12:30 Newscast, July 31st, 2015

Over 260 bills passed in this year’s legislative session become law on August 1st. Jeff Palermo looks at two of the new laws…:
CUT 1 (28) “reporting”

The State Department of Education has revoked the licenses of two day care centers in Louisiana. Our Blessings Christian Daycare Learning Center in Baton Rouge was inspected after a complaint was lodged with the department that a child was left at a restaurant during a field trip in May and didn’t report the incident to authorities or parents. The Storybook Daycare and Discovery Zone in Bossier City also had its license revoked.

Lake Charles Police announce that they have solved an aggravated rape case from October of 1999. Deputy Chief of Police, Mark Kraus, says the seven month investigation culminated in an arrest warrant for 45-year-old Austin Mott. Kraus says advances in technology led to them getting a DNA match from the physical evidence…:
CUT 7 (07) “against a child”
In the 1999 incident, the victim was severely beaten and sexually assaulted while jogging at the Lake Charles Civic Center. He says this is part of their re-opening of several cold cases they are working hard to solve.

Gas prices continue their rapid decline. The current statewide average for a gallon of regular in Louisiana is $2.41 which is 6 cents lower than last week.