There’s one week left in the legislative session. Kevin Barnhart looks at what lawmakers still need to get done…
cut 2 (27) I’m Kevin Barnhart”

The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s office is mourning the loss of one of its deputies who was killed in a one-vehicle wreck on his way to work this morning. Sheriff Sid Geautreaux says 42-year-old Lt. Steven Whitstine was a deputy for eight years…
cut 10 (10) “…sheriff’s office”

The House Education Committee approved a legislative instrument that calls for teachers to receive a one-thousand dollar pay raise and direct 39-million dollars in additional funding for public schools. BESE President Dr. Gary Jones revealed that the 39 million could be used by poor school districts to further increase teacher pay.
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House Approrpiations Chairman Cameron Henry says it remains to be seen if there’s enough money to give public schools an additional 39 million dollars.

An effort to decrease the state sales tax rate from 4.45 percent to four-percent was killed in a Senate committee. Gonzales Senator Eddie Lambert says the state needs these tax revenues, especially for roads…
Cut 7 (09) “…address that”

A Senate-approved resolution that contains a 1,000-dollar teacher pay raise and an additional 39 million dollars for public education passes through the House Education Committee. The Senate says the state has the money to afford the 39-million-dollar block grant, but House Appropriations Chairman Cameron Henry says that will be confirmed when the proposal moves next to the House Appropriations Committee.

Cut 13 (06) “…came from”

The Morganza Spillway opens on Sunday and there are concerns on how this will impact the crawfish industry. LSU AgCenter Aquaculture Professor Greg Lutz says some crawfish ponds in the Atchafalaya Basin will be impacted…

Cut 3 (10) “…from the crawfish.”

Lutz says for crawfish farmers in the Atchafalaya Basin area, it could mean bad news if water spills over their levees.

A Senate committee rejects a Housed backed bill that proposes to reduce the state’s sales tax rate from 4.45 percent to four-percent over a four-year period. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (32) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

An Ascension Parish priest accused of stealing about $79,000 from his church has been arrested in Texas. Father Desmond Ohankwere was with the St. Catherine Church in Donaldsonville for about two to three years. Authorities are working on getting him back to Louisiana.

A Senate approved resolution that contains a 1,000-dollar teacher pay raise and an additional 39 million dollars for public education passes through the House Education Committee. But House Appropriations Chairman Cameron Henry wonders if the state can afford both the pay raise and additional money for schools…
cut 12 (07) “…something””
There’s one week left in the session and this has become the biggest issue left unresolved.

What kind of impact will opening the Morganza Spillway have on the state’s crawfish industry? LSU Agcenter Aquaculture Professor Greg Lutz says it will ruin a few ponds in the Atchafalya Basin, but the impacts will not be so great that the industry couldn’t rebound from…
cut 5 (07) “…kind of thing’
The spillway is set to open on Sunday.

The Senate will hear arguments on a bill banning drivers from touching their cell phone while behind the wheel after the proposal passed the House amid heated debate. Here’s a taste of what the debate sounded like on the House floor
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NOLA-dot-com reports Governor John Bel Edwards texted LSU officials about whether basketball player Javonte Smart would play again after reports surfaced that Smart may have received money beyond his athletic scholarship. Edwards’ lawyer says the governor only asked, because a journalist had asked the governor about it.

Louisiana’s version of the fetal heartbeat bill has received final passage in the House.  Similar bills in other states have drawn criticism.  Baton Rouge Representative Ted James introduced an amendment to the bill that would see exemptions of the law applied to cases of rape or incest.
Cut 14 (11) “…to do that.”
The amendment failed to pass. The law would not be enforceable until a federal appeals court rules on upholding a similar law in Mississippi.
The Morganza Spillway opens on Sunday and there are concerns on how this will impact the crawfish industry. LSU AgCenter Aquaculture Professor Greg Lutz says for crawfish farmers in the Atchafalaya Basin area, it could mean bad news if water spills over their levees.

Cut 4 (09) “…in there too.” 

Some farmers could be out of production for a season.

An effort to reduce the state sales tax from 4.45 percent to four-percent over a four-year period died in a Senate Committee. Lawmakers settled on a 4.45 percent sales tax rate last year as part of a budget deal to avoid significant cuts. New Orleans Senator Karen Carter Peterson says residents are expecting the state to pay for a variety of things and the tax deal approved last year, helps the government fund those wishes…

Cut 8 (14) “…their prisoners.”

An East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s deputy is dead following a single vehicle crash in Zachary around 6:30 this morning.  42-year-old Lt. Steven Whitstine was on his way to work when his car veered off of Pride Port Hudson Road.  Sheriff Sid Gautreaux says the accident is still under investigation.

Cut 9 (07) “…in a canal.”

