With the 2024 regular legislative session in the books, Colleen Crain has a review from Council for a Better Louisiana President…
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Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell’s bill banning unauthorized cell phones on school grounds heads to Governor Jeff Landry’s desk to be signed after unanimous approval by the State Senate. Sean Richardson has more.
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Judges in Louisiana will soon have the option to sentence those who commit sexual crimes against a child under the age of 13 to surgical castration in addition to prison time. Brooke Thorington has more.
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Governor Jeff Landry’s first regular legislative session ended Monday night. Council for a Better Louisiana President, Barry Erwin says there were several anticipated important issues that lawmakers addressed and others that popped up in the session…
Erwin says it’s possible that a Constitutional Convention could still be held, for example, if Governor Landry called for what would be his third special session this year.
Among the biggest issues lawmakers passed, Erwin says was a package of bills to lower insurance rates.
Cut 5 (11) “…pretty significant.”
Erwin says a big win for the governor was the passage of the Gator Scholarship Program. The Education Savings Account bill that passed wasn’t what was proposed initially. Erwin says the program will be smaller in scale and…
The Gator Scholarship Program is set to begin for the 2025-26 school year.
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Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says the state will not renew a contract for a Louisiana float to appear in this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Nungesser says they didn’t see a boost in tourism inquiries last year.
Instead, they will continue participating in the New Year’s Day Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, and they are looking for some helping hands.
Nungesser says that compared to Macy’s Parade the return on investment is night and day.
If you’re interested in volunteering, visit EXPLORELOUISIANA.COM for more information
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Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell’s bill that would ban cell phones from classrooms heads to Governor Jeff Landry’s desk to be signed. Mizell says there are options for schools to determine how phones will be stored but no matter what method used, positive results will be achieved.
One area of pushback was the possible cost that could have been incurred but Mizell says more solutions have been suggested that wouldn’t add any additional cost to schools.
Cut 11 (12) “…really cool system.”
Feedback from the Teacher Workforce Commission says the number one issue was the lack of attention in classrooms while competing with students using cell phones. Mizell says with this bill teachers should be getting some help.
If signed the bill would go into effect in the 2024-2025 school year.
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Judges in Louisiana will have the option to sentence those who commit sex crimes against children to surgical castration, in addition to prison time. Bill Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow told Denham Spring Senator Valerie Hodges that far too often perpetrators are repeat offenders.
Cut 13 (10) “…doing it again.”
The surgical castration option would apply if the victim is under the age of 13. Judges already have the discretion to order chemical castration, which is less invasive, as a sentencing option for aggravated sex crimes.
The bill, which a Democrat authored, received overwhelming support from GOP lawmakers. Barrow says such crimes against children are inexcusable.
When someone violates a child, Barrow says it’s something that child must deal with for the rest of their life and she believes surgical castration should be an option, because…
The bill would take effect August 1st.
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LSU’s season ended last night with a crushing four-to-three loss in ten innings to North Carolina in the Chapel Hill Regional. The Tar Heels scored the tying run in the ninth inning off LSU ace pitcher Gage Jump and UNC took the lead in the tenth inning when freshman right fielder Jake Brown dropped a fly ball to let the go-ahead run get on second base. Coach Jay Johnson didn’t want to see the season end…
Cut 16 (11) “…Super Regional at home.”
LSU took a 3-2 lead in the third inning when Jared Jones connected on his 28th home run. Tigers relief pitcher Will Hellmers had the best performance of his LSU career as he threw 5.2 innings of scoreless baseball. It was Hellmers last game in an LSU uniform
Hellmers appreciated the opportunity he was given…