A Senate committee barely passed legislation to add members of the LGBT community to Louisiana’s anti-discrimination laws. Jeff Palermo has more…
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Legislation that would create a legal framework between parents and surrogate mothers moves to the full House. Emelie Gunn has more…
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Students could be allowed to attend any public school in their district, under a proposal approved by the House Education Committee. Halen Doughty has more…
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”
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Legislation that seeks to protect gays and transgender individuals from discrimination is heading to the Senate floor after barely getting enough votes to pass out of a committee. Author of the measure, New Orleans Senator JP Morrell says there shouldn’t be any discrimination in the law.
The Louisiana Family Forum and the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry oppose the bill, but they need not speak out in opposition during committee debate. Morrell says it’s not fair to deny someone of a job or license because of your personal views on them.
The measure would broaden existing anti-discrimination laws to include LGBT individuals and people with disabilities. Morrell says if you’re going to protect one group form discrimination, you should protect everyone.
The bill passed on a 2-1 vote and heads to the Senate floor for more debate.
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A bill that would set up a legal framework in Louisiana between parents and surrogate mothers now moves to the full Senate for final legislative passage. The proposed law would grant immediate custody of the child to the genetic parents rather than the surrogate mother. Norco Sen. Gary Smith says this measure will protect Louisiana families…
Diana Wallace with the Louisiana Right to Life spoke in opposition to the bill because she says it doesn’t protect unborn human beings to the extent that Louisiana should. She says she is concerned a surrogate may be pressured to have an abortion if it turns out she will have more than one child.
Currently, a baby born to a surrogate is considered that woman’s child. Author of the legislation, Lafayette Rep. Stuart Bishop, says….
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The House Education Committee has approved a bill that would allow students to attend any public school in their district. Hammond Representative Chris Broadwater supports the proposal. He says this opens the doors for children to attend the best schools, no matter where they are zoned, provided the school they choose has room for more students.
Under current law, public school students who attend a “D” or “F” graded school can attend a higher performing school in their district. The bill by Lafayette Representative Stuart Bishop gives students who attend an “A,” “B” or “C” school a choice as well. Broadwater says Bishop’s bill would mean schools will have to step up to the plate to be the best in their district.
Associate Executive Director of the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents, Donald Songy, says this would be a difficult policy to put in place. He says principals usually don’t know their capacity until the school year begins, and wonders how many times students would be able to switch schools.
Songy says he has concerns about what would happen if there were 15 spots open at a school and 85 parents trying to get their children in.
The measure heads to the House floor.
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The House Health and Welfare Committee unanimously approved legislation that would establish a Bullying Awareness and Treatment Taskforce aimed at ending bullying in Louisiana. Shreveport Representative Barbara Norton says a large number of Louisiana students are being bullied, and many are too afraid to speak up about it.
Norton says this taskforce would include representatives from the Department of Education, as well as the Department of Health and Hospitals’ mental health services. She says the goal is to help children on both sides of the bullying.
Norton says this group would identify how and where bullying starts and how it progresses. She says the taskforce’s findings could help both children and adults.
Norton says this would not create more costs for the state, because they would only pay for travel and meals for the four members of the taskforce. The measure moves to the House floor for more consideration.