The US Supreme Court ruled today that the Texas law requiring abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at hospitals is unconstitutional, which could have implications for a Louisiana law as well. Halen Doughty has more…
CUT 1 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”
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Gov. Edwards creates changes to the state’s industrial tax program. Michelle Southern has more…
CUT 2 (31) “I’m Michelle Southern”
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A fatal crash took the life of a one-year-old in St. Landry parish. Master Trooper Brooks David with State Police says 24-year-old Bendel Williams was driving down Highway 182 Sunday when he ran off the road. David says one-year-old Jamaika Johnson was not properly restrained in the back seat.
Investigators believe Williams is dating the child’s mother. David says they are not sure what caused the driver to veer off the road, but the investigation is ongoing while Williams recovers from his injuries.
David says charges are pending. He says children need to be properly restrained at all times when riding in a vehicle, and parents can come by troop stations throughout the state to make sure their car seats are installed correctly.
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Governor John Bel Edwards has been elected as the chair of the Southern Regional Education Board. Edwards says he’s looking forward to strengthening the learning and preparedness of students in all member states. Edwards’ Communication Director Richard Carbo says the governor is passionate about education and has been since he first started out in the legislature.
Carbo says we’re seeing schools around the region from K-12 to higher education having to do more with a lot less support from the state. He says the governor’s goal is to reinvest in education.
Carbo says K-12 education is being cut in Louisiana for the first time in a generation. He says this new position will give Governor Edwards an audience and a platform to look for new ideas to improve education throughout the 16 state region.
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The Supreme Court struck down a Texas abortion law today, which could mean a similar Louisiana law is coming off the books as well. The law required abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at hospitals, and Louisiana has similar legislation. Loyola law professor Dane Ciolino says the ramifications of this ruling could reach into our state.
The Louisiana law was blocked by a federal judge, but in February the Fifth Circuit granted a request by Attorney General Jeff Landry to overrule the lower court and allow the law to take effect. Landry issued a statement saying his office will review the implications of today’s Supreme Court’s ruling on Louisiana’s law, but will continue to fight Louisiana’s case to protect women’s health. Ciolino says the justices ruled the law violates the Constitution.
Landry’s statement also says “our law is both factually and legally different from the Texas law.” But Ciolino says Louisiana’s law is at least as restrictive as the one in our neighboring state.
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Governor John Bel Edwards has made changes to a program that gives manufactures significant tax exemptions. His executive order lets local governing bodies have a say in how the exemptions are handed out, and requires companies applying to show they are creating or retaining jobs. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson…
Pierson says before the executive order there was no requirement for a company to make a commitment to jobs or investment. He says all the company had to do was prove to be a manufacturer to receive the industrial tax exemption.
Pierson says LED wants to make sure we’re attracting manufacturing companies that are good for the economy, local governments and communities. He says 38 other states give local oversight on the local exemption process.
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