Governor John Bel Edwards says he will sign a bill that bans abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected. It received final legislative approval on the House floor after an emotional debate. An amendment to add an exception in cases of rape and incest was rejected, despite this argument from Baton Rouge Representative Patricia Smith…

cut 16 (12) “…of them”

proponents of the fetal heartbeat bill say a fetus should not be punished for the sins of a relative or rapist.

A bill banning drivers from holding their phone while behind the wheel is headed to the Senate after an at-times heated discussion on the House floor. The legislation led to a lengthy back and forth between Erath Representative Blake Miguez and Slidell Representative Kevin Pearson, who argued about whether the penalty was just another traffic cash grab by the state…

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An effort to reduce the state sales tax from 4.45 percent to four-percent over a four-year period died in a Senate Committee. Lawmakers settled on a 4.45 percent sales tax rate last year as part of a budget deal to avoid significant cuts. Lafayette Senator Gerald Boudreaux says it’s too soon to change a tax deal that stabilized the budget…

Cut 6 (09) “…money back”

Proponents argued the state is running surpluses and should give the money back to taxpayers.

With the opening of the Morganza Spillway on Sunday, the crawfish industry is going to be feeling the effect. LSU AgCenter Professor Greg Lutz says while the opening may make more habitat for some of the mudbugs, those habitats will not be as easily accessible for harvest. It could have a negative effect on existing habitats.

Cut 3 (10) “…from the crawfish.”

A bill that would outlaw abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected receives final passage in the House without any exemptions for rape and incest victims. Kevin Barnhart has more on the emotional debate that took place on the House floor.
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An East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s deputy was killed this morning when the vehicle he was traveling in crashed on roadway near Zachary. He’s been identified as 42-year-old Steven Whitstine. It’s believed he was on the way to work, when the fatal wreck occurred.

A bill banning drivers from holding their phone while behind the wheel is headed to the Senate after some heated discussion on the House floor. Slidell Representative Kevin Pearson says the legislation will save money on insurance rates, but more importantly, likely save the lives of Louisiana drivers, particularly teens.
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The measure will next be heard in a Senate committee, but time is ticking, a week is left in the regular session.

Several parishes in the Achafalayla Basin are preparing for flooding when the Morganza Spillway is opened on Sunday, diverting Mississippi River water into the basin. St. Martin parish President Chester Cedars says they’re asking residents to stay off the Atchafalya River levees while the waters swell….
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The House has given final legislative passage to a bill that bans abortions when the heartbeat of a fetus is detected, which is usually around six weeks into a pregnancy. Baton Rouge Representative Ted James proposed an amendment that would provide an exception in cases of rape and incest…
cut 14 (11) “…do that”
The amendment failed to pass and Governor Edwards says he’ll sign the bill.

There’s a week to go in the legislative session and it seems likely teachers will get a pay raise, but it remains unclear how much. The House supports a 12-hundred dollar pay raise, but the Senate is pushing for a one-thousand dollar raise. Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Larry Carter…
cut 6 (06) “…plan’
Teacher pay will come up when the House Education committee meets at 11 AM.

After months of high-water and swollen waterways, St. Martin Parish is getting ready for even higher river levels once the Morganza Spillway opens Sunday.
Cut 1 (28) “I’m Matt Doyle”

Two people are dead from two separate home fires in south Louisiana. The State Fire Marshal’s office says one person died in a residential fire in Bogalusa and the Baton Rouge Fire Department says a three-year-old girl died in a house fire and her father was injured. Also an East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s deputy has died in a single vehicle wreck near Zachary.

Governor John Bel Edwards says he will sign a bill that bans abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected. It received final legislative approval on the House floor after an emotional debate. An amendment to add an exception in cases of rape and incest was rejected, despite this argument from Baton Rouge Representative Patricia Smith…
cut 16 (12) “…of them”
But proponents of the fetal heartbeat bill say a fetus should not be punished for the sins of a relative or rapist.

Also passing the House floor yesterday was a bill that bans drivers from using a handheld cellphone while behind the wheel. New Orleans Representative Gary Carter says the proposed law could create unintended consequences….
cut 11 (07) “…objectionable”
The measure still needs to get through the Senate and there’s a week to go in the session.

Governor Edwards will travel to Morgan City this afternoon to inspect the barge sinking operation in Bayou Chene. This will help prevent backwater flooding when water from the Mississippi River flows down the Atchafalaya River after the Morganza Spillway is opened on Sunday. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars…
cut 9(07) “…down south”
President Donald Trump has approved the state’s request for a federal disaster declaration.

With a week to go, it remains to be seen if teachers will receive a pay raise. Governor Edwards is pushing lawmakers to approve a one-thousand dollar salary hike, which Louisiana Federation of Teachers president Larry Carter says will get the state closer to the Southern Regional Average….
cut 5 (10) “….than that”
Edwards has said if re-elected, he’ll look to increase teacher salaries even more.