The KIDS COUNT Data Book from the Agenda for Children ranks Louisiana 48th for overall child well-being. Halen Doughty has more…
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”
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Lawmakers have less than a week left to pass a budget for next fiscal year, after failing to do so in the regular session. Michelle Southern has more…
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Louisiana ranks 48th in overall child well-being, according to the KIDS COUNT Data Book released by the Agenda for Children. KIDS COUNT Coordinator Theresa Falgoust says the Bayou State ranks 47th in education, which examined three and four year olds who don’t go to school, and 4th graders who are below proficient in reading…:
Unfortunately, the Bayou State saw an increase in the child and teen death rate, and despite improvement in teens not in school and not working, Louisiana still came in dead last because other states have improved more.
But Falgoust says Louisiana did improve in several areas. She says more parents have high school diplomas and full-time year-round employment, and fewer babies are born at low birthweights. She says the Bayou State improved in 8 out of 16 measures.
Falgoust says another positive is that 96 percent of children now have health insurance. That means Louisiana is below the national average child uninsured rate of 5 percent. She says this could lead to improvements in overall child health.
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The clock is ticking on lawmakers to approve a budget before the special session ends on Monday. Governor John Bel Edwards says the spending plan approved by the Senate is a good starting point. He says unfortunately, the House did not vote on the budget last week, but he is optimistic HB1 can win passage this week.
The two chambers argued all through the regular session over how much, if any, money to withhold from the budget in case of another midyear shortfall. Edwards says if that money is not appropriated from the onset, it cannot be used later to fill a budget gap or address unforeseen needs from potential hurricanes or floods.
Edwards says failing to pass a budget wasn’t even the biggest disappointment of the fiscal session. He says lawmakers ensured another special session will be needed because there was no effort by the House to address the fiscal cliff in 2018.
(The full House is expected to vote on a budget plan tomorrow.)
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Construction has begun on the I-10 widening project between I-49 and the Atchafalaya Basin, so DOTD has introduced Motorist Assistance Patrols to the area to help with traffic flow. Deidrea Druilhet with DOTD says with 60,000 drivers traveling that stretch daily, the department will have three map program trucks patrolling the area..:
Druilet says the map program trucks, which are already present in the Baton Rouge and New Orleans areas, serve many purposes…:
If you are ever on the road and need assistance dial *LSP. Druilet says these trucks are also capable of moving stalled vehicles out of traffic lanes onto the shoulder. She reminds drivers to pay attention while in construction zones because that’s when wrecks tend to happen.
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Governor John Bel Edwards has named Col. Kevin Reeves the permanent superintendent of Louisiana State Police. Reeves, who has served in the interim position since March, says he is humbled and honored to be offered this role by the governor. He says the department is moving forward from what has been negatively reported to build a new confidence with LSP.
Reeves graduated from Louisiana Tech University and began his career with State Police as a motorcycle trooper in 1990. Reeves says it’s a compliment that Governor Edwards’ respects his leadership. He says he is committed to the public.
Former Superintendent Col. Mike Edmonson announced his retirement amid an investigation into a travel scandal within the agency. Reeves says the findings of this matter will be released after the department finishes the disciplinary process. He says they are working to ensure this won’t happen again…:
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