Today the House is expected to take up a proposal to raise the minimum GPA requirement for TOPS. Don Molino has the story…

Cut 1 (29) “I’m Don Molino”

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Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser has launched a Horse Tourism initiative to attract visitors to go to the state’s racetracks and horse shows. Emelie Gunn has more…

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Louisiana State Police officials say a proposed budget cut to the agency is coming at a bad time. Halen Doughty has more…

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Lawmakers in the House are expected to take up a proposal today that would raise the minimum GPA requirement for TOPS. The measure by Baton Rouge Representative Franklin Foil increases the requirement from a 2.5 to a 2.75. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says this would knock out about 30 percent of the students currently eligible for the scholarship.

Cut 4  (09) “lot of kids”

Pinsonat says it doesn’t seem like a big jump, but it is for many students, especially those who attend underperforming schools. That’s why he doesn’t expect lawmakers to approve the measure.

Cut 5  (09)  “hell no”

The governor also opposes the bill. Foil has said upping the GPA requirement would save around $12 million, which has been a big issue as lawmakers struggle to fully fund the taxpayer-funded program. Pinsonat says while lawmakers struggle to fully fund TOPS, many of them will say raising the GPA requirement isn’t the answer.

Cut 6 (11) “to do that”

The measure passed out of the House Education Committee on a 9-3 vote.

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Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser has launched a new Horse Tourism Initiative to bring visitors to Louisiana racetracks, campgrounds, therapeutic riding centers and state parks. Nungesser says Texas and Mississippi have great horse shows, but Louisiana is also home to some of the finest equestrian services in the country.

Cut 7 (11)  “a priority”

Nungesser says the Louisiana is one of the top three horse producing states in the country. He plans to put a statewide circuit together to bring national and international horse competitions to the state’s world class facilities.

Cut 8 (09) “the state”

Nungesser says visitors embrace the communities where horse shows are held and he says the horse industry remains a top ten Louisiana agriculture business, which generates more than two-billion dollars a year.

Cut 9 (09)  “with that”

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Louisiana State Police has serious concerns over the budget that has been approved by the House. The governor recommended a five-million dollar cut to State Police, but the House’s spending plan calls for an overall reduction of $23 million from the current fiscal year. Maj. Doug Cain says this could lead to fewer troopers.

Cut 10 (12) “next year”

Cain says LSP would also have to look at reducing the increased force in New Orleans’ French Quarter to ensure there are enough troopers in every parish. He adds that 60 percent of LSP’s vehicle fleet is due for replacement, because they have more than 100,000 miles on their odometer.

Cut 11 (10) “new vehicle”

Cain says since they can’t reduce the number of troopers on Louisiana’s highways, they would turn to equipment to make the cuts. That includes a plan to provide body cameras to all troopers in the state.

Cut 12 (08) “funding issues”

Cain says its State Police’s hope the Senate will fund their agency to the level that the governor recommended.

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A bill to stabilize the state’s film tax credit program is heading to the House floor and it has the support of the tourism industry and small businesses. Jo Banner with River Parishes Tourist Commission says the film industry has a tremendous economic impact for her parishes. She says local businesses see a 30 percent hike in their bottom line when productions film in the area.

Cut 13 (07) “our churches”

Banner says the more tourists they have coming to the area, the more jobs that are being created. She says media coverage of movie productions in the River Parishes equates to advertising for the area that the Tourist Commission afford.

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Gabriel Markel with Markel Lumber in New Orleans says his family’s business has been around for more than 90 years.  He says the film industry has been a huge benefit to his business, as he supplies materials for sets. He adds that he also gets his supplies from other Louisiana companies.

