State lawmakers convene in Baton Rouge today with a one-point-six billion dollar budget shortfall hanging over their heads. Scott Carwile has the story…

cut 3 (30) “reporting”

Shreveport Police say a suspect wanted in a weekend shooting that sent one man to the hospital has been arrested. Authorities report 21-year-old Gregory O’Neal is charged with principal to attempted first degree murder. They say 20-year-old Darrell Bell was driving when he was shot at by the driver of another car. Bell suffered a gunshot wound to his side and was able to drive himself to a local hospital. Police are still working to find more suspects.

One bill set to be discussed during the 2015 legislative session would raise the base pay for severs from $2.13 per hour to at least minimum wage. Monroe Representative Marcus Hunter says he doesn’t want to continue to see hard working people who are committed to serving their businesses go home with less than minimum wage. He says that’s what HB 677 aims to correct…

cut 12 (06) “are paid fairly”

Hunter says whether you get good tips or not, $2.13 an hour is deplorable pay for any worker.

The enormous budget deficit is expected to be the biggest issue lawmakers deal with this session, there are still many other issues, such as Common Core, on the agenda as well. LaPolitics-dot-com publisher Jeremy Alford says with re-election just around the corner, it will be interesting to see if lawmakers even want to get involved in some of the hot button bills…

cut 9 (07) “get a hearing at all”

He says some of those hot button issues include same-sex marriage and marijuana legalization.