A Louisiana abortion law authored by Monroe Senator Katrina Jackson in 2014 is struck down by the Supreme Court. If upheld the law would have required abortion clinics to have admitting privileges, which pro-choice advocates say would have closed two of the state’s three clinics. The Supreme Court also struck down a similar law out of Texas in 2016. The Center for Reproductive Rights filed suit preventing Louisiana’s law from going into effect. C-P-R CEO Nancy Northup is delighted with today’s ruling…

Cut 5 (08)  “…against Texas”

The decision was 5-4 against Louisiana’s law.

 Assistant state health officer Dr. Joseph Kanter says recent police brutality protests are not responsible for the new wave of COVID cases impacting the state. Kanter says they may be large gathering, but…

Cut 11 (07) “…be wearing masks.”

The special session ends at six o’clock tomorrow night and lawmakers are debating several different tax break bills for businesses. Shreveport Senator Barry Milligan says COVID-19 has put several businesses on the brink of going out of business and they need the state’s help…

Cut 14 (12) “…our people”

Any tax breaks approved would result in less revenue and fewer dollars available for the state. Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow believes the state should consider many of these tax breaks in a fall special session…

Cut 15 (12) “…a informed decisions” 

Louisiana tacks on another 845 cases of COVID-19 today, bringing the grand total to just over 57,000. 46% of those new cases are among those 29 and younger.

A bill requiring Louisiana abortion clinics to have admitting privileges at a local hospital will not go into effect due to a ruling this morning by the US Supreme Court, who deemed it unconstitutional. Monroe Senator and Democrat Katrina Jackson authored the 2014 legislation and says the nation’s highest court struck down a law that would have protected the health of a pregnant woman

Cut 3 (10) ”…deeply saddened  

The Hope Medical Group for Women in Shreveport and the Baton Rouge Delta Clinic would have closed if Louisiana’s admitting privileges law went into effect. Director of the Hope Medical Group Kathleen Pittman says the closing of additional clinics would have been a hardship for low-income pregnant women…

Cut 6 (08) “…total despair”

Chief Justice John Roberts joined liberals on the Court for the 5-4 decision. 

The state health department reported 845 new COVID-19 cases today as the state surpasses 57,000 cases.

Cut 2 (28) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

Governor Edwards says he will consider a New Orleans lawmaker’s request to place regulations on visitors to Louisiana entering from COVID hotspots, but says his public health experts haven’t said it is necessary.

Cut 9 (11) “…were really doing.”

The U-S Supreme Court rules against a Louisiana law requiring admitting privileges at nearby hospitals for abortion doctors. Jeff Palermo has reaction from both sides of the issue…

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

Louisiana tacks on another 845 cases of COVID-19 today, bringing the grand total to just over 57,000. 46% of those new cases are among those 29 and younger. Hospitalizations are the highest they’ve been in over a month, increasing by 22 to 737. Total deaths, 3,091, up by 5.

Health officials believe that recent demonstrations over the killing of George Floyd by police have not resulted in a significant addition of new COVID-19 cases. Assistant state health officer Dr. Joseph Kanter says enough time has passed to get a good idea of what has happened where protests were most prevalent.

Cut 10 (09) “…with New York.”

Kanter believes other layers of protection have likely factored into the protests to make them a bit safer.

A measure providing grocery store workers, bus drivers, law enforcement personnel, and healthcare workers with a 250-dollar check gains final legislative approval in the House and is heading to the Governor’s desk. Monroe Senator Jay Morris says federal coronavirus relief dollars will pay for the tax credit…

Cut 14 (12) “…of our state”

Front line or essential workers will be eligible for this 250-dollar check if they make less than 50-thousand dollars a year.

845 new cases of COVID-19 are being reported in the state taking our total number of positive tests over 57,000, along with another jump in hospitalizations, and five additional deaths. 42,000 people are believed to have recovered from the disease, making for roughly 15,000 known active cases in the state.

Louisiana’s law requiring abortion clinics to have admitting privileges is deemed unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court. Monroe Senator Katrina Jackson authored the 2014 legislation and supporters of the law say it made clinics operate under the same law as other outpatient surgical centers. The Center for Reproductive Rights filed suit preventing Louisiana’s law from going into effect. C-P-R CEO Nancy Northup is delighted with today’s ruling…

Cut 5 (08)  “…against Texas”

The decision was 5-4 against, with Chief Justice John Roberts, a Bush appointment, joining the court’s liberal justices in the decision.

New Orleans Senator Troy Carter calls for regulations on travelers coming into Louisiana from hotspot states like Texas as cases rise nationally. Carter says Louisiana residents went through great pains to follow spread mitigation efforts during the stay at home order and feels the state should protect its borders from areas that did not and are seeing the result.

Cut 8 (12) “…our people were.”

Texas and Florida had previously put regulations on visitors from Louisiana.

Legislation that would provide grocery store workers, bus drivers, law enforcement personnel and healthcare workers with a 250-dollar check gains final legislative approval. Alexandria Senator Jay Luneau…

Cut 13 (08) “…this is about.” 

Front line or essential workers will be eligible for this 250-dollar check if they make less than 50-thousand dollars a year.