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The LSU baseball team is in Hoover, Alabama preparing for the SEC Tournament. The Tigers will play tomorrow against the winner of today’s game between Missouri and Texas A&M. The Tigers are co-champs of the SEC Regular season, but shortstop Kramer Robertson says there’s still a lot to play for…

Cut 16 (19)       “do it again “

LSU heads into tournament play winners in 11 of its last 12 conference games. Robertson says the hot bats they are swinging have been a big factor in their success…

Cut 17 (15)  “since then”

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Louisiana Tech is the 5th seed in the Conference USA Tournament and they’ll face Charlotte on Wednesday night at MGM Park in Biloxi. Bulldogs Coach Lane Burroughs says winning this tournament will not be easy…

Cut 18 (15)    “the bus”   

The Diamond Dogs are 36-18 and they need a good showing in order to make back-to-back NCAA Tournament trips for the first time in program history since 1986 and 1987. Burroughs says they can remove all doubt if they win the tournament

Cut 19 (16)   “through Sunday”

The Diamond Dogs are coming off a disappointing series loss to Middle Tennessee. But Burroughs says a new season begins tomorrow…

Cut 20 (24)   “new season now”

Flash flooding could be a problem in south Louisiana, as more heavy rainfall is expected today and tomorrow. Michelle Southern reports…

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A Mississippi lawmaker is facing backlash after saying Louisiana leaders should be lynched for removing four confederate monuments in New Orleans. Halen Doughty has more…

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Following a weekend of heavy rainfall, the southern half of Louisiana is in for more wet weather today and tomorrow. State Climatologist Barry Keim says a cold front is slowly creeping across the state, bringing with it more rain.

Cut 3 (11) “in particular”

Jackson, Lake Charles, and Covington all saw more than 4 inches of rainfall over the weekend. Keim says with the area already heavily saturated, flash flooding could be a serious problem. He says the rain potential is higher across the southeastern part of the state.

Cut 4  (08) “some problems”

The National Weather Service is calling for another one to five inches of rainfall across the state. Keim says we could also see rising rivers resulting in more localized flooding in some areas.

Cut 5  (08)  “river systems”

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Two Lafourche Parish teens were killed in a single vehicle crash in Kraemer over the weekend, according to State Police. Trooper Jesse LaGrange says 19-year-old Jaydon Labat (la-bot) was driving down LA 307 at a high rate of speed when he ran off the road and hit a utility pole. He says 18-year-old Candace Reulet (Ru-lay) was also in the vehicle.

Cut 6 (10) “a result”

LaGrange says impairment and speed are considered factors in the wreck. He says this crash was 100-percent preventable.

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Two teens are dead and another critically injured after a crash in Kentwood on Sunday morning. Kentwood Police Chief Michael Kazerooni says 18-year-old Ashley Moreau was driving down Line Creek Road when she over-corrected and her car slid and crashed into a tree.

Cut 8 (10) “injuries”

18-year-old John Moore was the front seat passenger and also killed in the crash. Kazerooni says speed was the main factor in the wreck.

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A Mississippi lawmaker called for Louisiana leaders to be lynched after four confederate monuments were taken down in New Orleans. State representative Karl Oliver made the statement in a Facebook post that has since been deleted, saying the monuments were removed in a “Nazi-ish fashion.”  Courtney Carter with News Mississippi says the Mississippi GOP has said these kinds of comments have no place in public discourse.

Cut 10 (07) “his remarks”

Oliver also said in the post that he will do everything in his power to prevent this from happening in his state, but it’s unclear if he’s taken steps to protect any of Mississippi’s monuments. Carter says the four monuments from New Orleans could be moved to the Beauvoir estate in Mississippi, which is home to many confederate-era memorials.

Cut 11 (08) “to put there”

Oliver has since apologized for the post, saying his choice of words was horribly wrong, and the word “lynched” is in no way ever an appropriate term. Carter says Oliver has made inflammatory statements like this in the past, including last year when he responded to an email from a citizen about a proposed tax cut.

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Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle has been named the director of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says this is the perfect job for Angelle, coming off a recent loss for Congress. He says Angelle is suited for the position under the Trump administration.

Cut 13 (08) “this position”

BSEE is a part of the Department of the Interior and strives for the safe and responsible production of energy and watches over the oil and gas industry. Cross says after losing in the Governor and Congressional elections, there wasn’t anywhere else for Angelle to go politically in Louisiana. He says this job gives him more national name recognition.

Cut 14 (10) “to him”

Angelle’s first day as the BSEE director is Tuesday and he will be forced to resign as a public service commissioner. Cross says he anticipates a lot of candidates to run for this open PSC position.

Cut 15 (08) “state hierarchy”

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