Despite a court order to map a congressional map with two minority districts the legislature failed to deliver. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 1 (42) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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Safety concerns at state juvenile facilities force Governor Edwards to utilize State Police and Correctional Officers for support. David Grubb has more.
Cut 2 (36) “…I’m David Grubb.”
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The special legislative session to pass a court-ordered congressional map with two Black majority districts failed to pass and now lawmakers await feedback from the judicial system. Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields says despite his efforts with a map that had two Black districts, in the end, the legislature simply had no desire to pass a new map.
Cut 3 (09) “…districts.”
Chair of Senate Governmental Affairs, Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt says the legislature did make a concerted effort, but in the end, she says the votes weren’t there.
Cut 4 (10) “…to support.”
Hewitt presented a map for consideration in the special session, but it only contained one Black majority district. Fields says Republicans weren’t willing to pass any map except the one that passed in the original redistricting session.
Cut 5 (11) “…sending to the committee.”
Even though the session adjourned on the fourth legislative day Hewitt says Judge Shelly Dick’s order that only allowed them six days to pass a new map wasn’t realistic.
Cut 6 (09) “…to do so.”
Judge Dick set a court date of June 29th for attorneys to present congressional maps for her consideration while the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has a July 8th court date set. Attorney General Jeff Landry is petitioning the State Supreme Court to rule on the matter.
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After recent incidents at the Bridge City Center for Youth and the Swanson Center for Youth in Monroe, Governor John Bel Edwards has directed the Louisiana State Police and The Department of Corrections to provide personnel to those facilities to help with staffing shortages. Office of Juvenile Justice Spokesperson Nicolette Gordon says they welcome the governor’s assistance…
Cut 7 (11) “…of the shift.”
Gordon says the staffing shortage hasn’t been limited to guards but extends to service providers needed on-hand to help with the rehabilitation of juvenile offenders and that both are required for these facilities to fulfill their roles.
Cut 8 (08) “…things in order.”
OJJ was provided with $5 million for enhancements during the 2022 Regular Legislative Session that can be accessed immediately. Gordon says the public can be assured there has not been any significant increase in incidents at the four state-operated secure care facilities and safety both inside and out remains a priority.
Cut 9 (11) “…have been seeing.”
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State Police say two young men – ages 17 and 18 – were killed Sunday night, as they dealt with car trouble along Interstate 10 near Jennings. Trooper Derek Senegal says the boys’ car ran out of gas & they called for help. He says they walked a few feet over to the I-10 frontage road…:
Cut 10 (07) ” …another vehicle.”
Trooper Senegal says the driver of the Jeep Wrangler that struck them stopped and called for help. He told officers he could not see the boys in the glare from oncoming headlights…:
Cut 11 (09) “…headlights put out.”
The victims are identified as 18-year-old Kyle Vidrine, of Lake Arthur, and 17-year-old Brannon Adams, of Jennings. Senegal says it is standard practice to obtain blood toxicology samples in such cases, however….:
Cut 12 (05) “…the Jeep Wrangler.”
The crash remains under investigation.
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New Orleans Representative Royce Duplessis and Vice-Chair of House Governmental Affairs says the current congressional map does not meet certain standards required by the Voting Rights Act because it doesn’t reflect the state’s one-third black population.
Cut 13 (08) “…voter dilution.”
Duplessis says while the most recent Census didn’t show much growth in the state’s overall population, he says of the six congressional districts the state’s one-third Black residents should be represented by two of those districts, not one.
Cut 14 (08) “…lies a problem.”
Duplessis made the remarks at the Baton Rouge Press Club meeting this afternoon.
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Cut 15 (12) “…unnecessary.”
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Cut 16 (08) “…their businesses“