The US Supreme Court shoots down a Louisiana law requiring abortion clinics to have admitting privileges on a narrow 5-4 vote. The law was authored in 2014 by now Monroe Senator Katrina Jackson, and opponents argued if it became law it would have shut two of the state’s three clinics and was an attempt to subvert Roe Vs. Wade. Associate Director for the Louisiana Right to Life Angie Thomas says Louisiana law requires admitting privileges for many doctors who perform outpatient surgeries, but not abortion providers…

Cut 4 (10)_ “…abortion industry.”

New Orleans Senator Troy Carter is suggesting Louisiana should put some regulations into place for travelers coming into the state from Texas and other hotspots following an uptick in COVID-19 cases.  Carter says the state needs to take every necessary precaution.

Cut 7 (10) “…them at ours”

It may not be an inoculation to the coronavirus, but could a vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella help prevent the most severe complications of COVID-19? Kevin Barnhart explains.

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

Louisiana is up over 56,000 total positive COVID tests after a busy weekend capped by 15-hundred total new cases being reported over Saturday and Sunday. Governor Edwards says 43 percent of those new cases are people under 29-years-old, a new national trend.

The U-S Supreme Court has ruled against an abortion law passed in Louisiana requiring admitting privileges at a nearby hospital for abortion doctors. Monroe Senator Katrina Jackson authored the 2014 legislation and says the nation’s highest court struck down a law that would have protected the health of a pregnant woman

Cut 3 (08) ”…great state”  

If the measure became law, it would have shut down two of the state’s three remaining abortion clinics.

A common childhood vaccine might help prevent severe lung inflammation and sepsis if a person is infected with COVID-19. LSU Health New Orleans researcher Dr. Paul Fidel says they plan to give the MMR vaccination to adult primates to see if it can prevent severe complications of COVID-19 and humans as well

Cut 6 (08) “…get the vaccination.”

The Center for Planning Excellence and UrbanFootprint says Louisiana ranks third nationally at having a high risk of evictions when federal assistance expires on July 31st. Urban Footprint CEO Joe Distefano says 130-thousand households across Louisiana are at risk of evictions, because of high unemployment in the service and hospitality sectors…
Cut 8 (09) “gap”
Distefano says they are hoping Congress can provide more relief to avoid an eviction crisis.

If Louisiana is still in Phase Two when schools reopen in August then students who rely on busses could be in a bit of a bind, with busses limited to 50 percent occupancy.  State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley says districts are working on solutions to the school bus capacity limit. Brumley says Phase Two school bus limitations and other restrictions mean students may be doing a split of distance and congregate learning should schools reopen without moving to Phase Three.

Cut 11 (07) “…education.”

LSU Health New Orleans researcher Doctor Paul Fidel suggests that the M-M-R vaccine that’s given to children could help prevent severe complications of COVID-19 in adults. Fidel says trials are set to begin soon…
cut 5 (09) “….potentially helping people”
Fidel says the M-M-R vaccine could be a reason why children are mostly not affected by the coronavirus.

Louisiana reported nearly 15-hundred new cases on Sunday. That includes positive tests that came in on Saturday. Louisiana will be in Phase Two until late July, which means school buses can only have a maximum capacity of 50-percent. State Education Superintendent Cade Brumley says that will create issues when it comes to getting students to and from school…
cut 12 (09) “….capacity”

A new report from Center for Planning Excellence and UrbanFootprint ranks Louisiana third in the nation for having a high risk of evictions when federal assistance expires on July 31st. CPEX CEO Camille Manning-Broome says up to 130-thousand households across Louisiana are at risk of evictions
Cut 7 (12) “magnitude.”
Manning-Broome hopes Congress recognizes the problem and provides federal assistance to avoid a wave of evictions.

Meanwhile, the state is close to providing a 250-dollar hazard paycheck to essential workers who make less than 50-thousand dollars a year and were required to report to work in the few weeks of the economic shutdown. New Orleans Senator Troy Carter wishes they could provide more…
cut 15 (10) “…..amount”
The legislation to make this happen is close to final legislative approval.

It may not be an inoculation to the coronavirus, but could a vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella help prevent the most severe complications of COVID-19 in adults? Kevin Barnhart explains.
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

LSU epidemiologist Edward Trapido with the LSU School of Public Health tells the Reveille he would not recommend that fans watch games inside Tiger Stadium this season. One of Trapido’s colleagues, Susanne Straif-Bourgeois, calls it a logistical nightmare.

Legislation to give front line workers a 250-dollar check for hazard pay nears final legislative passage. The bill needs House approval on Senate changes before it heads to the governor’s desk. It passed out of the Senate on a 38-0 vote. Monroe Senator Jay Morris says federal coronavirus relief dollars will pay for the stimulus check…
Cut 14 (12) “…of our state”
Front line or essential workers will be eligible for this 250-dollar check if they make less than 50-thousand dollars a year.

Housing advocates are concerned that up to 130-thousand households across Louisiana are at risk of evictions when federal assistance expires on July 31st. Urban footprint CEO Joe Distefano says a wave of evictions at this scale would destabilize communities and strain state services…
cut 9 (10) “….issue”
Distefano is calling on Congress to provide more rental assistance dollars.