10:30 LRN Newscast May 17

The Louisiana House approves legislation requiring electric and hybrid owners paying an annual road usage fee. Baton Rouge Representative Barbara Freiberg says the state’s 20-cent per gallon gasoline tax pays for highway upkeep and improvement and she wants to make sure E-V and hybrid vehicle owners pay their fair share…

Cut 3 (07) “….that privilege”

Freiberg’s bill would charge EV owners 110-dollars annually and hybrid owners 60-dollars annually.

It isn’t the $500-million that Governor John Bel Edwards wanted, but the budget bill headed to the Senate floor this week includes $300-million in seed money for a new Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge. State Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson says the money will be used to draw down federal money….

Cut 10 (09) “…more dollars.”

An effort to phase out a temporary sales tax, set to expire in 2025, is dead for the legislative session. Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala’s bill proposed to begin reducing the temporary sales tax next year. Norco Senator Gary Smith is concerned it will produce budget deficits for the 2024 administration.

Cut 9 (12)  “…are tied.”

The .45-percent sales tax generates about 400-million dollars annually.

House Civil Law approves legislation to make it illegal to discriminate against a person based on certain hairstyles. The measure passed on an eight to six vote as two Republicans joined Democrats voting in favor. Abita Springs Republican Larry Frieman says the bill leaves it open-ended on what hairstyles would be protected under this proposed law.

Cut 15 (12)  “…about yet.”