On a 75-27 vote, the Louisiana House approves legislation that calls for a constitutional convention so lawmakers and delegates chosen by the governor can make several changes to the state constitution. The bill was amended to change the start date from May 20th to August 1st and New Iberia Representative Beau Beaullieu says there will be convention committee hearings in June and July…
cut 13 (10) “….have protected”
The measure heads to the Senate.

Legislation to add exceptions for rape and incest to the state’s near total abortion ban failed to get out of a House committee. It’s a personal issue for bill author and New Orleans Democratic Representative Delisha Boyd. Boyd says her mother was raped in her teens and turned to drugs to cope with the trauma and died before she was 30.
Cut 8 (07) “…these children.”
But opponents of Boyd’s bill say pregnancies should be carried to term no matter what led to the conception of that child.

A bill closing in on final legislative passage says public schools would no longer allow children to have access to their phone during instructional time. It would have to be either turned off or stowed away. House Education approved the measure on a ten to one vote. The lone no vote came from Gray Representative Beryl Amedee…
cut 5 (13) “….we have an avenue”
Supporters say phones have become a big distraction in the classroom.

A three-judge federal panel that rejected the Congressional map approved by lawmakers earlier this year have ordered the Legislature to come up with a new map by June 3rd or the courts will draw the map. But Secretary of State Nancy Landry says it needs a new map by May 15th in order to run a proper federal election in November. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says the federal court system has put the state in a tough position…
cut 16 (06) “….more and more bizarre”