Bills that seek to insure Louisianans right to birth control is secure have been filed for the upcoming legislative session. Public Policy Professional Mary Patricia Wray says the bills also define the methods of birth control.

Cut 8 (13) “…prevents disease.” 

A White Castle man is missing after driving his car in Bayou Lafourche following a single vehicle crash in Assumption Parish on Saturday. Trooper Ross Brennan says a Grand Marquis driven by 64-year-old Gilbert Bunch Juinor traveled off the roadway after failing to stop for a stop sign at LA Highway 1 and Highway 398.

Cut 3 (07) “…partially submerged.”  

A woman was able to fight off an alleged attack at a laundromat near Lacombe Sunday. St Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Lt. Suzanne Carboni says the woman fatally stabbed her alleged attacker, 40-year-old twice convicted sex offender Nicholas Tranchet. She says the woman fled to a family member’s home and called police. Tranchet was unresponsive when authorities arrived and later died from his injuries at a local hospital.

Cut 12 (11)  “…life-threatening.”  

The U-L Lafayette softball team ended Oklahoma’s NCAA record 71-game winning streak on Sunday. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (24)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo” 

The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office says a woman fatally stabbed a twice convicted sex offender at a Lacombe are laundromat on Sunday afternoon. Lt. Suzanne Carboni says 40-year Nicholas Tranchat tried to attack the woman with a sharp weapon…
Cut 11 (12) “…safety.”
Tranchat died from his injuries at a local hospital.

The search continues for a White Castle man who drove his vehicle into Lafourche Bayou in Assumption Parish early Saturday morning. State Police Trooper Ross Brennan says 64-year-old Gilbert Bunch Junior was last seen near the vehicle before it became fully submerged…
cut 5 (05) “…a contact”
Brennan says a passenger in Bunch’s vehicle survived the incident and swam to the bank.

Legislation to prevent the state from interfering with or refusing the right to contraception has been filed for the upcoming session.
Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Several repeat champions in girls high school basketball at the state tournament in Hammond. Rosepine, Parkway, Wossman, Lafayette Christian and Parkview Baptist were all repeat winners. Fairview won its 15th state title in school history with an entertaining win over Hicks on Friday night. Boys semifinal action gets underway today in Lake Charles.

The regular session gets underway next week and Louisiana lawmakers will address a bill to codify the right to contraception for Louisianans. Public Policy Professional Mary Patricia Wray says because Louisiana has a very high rate of domestic abuse and other sex-related crimes that can lead to pregnancy and disease…

Cut 7 (10) “…not wanted.”  

The bills also define what methods of birth control are included.

18-year-old Jaylon Joiner, a student at Carencro High School, was fatally shot while getting off at a bus stop in Lafayette Parish Friday. Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office Spokesperson Valerie Ponseti (pon-set-tee) says Joiner was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds outside the Carencro city limits.

Cut 9 (06) “…Bradford Drive.” 

Ponseti says 19-year-old Malikai Doucet was arrested and charged with second degree murder of Joiner.

Now that the special session is over, it’s time to look ahead to the regular session which begins a week from today. Shreveport Senator Alan Seabaugh has filed legislation to prohibit the installation and use of red light and speed cameras by local governments. The Republican says the biggest problem with traffic cameras is the money and when you pay a camera ticket…

Cut 30 (10) “…the wayside.” 

State Police are searching for a White Castle man who is still missing following a single vehicle crash after the vehicle went into Bayou Lafourche in Assumption Parish on Saturday. Trooper Ross Brennan says a Grand Marquis driven by 64 year old Gilbert Bunch Juinor traveled off the roadway after failing to stop for a stop sign at LA Highway 1 and Highway 398. He says multiple agencies have searched for Bunch in Bayou Lafourche.

Cut 4 (10) “…for him.” 

Bills to codify the right to contraception in Louisiana have been filed for the upcoming legislative session. Public Policy Professional Mary Patricia Wray says House Bill 395 and Senate Bill 225 seek to secure the right of birth control for Louisianans.
Cut 6 (11) “…the United States.”
The bills are similar to legislation pending in ten other states. The Louisiana bill will be heard in the three month long regular session that begins next week.

Another bill to be heard will make it illegal to use artificial intelligence to portray someone in a false light. Marrero Senator Patrick Connick…
cut 12 (09) “….not true”
Connick is concerned that candidates for offices will use A-I to spread a false narrative about their opponent.

Stronger penalties are coming for carjackers. It’s the result of legislation authored by Metairie Representative Laurie Schlegel and approved in the recently completed crime special session. Schlegel says if a carjacking results in serious injury to the victim, the minimum sentence starts at 20 years…
Cut 21 (10) “…our state.”
Governor Jeff Landry is expected to sign the bill this week.

The CDC says you no longer need to isolate for five days if you have COVID. The new guidelines advise to stay home if you’re sick, but you can return to work or school if you are feeling better and fever-free for 24 hours. LSU Health New Orleans Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Fred Lopez says the CDC still encourages you to play it safe for five days…
Cut 14 (09) “…distancing.”

