Louisiana marks another all-time high at the gas pump today. BrookeThorington has more.
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The House Education Committee soundly defeated a bill that would dictate how race should be incorporated into the teaching of history. Jeff Palermo has the story…
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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…
Freiberg’s bill would charge EV owners 110-dollars annually and hybrid owners 60-dollars annually.
Hybrid and EV owners would be asked to report they own these types of vehicles on their state income tax returns. The House approved the legislation 82-13 and it will also take two-thirds approval to pass the Senate, since it’s a fee.
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The average price for regular gasoline in Louisiana hits an all-time high at $4.19 a gallon today, surpassing the previous record of $4.16 set in March. Triple-A fuel analyst Don Redman says gas prices have increased 33-cents in the last month and are way up over last year.
In addition to gas prices, the average price for diesel is up to $5.21 a gallon in Louisiana. Redman says that’s about $2.33 higher than this time last year. He says diesel prices will also be felt by consumers at grocery stores, retail stores, etc.
And while Triple-A predicted a robust travel season this year due to pent-up demand as pandemic restrictions are relaxed, Redman says however their forecast might have to be altered due to prices at the pump. He says Memorial Day Weekend travel is still expected to be high.
Redman says driving the speed limit and making sure your tires are properly inflated will help make your vehicle more fuel-efficient.
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Today the Food and Drug Administration announced that it has authorized a booster dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11. Dr. Mark Kline, the Chief Medical Officer at Children’s Hospital in New Orleans says this is something he’s been waiting for…
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Unfortunately, says Dr. Kline, a large number of children in the state are ineligible for the booster since an overwhelming number of kids in the five to 11 age group haven’t been vaccinated at all. Nationally, just under 30 percent of children have received the vaccine, and in Louisiana, the numbers are much lower…
Kline emphasizes that millions of children have taken the vaccine without any major side effects and with case numbers once again on the rise, this is as good a time as there’s ever been to vaccinate your child.
Between 0.1 and 1.5 percent of child COVID-19 cases resulted in hospitalization, according to data from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
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The House Education Committee killed a bill from its former chairman Ray Garofalo who was trying to pass legislation on how race should be taught in public schools. Garofalo says he’s trying to keep politics out of the teaching of history
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Garofalo says his bill would prevent teachers from telling students that any race is more superior or inferior. He says there is indoctrination going on in schools and Homer Representative Patrick Jefferson says show me the evidence……
Baton Rouge Representative Barbara Freiberg says it would be impossible to enforce this legislation
The bill was deferred by the committee without objection.