The special session is over, and lawmakers agreed to use $99 million from the rainy day fund to close a $304 million midyear budget deficit, which means more cuts are coming to state agencies. New Orleans Representative Walt Leger says the Department of Health, public schools, safety net hospitals, tourism, and the legislature will undergo budget reductions.

The National Retail Federation finds 48-percent of consumers plan to put their tax refunds into savings rather than spend it. Emelie Gunn has more…

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A study out of Tulane finds 17-hundred public school teachers have left their jobs in Louisiana because of a tougher tenure law that took effect two years ago. That’s a three-percent loss of the state’s teacher workforce. Co-author of the report is Nathan Barrett…

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In 2012, the legislature passed a law that made student achievement a major part of the formula to earn tenure.

The Safety Net for Abused Persons for the greater New Iberia area announce they’re closing because of financial struggles. Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Mariah Wineski says they are working on plans for a new permanent facility. She says last year they provided over 90-thousand shelter nights to domestic violence victims around the state, which is why it’s imperative services are available to survivors in these parishes.

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