Legislation seeking to triple state legislators’ pay to $60,000 will be heard in the legislative session that begins today. Teiko Foxx has more.
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More Louisianans consider themselves pro-choice than pro-life, that’s according to a poll conducted last week. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 2 (35) “….I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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State lawmakers returned to the capitol today for a two-month long legislative session. They will be asked to vote for a that would legislator’s pay from $16,800 annually to $60k. Lawmakers have not received a raise since 1980 and if the bill by Gretna Representative Joe Marino is approved, it will go into effect next year.
Lawmakers have not received an increase in salary since 1980 when Jimmy Carter was President. Marino says the pay is too low and only the wealthy or self-employed can afford to hold the seats in the Legislature.
Cut 4 (12) “…without opposition.”
The Louisiana Legislature approved a legislative pay raise in 2008 but after public pressure, then Governor Bobby Jindal vetoed the bill. Marino says legislators are getting out of the law making business because of the low pay…
Marino will not run for reelection. He has decided to spend more time with his family and concentrate more on his work as a criminal defense attorney.
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Governor Edwards gave his last “State of the State” address today as the 2023 legislative session got underway. Over the next two months, lawmakers will debate a wide variety of bills, including legislation to improve the state’s property insurance market. Edwards says he does not want to see legislation that makes it easier for insurers to wear people down…
Edwards says he’s once again asking lawmakers to pass legislation to raise the minimum wage and add rape and incest exceptions to the state’s abortion ban and for the first time in an address to the entire Louisiana Legislature the governor gave his position on the death penalty…
Edwards says this session he’s also supporting paid family and medical leave legislation and equal pay legislation for men and women who do the same work…
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A poll, conducted last week, indicates a majority of Louisianans are more pro-choice than pro-life when it comes to the issue of abortion. John Couvillon with JMC Analytics says 53 percent support a constitutional amendment to establish the right to an abortion. He says after the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v Wade…
Cut 9 (11) “…level of exceptions.”
49 percent identify as pro-choice compared to 44 percent who are pro-life.
Several advocacy groups who support a woman’s right to choose commissioned the survey of 1,000 individuals.
Couvillon says the poll asked if exceptions should be made for rape or incest and if a physician believes it’s medically necessary.
Cut 10 (10) “…that exception.”
70 percent support exceptions for cases involving rape and incest.
(73 percent support a medically necessary exception).
Of the individuals surveyed, 38 percent were Republican, 39 percent Democratic, and 23 percent Independent. Couvillon says the breakdown is one lawmakers must consider during this legislative session and election year.
The poll was conducted April 3-6, 2023.
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State Police are investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting at a Lafayette nightclub Sunday evening. Trooper Thomas Gossen says shortly before 11 PM Lafayette Police responded to shots fired in which an off-duty officer working a security detail at the club was involved.
The names of the victim and the Lafayette police officer have not been released.
The officer was not injured.