Republican U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy faced a slew of protesters in a town hall meeting yesterday. Emelie Gunn has more…
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The governor’s spending plan for the next fiscal year has been presented to lawmakers, as they’re gearing up for the regular session in April. Michelle Southern has more…
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Republican U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy faced a rowdy crowd at a town hall meeting in Metairie yesterda6y as many upset residents screamed at him about healthcare, the travel ban, and public education. This is a trend around the country at town hall meetings with Republican lawmakers. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says in the past, these types of protests have proven effective.
Cassidy is scheduled to host another town hall meeting tonight in Assumption Parish. Cross says people expressed their concerns to Cassidy about the Affordable Care Act. He says Republicans likely won’t make the changes the protesters want, but it could happen with enough uprising.
Cross says this popular uprising can make a difference as the Tea Party effectively used this tactic in 2009. He expects this type of activism to be part of a new pattern over the next few years…
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The Edwards administration unveiled a spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1, and TOPS is not fully funded under their proposal. Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says it will take an additional $81 million to fully fund the scholarship program.
Dardenne says state employees have not had performance pay adjustments for a number of years. He says another priority will be providing cost of living or performance pay increases for state employees if more money is found.
The proposed budget does not call for any additional dollars for public schools, maintenance for buildings on college campuses, or additional dollars to hire the needed 187 case workers for the Department of Children and Family Services. He says the Department of Transportation is also facing a reduction in funding, which adds to state’s inability to repair roads.
The governor’s proposed budget will be discussed over the next several months, and lawmakers will make changes to it. Any taxes or fee increases approved in the regular session could lead to increased funding for TOPS and roads.
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Governor John Bel Edwards expressed a serious tone when asked about the travel scandal involving four members of the State Police who took side trips to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon while attending a law enforcement conference in San Diego. Edwards, who has already ordered a full investigation, says this incident shouldn’t be taken lightly.
State Police Superintendent Col. Mike Edmonson issued a statement saying he’s instructed all administrative personnel at LSP to cooperate with the investigation. Edwards says he won’t speculate on what the findings might be until the investigation is over.
Edmonson’s statement goes on to say they have already made internal changes to prevent any recurrence of an incident like this.
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LSU Health Shreveport will launch a Pediatric Chronic Ventilator Clinic in April to allow care for children who require mechanical ventilation. Director of the Pediatric Ventilator Unit Dr. Keith Scott says currently, families are required to travel 300 miles for a one-hour visit or their child will not get the proper care. He says the new clinic will be more convenient for patients.
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Scott says there are no other facilities in the northern Louisiana area like this clinic. He hopes this will be able to bring holistic care and improve longevity in patients who use a ventilator by providing quality care.
Scott says the main goal is to ultimately get the kids off the ventilator. He says with the clinic, patients that need the service will be able to stay in their hometown and have the same doctor throughout the process.
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