A federal judge issues a June 20th deadline for lawmakers to submit a new Congressional Redistricting map and Governor Edwards has called for a six-day special session to begin June 15th. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”
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New fees for drivers of all-electric and hybrid vehicles are set to go into effect. David Grubb has more on what the state will do with this additional revenue…
Cut 2 (33) “…I’m David Grubb.”
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State Education Superintendent Cade Brumley says the 2022 legislative session that ended yesterday was a good one for education, especially for teachers who are getting a 15-hundred dollar pay raise. Brumley says legislators also addressed the teaching shortage crisis by approving a program called the Geaux Teach Program
Brumley says another piece of legislation approved to address the teacher shortage is that any resident who has a Master’s Degree in a particular content to teach at a local school in their area of expertise…
Cut 4 (08) “…other professions.”
Brumley says lawmakers also approved a bill requiring every student in high school to take a class in geometry.
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Governor John Bel Edwards has called for a special session to begin June 15th after a federal judge rejected the Congressional Redistricting Map the Legislature approved in February. Research Director with the Public Affairs Research Council Melinda Deslatte (Duh-Lot) says the judge issued a June 20th deadline for the new map that must have two majority-minority districts.
The special session must end by 6 PM on Monday June 20.
Edwards initially vetoed the map lawmakers passed but the veto was overridden and the map ended up in court. Deslatte says Monday’s judgment has Republicans who approved the map seeking alternatives.
Deslatte says it was an ending to a regular session that she’s never seen before in Louisiana and with the deadline less than two weeks away it’s anyone’s guess as to what will happen.
Cut 8 (11) “…uncertain at the moment.”
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One of the bills to pass the legislative session is HB 1031, which adds an annual fee of $110 for all-electric vehicles and a $60 fee for hybrid owners to help offset the losses from gas tax collections. Transportation Secretary Sean Wilson says the legislation is about making sure everyone who uses the roads helps maintain them.
Cut 9 (12) “…average driver pays.”
Wilson says that the feedback that he’s gotten from drivers and the auto industry has been positive so far and that the fee system will continue to develop just as the technology and the marketplace for electric and hybrid vehicles do.
Cut 10 (12) ” …tweaked over time.”
A number of states already have legislation in place to help recoup revenues lost to electric and hybrid vehicles, and Wilson says that comparatively speaking Louisiana’s fees are lower than most. With the huge investment made in infrastructure in this year’s budget, Wilson wants the state to move to the forefront in both preparedness and innovation.
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Louisiana is receiving 176-million dollars to bring reliable internet service to rural areas. The governor’s office says it’s enough money to connect 88-thousand homes and businesses with high-speed internet. Executive Director of Louisiana Broadband and Connectivity Veneeth Iyengar (Vuh-neeth Eye-IN-gar) says Louisiana is one of only four states to receive this money from the U-S Department of Treasury
Iyengar says the money will go to the state’s new GUMBO program, a grant program for internet providers who want to bring broadband service to rural areas…
Cut 13 (12) “…internet service providers.”
Iyengar says this money is coming from American Rescue Plan that was approved by Congress and they know more money will be coming from the historic infrastructure bill passed late last year…