Lawmakers are working towards avoiding another special session just minutes after the regular session ends on Thursday. Halen Doughty has more…
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”
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State lawmakers have approved the 2017 Coastal Master Plan and implementation can now begin. Emelie Gunn has more…
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Freshman pitcher Eric Walker pitches a masterful game as the LSU Tigers beat Rice 5-0 to advance to the Super Regionals. Jeff Palermo has more…
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The regular session ends Thursday at 6 p.m. and lawmakers are optimistic a special session will not be needed 30 minutes later. LaPolitics.com publisher Jeremy Alford says to avoid a fourth special session since Governor John Bel Edwards took office, the legislature will need to approve a budget for next fiscal year and a financing bill for construction projects.
Cut 4 (09) “legislative limbo”
The Senate approved a budget on Saturday, but it differs from what the House has approved. The Senate’s proposal spends more money in an effort to avoid cuts to various state agencies. But Alford says the House would rather not spend all of the available dollars.
Alford says a conference committee featuring lawmakers from both chambers will spend the next couple of days trying to reach an agreement on the budget. He says no one at the Capitol wants a special session, but it remains to be seen if a budget deal can be reached.
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The Louisiana legislature approved the 2017 Coastal Master Plan and now implementation can begin. Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana Spokesperson Jimmy Frederick says thanks to bi-partisan support this plan was developed with the best science available to help preserve Louisiana’s coast.
Frederick says between 640 to 800 million dollars a year is expected to be spent on coastal restoration projects for the next four years, like marsh creation, hydrologic restoration and levees. He says the cornerstone of the Master Plan is sediment diversion from the Mississippi River.
Frederick says unfortunately, they will not be able to break ground on the sediment diversion project until 2022. But in the near future he says we will see the ramping up for coastal projects throughout the state.
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Today the House takes up three Senate bills aimed at implementing criminal justice reform lawmakers promised to deliver during the session. The measures would provide parole eligibility for more prisoners and reduce sentences for first-time offenders. Metairie Senator Danny Martiny says he understands it’s a hard vote because everyone wants to be tough on crime.
Cut 10 (11) “productive citizens”
Martiny says they’ve taken away the incentive for these offenders to better themselves. But Albany Representative Sherman Mack raised concerns about a provision that provides parole eligibility for second degree murderers sentenced in the 1970s, which means 160 inmates serving life sentences would become parole eligible.
Natalie Laborde with the Department of Corrections says in the 1970s the penalty for second-degree murder was life in prison with parole eligibility after 40 years, and the legislature removed parole eligibility in the 1980s.
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Two bills requiring traffic stop etiquette to be taught in driver’s education courses are waiting for the governor’s signature. One bill was by Plaquemines Representative Chad Brown, while Bossier City Representative Ryan Gatti has a similar measure with the same objective. Lafayette Senator Patrick Cortez says it helps the police officers when drivers know what to do during a traffic stop.
The measures require driver’s ed teachers to tell student drivers how to conduct themselves if they are pulled over, including where to keep their hands and what paperwork to have on hand. Gatti says this will not increase the cost of the driving course for the students or the instructors.
Cut 14 (09) “their instructor”
Office of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Karen St. Germain says this legislation is needed so that everyone can remain safe during a traffic stop.
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LSU is heading to the Super Regionals thanks to a masterful performance by pitcher Eric Walker. The freshman from Texas pitched eight plus innings of shutout baseball to help the Bayou Bengals blank Rice 5-zip. Coach Paul Mainieri says Walker continues to pitch big on the big stage….
Cut 15 (09) “to a championship”
Walker struck out eight hitters and scattered eight hits. He says he likes to pitch in pressure situations…
LSU defeated Texas Southern, Southeastern Louisiana and then the Owls for the program’s 23rd Regional title. They’ve won 14 straight and shortstop Kramer Robertson believes they can keep playing at a high level until they reach their ultimate goal…
The Tigers will find out today who they’ll play in the Super Regionals. It will be either Mississippi State or Southern Miss. Last year, LSU was swept by Coastal Carolina in the Super Regionals. Robertson says they understand the task at hand…