An effort to override Governor Edwards’ veto of legislation allowing concealed carry without a permit is defeated in the Senate after four lawmakers backed away from their regular session support. Matt Doyle has the story…

Cut 1 (39) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

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The Louisiana Office of Tourism is asking you for sites submissions known for their unique birding and outdoor recreation as a part of the redesigned Louisiana Birding Trails project. Erik Piccoli has the story…

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Erik Piccoli” 

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Legislation to ban transgender athletes from female sports narrowly clears a hurdle in the Senate and now it moves to the House. But does it have the vote to overturn the Governor’s veto? Brooke Thorington explains.

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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The Senate kills an effort to override the Governor’s veto of legislation that would remove the need to get a permit to carry a concealed firearm for those 21 and older.

West Monroe Senator Jay Morris says his bill is a 2^nd Amendment issue and the state already allows people to carry guns without a permit.

Cut 4 (10) “…first.”

The final vote was 23-15, three votes shy of the two-thirds needed to override the veto. It cleared the Senate with 27 votes during the regular session but lost support in the nearly three months since that vote from one Democrat and three Republicans.

One of those lost votes came from Natchitoches Senator Louie Bernard. He says he changed his mind after some reflection away from Baton Rouge.

Cut 5 (13) “…in the session.”

Norco’s Gary Smith was the lone Democratic Senator to vote in favor during the regular session, but he says he changed his mind after thinking about his own experience as an avid gun collector.

Cut 6 (11) “…been invaluable.”

Smith also argued the Supreme Court has already ruled requiring concealed carry permits does not violate the 2^nd Amendment.

Marrero Senator Patrick Connick says he changed his mind after speaking with law enforcement leaders in his district. He says after that happened he got inundated with hateful messages…

Cut 7 (11) “…grandkids.” 

Baton Rouge Senator Franklin Foil also voted against overriding the veto after supporting the legislation during the regular session.

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The Louisiana Office of Tourism is seeking site nominations known for exceptional birding and outdoor recreation to be included for the redesigned Louisiana Birding Trails. Louisiana Byways Director Sharon Calcote says the submissions will help breath new life into these habitats that were developed in the 2000s…

Cut 8 (12) “…around the state.”

Birdwatching has a major impact on the tourism industry with 45 million Americans partaking in the activity. Calcote says outdoor recreation, which includes birdwatching, accounts for nearly 7 million dollars of income for the state…

Cut 9 (10) “…pretty substantial part.” 

Submissions can include local parks, state parks, wildlife management areas, and even private sites as long as the property owner agrees birdwatchers can visit their area. Calcote says currently there are around 254 trails on the website but that number isn’t fixed…

Cut 10 (6) “…anything that’s nominated.” 

Nominations can be submitted at www.labirdingtrails.com by September 30th

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Following weeks of heavy rainfall certain locations across the state are close to reaching their average rainfall total before August. State Climatologist Barry Keim says are the current rate this could be a record-breaking year…

Cut 11 (10) “…months to go.”

The southern half of the state has been hit the hardest with cities like Baton Rouge and New Orleans seeing an increase of 19 inches and 24 inches respectively while in Shreveport the increase has only been by almost four inches. Keim says that prior to march the rainfall level was below normal but the excessive number of fronts has changed everything…

Cut 12 (09) “…excessively wet pattern.” 

The severe drought occurring in the western part of the United States is related to the downpour in Louisiana. Keim says all the rain-producing weather systems are bypassing the west due to a large ridge but the pattern will do some shifting in the next few days…

Cut 13 (08) “…dry out a little bit.”

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It’s the House’s turn today to consider whether to overturn the governor’s veto of a bill that bans transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports. 70 votes are needed in the lower chamber in order to override the veto. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says if lawmakers vote upon party lines, the 68 Republicans will need two votes and there are two independent representatives are attending the session.

Cut 14 (08) “…the governor.”

Pinsonat says if Republicans need a Democrat to vote in order for this highly charged piece of legislation to be overturned.

Cut 15 (10)“…and helping Republicans.”

