The concerning trend of higher COVID case counts and increased hospitalizations continues today with 938 new positive tests reported and 22 additional hospitalizations.

Governor Edwards has been sounding the alarm about this rise in cases noting a disproportionality high number of these new cases are 18-29-year-olds. Along with demographics their contact tracing data also shows a worrying number of people who have contracted the virus are not wearing a mask. State health officer Doctor Jimmy Guidry says there should be no doubt in people’s minds about just how effective masks are at limiting transmission.

Cut 10 (11) “…an important part.”

Guidry says a mask reduces the risk of someone sharing the virus with others through exhaled particles, and for it to have maximum effect, it needs to cover the nose, not just the mouth like another myth would lead some to believe.

State workers won’t be getting their scheduled pay raise if the budget remains in its current form. A Senate committee backed a pause in pay raises with plans to reevaluate the possibility later in the year. Evangeline Parish Senator Heather Cloud says the economy is too uncertain right now…

Cut 7 (06) “…be here”

Opponents note the Legislature is also currently considering nearly a hundred million dollars in business tax breaks at the same time.

The House clears a resolution creating a task force to study police policy, leading to some heated moments on the floor. Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala voted for the bill but told the floor police are far more likely to be killed in the line of duty than African Americans are to be killed by police. That prompted this response from Baton Rouge Representative Ted James.

Cut 15 (09) “…action.”

Governor John Bel Edwards will issue a new proclamation today extending the Phase Two reopening for another 28 days. Edwards says the alarming number of new cases reported the last two days, makes it crystal clear the state is not ready to move to Phase 3. He says Louisiana is now ranked seventh per capita in COVID-19 cases down three spots from its previous best ranking.
Cut 7 (08) “…doing more testing.”
Edwards says more than 245-thousands tests have been conducted this month.

State Health Officer Doctor Jimmy Guidry says studies have shown that if we all wear masks properly, COVID-19 cases would plummet. Guidry says social distancing is also an important component…
cut 12 (06) “…large crowds”

Caddo Parish Coroner Doctor Todd Thoma rules that a black man who passed away while in Shreveport police custody in April died from a medical problem known as febrile delirium. Thoma says police were dispatched after 63-year-old Wavey Austin displayed bizarre behavior and upon police approaching him in his apartment, he was handcuffed for a medical evaluation.
Cut 3 (12) ”…and did CPR.”

Senate Finance has approved a budget for the next fiscal year that puts a pause on regularly scheduled pay raises for state workers. Baton Rouge Senator Bodi White says given how many private-sector workers are unemployed, a public sector pay raise wouldn’t look good.
Cut 6 (11) “…deal with.”
The 60 million dollars in pay raises was set aside, and lawmakers say they will take a look at whether the state can afford the raises later this year.

The state reported 882 new COVID-19 cases yesterday. 18-percent of all cases are 18 to 29-year-olds. Governor Edwards says while younger people think they may not get too sick from the coronavirus, there’s a lot about this virus we don’t know.
Cut 8 (07) “…may last forever.”

There are many Louisiana residents who refuse to wear masks, but with rising COVID-19 numbers, health officials are getting the word out on how masks can slow the spread.
Cut 2 (24) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

The American Psychiatric Nurses Association is concerned about the impact the COVID pandemic is having on nurses. Healthcare providers are witnessing COVID patients suffer to a greater extent compared to other diseases and APNA President Tari Dilks says it’s having an acute impact on their mental state and could lead to PTSD.
Cut 6 (12) “…slowly to death”
Dilks encourages those with family members and loved ones working on the frontlines to be supportive of the situation.

The state department of education released guidelines today on reopening schools. The D-O-E says public school students at third grade and older should wear face masks. Also schools should prepare to closed for three to five days if the school environment is determined to be a source of ongoing COVID-19 spread. New superintendent of education Cade Brumley will have more to say at 2:30 virtual press conference.

Governor John Bel Edwards says the state is heading in the wrong direction when it comes to the state’s battle versus COVID-19. Lousiana has reported over 22-hundred new cases over the past two days and the governor says Louisiana has moved from number ten in per capita cases to number seven this week. Edwards is once again making a plea for residents to mask up…
cut 9 (07) “…need to do it”
State health officer Doctor Jimmy Guidry says it’s a myth that masks are not effective…
cut 10 (11) “….an important part”
Guidry says a cloth mask limits the spread of droplets that transmit COVID-19 and for it to have maximum effect, it needs to cover the nose, not just the mouth like another myth would lead some to believe.