Governor Jeff Landry is expected to sign the bills this week approved in the crime special session, including the legislation that will result in longer prison sentences for car jackers and fentanyl dealers….
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Jeanne Burns.”

Calcasieu Parish Sheriff deputies are looking for the gunman in a drive by shooting that killed 65-year-old Annette Touvell of Lake Charles on Saturday night. Authorities say Touvell was in her home south of Lake Charles watching TV, when multiple rounds of gunfire were fired at the home. Sheriff Tony Mancuso says they have no reason to believe this home or family was specifically targeted.

A White Castle man is missing after he drove a vehicle into a bayou in Assumption Parish early Saturday morning. Trooper Ross Brennan says 64 year old Gilbert Bunch Junior failed to stop for a stop sign at LA Highway 1 and Highway 398.
Cut 3 (07) “…partially submerged.”
Bunch was last seen wearing dark-colored clothing. A passenger in the vehicle survived the plunge into the bayou as he swam to the bank.

Shreveport Senator Alan Seabaugh has filed legislation for the upcoming regular session to prohibit local governments from using speed or red light cameras to issue tickets. Seabaugh says these devices are being used as a money grab….
cut 5 (10) “…the wayside”
When individuals pay court costs for a ticket written by law enforcement it goes towards funding public defenders, the DA’s office, clerk of courts, crime lab, and various other entities.

Governor Landry is expected to sign this week the bills approved in the recently completed special session on crime. House Bill 7 is among the pieces of legislation approved. Metairie Representative Laurie Schlegel says it requires a minimum of a five-year sentence for a person convicted of carjacking. Right now the minimum penalty is two years…
cut 8 (08) “….tackle carjacking”
At least 15 of the bills approved during the tough on crime special session could increase state spending because it will result in longer prison sentences. House Democratic Caucus Chairman Matthew Willard…
cut 29 (11) “…cost”
But the governor’s spokesperson says the legislation will lower crime and less crime means greater economic opportunities for everyone.

Some lawmakers are concerned about the possible misuse of A.I. and have proposed a new law to address it. Marrero Senator Patrick Connick says the public needs to be protected from potential misrepresentation the new technology makes possible…
Cut 10 (11) “…person’s consent.”
Connick’s bill will be heard in the three month long regular session that begins next week.

The CDC says you no longer need to isolate for five days if you have COVID. The new guidelines advise you to still stay home if sick, but you can return to work or school if you are feeling better and fever-free for 24 hours. LSU Health New Orleans Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Fred Lopez says this mirrors other respiratory illnesses like flu and RSV.
Cut 13 (09) “…as well.”

Governor Landry is expected to sign this week a package of bills approved from the crime special session. One of the bills increases the penalties for those who package fentanly to make it attractive for minors. Metairie Representative Laurie Schlegel authored the bill that calls for a 25 to 99-year prison sentence for a person convicted of designing fentanyl so it looks like candy…
Cut 9 (11) “..not acceptable.”

A three-month long regular session begins next week. There will be another attempt by legislators to make it illegal for local governments to use red light or speed cameras as a way to issue traffic tickets. Supporters of the ticket writing cameras say it leads to safer driving habits, but Shreveport Senator Alan Seabaugh says there’s no evidence to support they do…
cut 6 (08) “…slowing down”
Seabaugh says he’s received positive feedback from other legislators about his bill.

Artificial Intelligence technology continues to advance and a lawmaker concerned about possible misuse has proposed a bill to address it. Colleen Crain has more…
Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Colleen Crain”

cut 21 celebratory screaming”
That’s the U-L Lafayette softball team celebrating after recording the final out that ended Oklahoma’s NCAA record 71-game winning streak. The Cajuns defeated the Sooners seven to five in ten innings. The win for the Cajuns leaves LSU as the nation’s only softball team still undefeated.

Stronger penalties are coming for carjackers. It’s the result of legislation authored by Metairie Representative Laurie Schlegel and approved in the recently completed crime special session. Schlegel says if a carjacking results in serious injury to the victim, the minimum sentence starts at 20 years…
Cut 7 (10) “…our state.”
Governor Jeff Landry is expected to sign the bill this week.

The C-D-C says a person who tests positive for Covid no longer has to isolate for five days. A person can return to work or school once they start feeling better and have been fever-free for 24 hours. LSU Health New Orleans Infectious Disease Specialist Doctor Fred Lopez says the guidelines are welcome news, but COVID can still lead to serious illness…
cut 15 (09) “…better phase”

A bill to prohibit the use of traffic cameras for speed enforcement by local governments has been filed for the upcoming regular session. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Authorities are looking for a 64-year-old driver who drove into Bayou Lafourche in Assumption Parish early Saturday morning. A passenger in the vehicle swam to safety and last saw the driver, Gilbert Bunch of White Castle, near the vehicle prior to it becoming fully submerged. Bunch was not in the vehicle after it was pulled out of the water.