Governor Edwards vetoed 28 pieces of legislation from the 2021 legislative session, but the anti-transgender legislation is likely the only one that may be overridden…

Cut 16 (11) “…mattered.”

Pinsonat says if the transgender veto is overridden, it won’t make Edwards a complete lame duck for the remainder of his term but it could make it more difficult for him.

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LSU all-American cornerback Derek Stingley enters the season as the one of top players in all of college football. He’ll wear the coveted number seven jersey this season, which usually goes to the team’s best playmaker. Stingley says he’s excited to wear the number.

Cut 17 (12) …leave a mark.” 

After winning a national title in 2019 LSU is coming off a disappointing 5-5 season in 2020.  Stingley says he’s ready for a bounce-back season.

Cut  18 (13)”…this year.”

Senior offensive tackle Austin Deculus has been at LSU for quite some time and is adjusting to new O-line coach Brad Davis after playing under James Cregg for the past few seasons. Deculus thinks coach Davis is a great fit in Baton Rouge

Cut 19 (15) “…great fit for us.” 

The Senate votes to override Governor Edwards’ veto of legislation banning transgender athletes from playing on girls’ sports teams, sending the effort to the House where another two-thirds vote will be needed to complete the override. Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell told lawmakers her legislation is popular…

Cut 14 (10) “…these” 

But Alexandria Senator Jay Luneau says current Louisiana High School Athletic Association rules all but prohibit transgender athletes already…

Cut 15 (04) “…problem” 

The Senate also rejected a push to override Governor Edwards’ veto of legislation that would allow Louisianans to carry a concealed handgun without a permit or training. The failed override saw four Senators back away from their support in the regular session, putting it three votes shy of the two-thirds needed.

Parts of western St. Tammany Parish got inundated this morning leading to some home and street flooding. Slidell National Weather Service Meteorologist Chris Bannan says the area was already soaked with rain over the past few weeks, and when a land breeze blew through…

Cut 3 (12) “…10 inches.” 

Bannan says the area will experience widespread showers today, Wednesday, and possibly into Thursday.

There will be no COVID-related game rescheduling in the SEC this year according to Commissioner Greg Sankey. Sankey says if a team does not have enough players to play as a result of COVID, they may have to forfeit that game

Cut 7 (09) “…comes up”

The Advocate reports more than 90-percent of the LSU football team is vaccinated, one of the highest rates in the SEC.

The veto override of legislation banning transgender athletes from playing female sports clears the first hurdle, passing the Senate with one vote to spare. New Orleans Senator Karen Carter Peterson says 400 major businesses put out a statement calling bills like this discriminatory…

Cut 16 (12) “…law.” 

The NCAA has indicated that passage of this bill may endanger New Orleans’ hosting rights for the 2022 Final Four.

But Houma Senator “Big Mike” Fesi, speaking in support of the bill, says money shouldn’t factor into this decision…

Cut 17, 11 seconds, morals

The bill heads to the House

A number of St. Tammany Parish residents awoke to flash floods this morning.  Parish Officials say while the drainage systems were working as designed, events like today show a need for a comprehensive approach towards addressing drainage. St. Tammany Parish Public Information Director Michael Vinsanau says the worst flooding occurred in Mandeville south of I-12 along US 190…

Cut 5 (11) “…area”

Additional rain is expected in the coming days.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey says they will not reschedule football games this season if a team has a COVID outbreak. The Advocate reports more than 90-percent of the LSU football team is vaccinated, one of the highest rates in the SEC. Sankey says the league or schools cannot force players to get vaccinated, but they can educate…

Cut 9 (09) “…from our perspective.”

The Senate votes to override Governor Edwards’ veto of legislation that would ban transgender athletes from playing on female sports teams. Matt Doyle has more…
Cut 2 (32)…I’m Matt Doyle”.

The Senate failed however to garner enough votes to override the conceal carry veto. The law would have allowed Louisiana residents 21 and older without a felony, to carry a concealed handgun without a permit. The final vote in the Senate was 23-15 but it was not enough to override the veto.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey says they will not reschedule football games this season if a team is hit with a COVID outbreak. Sankey says last season’s schedule had open weeks so that games can be rescheduled, but that won’t be the case this season. This was his message to SEC athletes.
Cut 8 (05) “…throughout the year”

Sankey says if a team does not have enough players to play as a result of COVID, they may have to forfeit that game.