A resolution that would set up a task force to review police policies and the use of excessive force by Louisiana law enforcement turned heated on the House floor. Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala, a former sheriff’s deputy, made the point that a police officer is far more likely to be killed in the line of duty than African Americans are to be killed by police…
cut 14 (07) “…about” (2x)
Representative Ted James, a black lawmaker from Baton Rouge, responded by saying many police officers are not held accountable when they use excessive force against African Americans.
cut 22 (13) “…tax funded vacation”
The House unanimously approved the resolution and it heads back to the Senate to see if they agree to House changes.

Governor John Bel Edwards will issue a new proclamation today extending the Phase Two reopening for another 28 days. Edwards says the alarming number of new cases reported the last two days, makes it crystal clear the state is not ready to move to Phase 3. He says Louisiana is now ranked seventh per capita in COVID-19 cases down three spots from its previous best ranking.
Cut 7 (08) “…doing more testing.”
Edwards says more than 245-thousands tests have been conducted this month.

State Health Officer Doctor Jimmy Guidry says studies have shown that if we all wear masks properly, COVID-19 cases would plummet. Guidry says social distancing is also an important component…
cut 12 (06) “…large crowds”

A resolution calling for a task force on policing policy creates a heated disagreement on the House floor. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

The U-S Supreme Court could issue a ruling today on an abortion law passed in Louisiana in 2014. The law requires doctors at abortion clincis have admitting privildges at a nearby hospital in case there is an emergency. If the law went into effect, that would close two abortion clinics, leaving just one in the state.

State Health Officer Doctor Jimmy Guidry says wearing a cloth mask will limit the spread of droplets that transmit COVID-19. He says that why it’s important for people to wear masks in public, especially if you are aysmptomatic…
cut 11 (08) “….that’s a fact”

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell announces the city will enforce the use of face masks, due to the uptick of coronavirus cases. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 1 (29) “I’m Brooke Thorington”

The Louisiana House unanimously passes a resolution to create a task force to study policing policy after removing language mentioning the killing of George Floyd. Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala backed the effort but expressed frustration that there isn’t adequate appreciation for the dangers of police work. Bacala says since 2017…
Cut 13 (07) “…duty”
Baton Rouge Representative Ted James responded, saying people who murder cops get arrested, while cops who murder black men get taxpayer-funded vacations and rarely suffer consequences.
Cut 15 (09) “…action.”
James was animated because he says there was an agreement between Republican leaders and the Black Caucus to pass the resolution with no big floor speeches about policing. But James believes Bacala went back on that agreement.

The state reported 882 new COVID-19 cases yesterday. 18-percent of all cases are 18 to 29 year olds. Governor Edwards says while younger people think they may not get too sick from the coronavirus, there’s a lot about this virus we don’t know.
Cut 8 (07) “…may last forever.”

There are many Louisiana residents who refuse to wear masks, but with rising COVID-19 numbers, health officials are getting the word out on how masks can slow the spread.
Cut 2 (24) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

As coronavirus hospitalizations increase in some states the American Psychiatric Nurses Association says they are seeing significant mental health impacts on healthcare providers that work on the frontlines. APNA President Tari Dilks says because patients are having to die alone to mitigate the spread of the virus, nurses are having to offer the comfort that family members would normally provide.
Cut 4 (12)_ “…family members”
Dilks encourages those with family members and loved ones working on the frontlines to be supportive of the situation.

Heated moment Wednesday afternoon in the House as lawmakers took up a resolution to create a task force dedicated to studying policing policy. Baton Rouge Representative Ted James says the Black Caucus and Republican leaders struck a deal to pass the resolution in exchange for stripping it of any mention of George Floyd and agreeing not to hold floor speeches on policing.

But after amendments passed stripping the bill of its George Floyd reference, Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala spoke saying cops are more likely to be killed in the line of duty than black men are to be killed by cops. He says since 2017…

Cut 13, 7 seconds, duty

James was incensed and for five minutes held the floor with an impassioned speech…

Cut 15, 9 seconds, action

The resolution passed unanimously and goes to the Senate.

The House approves legislation protecting public and private schools from civil suits by students or teachers who say they got COVID on school grounds. Amite Representative Robby Carter says a school board superintendent told him this bill was vital to actually having students back in classrooms come fall.

Cut 12 (11) “…learning”

The vote was 82-17.

A bill that places an eight-percent tax on net revenue from online fantasy sports contests is heading to the governor’s desk after it received final legislative approval. The money would generate about 375-thousand dollars a year. River Ridge Senator Kirk Talbot says all of the money will go towards funding early childhood education

cut 29 (02) “…committed to do that”

In 2018, voters in 47 of the 64 parishes legalized fantasy sports betting. Residents in parishes who voted for it have been waiting for lawmakers to pass the tax component.