A Baton Rouge federal judge has scheduled a hearing today to decide if Angola death row inmates should have air conditioning. Emelie Gunn has more…
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Lotte (Low-tay) Chemical and Axiall begin construction on a massive chemical manufacturing complex in Lake Charles. Jeff Palermo has more…
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Louisiana is now in compliance with a federal identification law, as Governor John Bel Edwards has signed the REAL ID Act into law. Halen Doughty has more…
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”
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U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson has scheduled a hearing today to determine if death row inmates at Angola should have air conditioning. Legal Analyst Tim Meche says the state came up with their own heat remediation plan that consists of fans, ice chests, and cold showers for the prisoners, rather than AC. He says with all the legal fees the state spent fighting this, window units could’ve been placed in that area of the prison.
Meche says Judge Jackson will not likely reverse his ruling of installing air conditioners in death row, which would cost about a million dollars. He says this is a big waste of taxpayer money.
Jackson ruled that it is unconstitutional for the inmates to live where the heat index is higher than 88 degrees. Last July, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said inmates could get relief from the heat without air conditioning. But Meche says if Jackson rules again that air conditioning needs to be installed at death row, the 5th circuit court will likely not overturn Jackson’s decision.
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Lotte (Low-tay) Chemical and Axiall have broken ground on a three billion dollar chemical manufacturing complex in Lake Charles. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says this investment will create hundreds of quality jobs…
Pierson says with these jobs coming to southwest Louisiana it will help make up for the employment losses in the oil and gas industry….
Cut 8 (10) “construction workers”
Pierson expects the plants will be up and running by 2019. He says the project will greatly benefit the workforce in Louisiana.
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Governor John Bel Edwards has signed the REAL ID Act into law, bringing Louisiana into compliance with the 2005 federal ruling that created national identification standards in the wake of 9/11. Edwards says these ID’s will be required for air travel, even domestic, in the near future.
Opponents say the federal law is government overreach and raise concerns about sharing information with a national database. Edwards says getting a REAL ID is not mandatory.
The REAL ID is also required to enter federal courthouses and military bases. Edwards says this new law makes flying more convenient for those who choose to get a REAL ID because it means travelers won’t need a passport, birth certificate, or social security card with them when they fly domestically. He says it’s not mandated that everyone gets the Real ID driver’s license.
The Office of Motor Vehicles anticipates it will begin issuing REAL ID licenses in the fall of this year, and they will not cost any more than a regular driver’s license.
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Lawmakers are taking another look at a bill that would limit itemized deductions on personal income taxes, after the House Ways and Means Committee rejected the proposal 11-10 last week. LaPolitics.com publisher Jeremy Alford says the measure, which would mostly impact upper-income taxpayers, would raise an estimated $120 million in taxes for next fiscal year’s budget. He says legislators are trying to come to a compromise.
Alford says House Republicans have been hesitant to raise any more taxes, despite the governor’s push for them to raise $600 million during the special session. He says so far the House has already approved $220 million, and they may not be willing to raise much more revenue.
Alford says this bill could give the governor his first big win in this special session. But he says it seems like the Ways and Means Committee has already considered all the tax measures they are interested in approving.
The special session must end by midnight on June 23.
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Saints head coach Sean Payton has confirmed that second-year defensive end Hau’oli Kikaha will likely miss the season after he tore the A-C-L in his left knee. It’s the third time he’s torn that ligament in his knee. Payton says Kikaha is gathering medical opinions on what kind of procedure will be required, but the coach doesn’t think it will end his career
Cut 16 (21) “that’s encouraging”
Kikaha was expected to be one of the Saints top pass rushers in 2016. Potential replacements on the roster are third year pro Kaism Edebali and Obum Gwacham, who appeared in nine games as a rookie last season. Payton says there’s no rush to sign a veteran pass rusher, but that could change…