As cases numbers grow and Louisiana remains one of the least vaccinated states, Senator and physician Bill Cassidy was asked about his feelings on mask mandates for school systems this fall. Cassidy says if the CDC recommends face masks for school-age children he would support it.
Cut 11 (11) “…disease control.”

Cassidy also encouraged nonvaccinated individuals to talk to their physician about the vaccine and ignore the politics.

The veto override of legislation banning transgender athletes from playing on girls’ and women’s K-12 and higher ed sports teams clears the first hurdle, passing the Senate with one vote to spare. Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell wrote the bill…

Cut 13, 09, protection

The vote was strictly party line with all Democrats voting against. New Orleans Senator Karen Carter Peterson says 400 major businesses put out a statement calling bills like this discriminatory…

Cut 16, 12 seconds, law

Afterward, the Senate rejected a veto override of legislation that would have removed the need to have a permit to concealed carry a firearm. That effort appears to be completely dead for the session as a result.

St. Tammany Parish Government is asking residents in parts of Mandeville to stay off the road until floodwaters recede after up to ten inches of rain fell on parts of the area through the morning. St. Tammany Parish Public Information Director Michael Vinsanau says a number of homes flooded, but some of those floods were preventable…

Cut 6 (09) “…prevent”

Rain is expected to continue in western St. Tammany through the evening.

Last week LSU Health New Orleans Professor of Clinical Medicine, Doctor Catherine O’Neal said if you choose not to get vaccinated you are choosing death due to the danger the Delta variant poses. Senator Bill Cassidy didn’t disagree…

Cut 12 (10) “…vaccine.”

Today the state reported the 500,000^th confirmed positive COVID-19 test since the start of the pandemic last March.

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The historic veto-override session is underway. Lawmakers have convened, and some in an effort to make vetoed bills into law, despite Governor John Bel Edwards’ opposition. A total 28 bills were rejected by the governor. One of the most publicized bills is legislation banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports. That bill has just passed in the Senate with a two-thirds majority and now heads to the house.

As cases numbers grow and Louisiana remains one of the least vaccinated states, Senator and physician Bill Cassidy encourages those who are unvaccinated to speak with their personal physician about the vaccine and ignore the politics.

Cut 10 (11) “…their physician.”

The state reported more than 15-hundred new COVID cases today and 20 fatalities. Hospitalizations increase also and currently 779 are in hospitals across the state with COVID.

Rain overnight and into the morning caused flooding in several cities in St. Tammany Parish this morning near the Mandeville region. Slidell National Weather Service Meteorologist Chris Bannan the afternoon heat should help the area dry up somewhat, but more showers are in the immediate forecast, and areas that flooded this morning should take precautions and the surrounding area also.

Cut 4 (11) “…too fast”

St. Tammany Parish Public Information Director Michael Vinsanau says most of the worst flooding occurred in Mandeville south of I-12 along US 190…

Cut 5 (11) “…area”

Vinsanau asks residents to stay off the local flooded roads not only for their own safety but out of courtesy to their neighbors.

Louisiana lawmakers have convened the first veto session in the state’s history. Governor John Bel Edwards vetoed 28 bills that passed the state legislature this year. Republican House Speaker Clay Schexnayder is confident they have the two-thirds vote needed to override the governor’s veto of a bill that prohibits transgender individuals from participating in women’s sports….
Cut 27 (05) “…act bill.”
But Baton Rouge Democrat Ted James believes the veto session is a waste of taxpayer dollars…
cut 15 (07) “….represent”
LaPolitcs.com Publisher Jeremy Alford says legislators have until the end of Saturday to finish their business and all of the public action will take place in the House and Senate chambers…
Cut 24 (09) “…and Senate

Parts of Mandeville received up to ten inches of rain this morning, flooding homes and shutting down streets in parts of St. Tammany Parish’s second-largest city. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 1 (30) “ …I’m Matt Doyle”