers. State Police says they were notified by Texas authorities that a man driving a stolen vehicle was about to cross into Louisiana on I-10 and cops were in pursuit. 29-year-old David Mitchel of Baytown Texas allegedly tried to run intentionally run over two different officers attempting to evade the suspect. He was eventually stopped and taken to the Calcaiseu Parish jail.

A bill that puts tighter regulations on pet stores that sell live animals is headed to Governor Edwards desk to be signed into law. Alicia Haefele with the Louisiana SPCA says, under the measure, pet stores would be required to keep records on their dogs and cats for at least two years…:
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She says they are trying to stop puppy mills from operating and selling sick puppies to pet stores.

The mugshot of the day goes to a 30-year-old Baton Rouge woman who allegedly ran stop signs while roaring down a road drunk at speeds reaching more than 100 miles per hour. Police in the capitol city say Courtney Queen was spotted ignoring numerous stop signs and sped away as officers tried to pull her over. Queen eventually crashed and was booked into parish prison on many charges including DWI, speeding, running a stop sign, reckless operation, careless driving, driving with an expired license and hit and run.

Governor John Bel Edwards says he’s confident lawmakers will make the tough choices needed over the next two weeks in the special session to balance the state’s operating budget. The regular session must end by 6 today, and the special session will begin at 6:30. The legislature approved a $26 billion dollar budget, but there’s still a $600 million dollar hole in expenses for the fiscal year that begins July 1st.

Halen Doughty has a quick review of the regular session from political analyst Clancy Dubos…:
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An amendment added to a bill that would prohibit a woman from getting an abortion just because the fetus is abnormal, essentially nullifies the measure. It states that the ban would only apply if a woman was 20 weeks along or more, but under Louisiana law no abortion can be performed after 20 weeks. The bill is set to be signed by Governor John Bel Edwards.

As tropical storm Colin churns in the Gulf toward Florida, experts have released a new study showing Louisiana homes are more at risk than ever for storm surge. According to CoreLogic, last year there were just over 760-thousand homes at risk in Louisiana, and that number has grown to over 800-thousand. Senior hazard risk scientist for CoreLogic, Tom Jeffery…:
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He attributes the increase in risk to new construction and the growing desire people have to live along the Gulf Coast.