The personal finance website Wallethub ranks Louisiana as the most stressed state in the nation. Kelley Ray has a look at some of the factors.
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A bill to ban smoking in bars and casinos state wide has been filed. Jeff Palermo has more on what this might mean for those who work there and their customers.
Cut 2 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo.”
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A bill will be heard today that would require abortion clinics to provide information about adoption options. Matt Doyle has more.
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The personal-finance website Wallethub names Louisiana as the most stressed state in the nation. Spokesperson Jill Gonzales says they looked at a variety of factors and Louisiana has among the highest work and money related stresses than any other state…
Gonzales say many in Louisiana swim in credit card debt and pay high interest rates. She says Louisiana is the third most stressed state when it comes to below average credit scores…
There isn’t one item that is directly leading to such a low score for Louisiana. Gonzales says Louisiana is also considered the most stressed out state, because its high percentage of population living below the poverty line, its divorce rate, crime rate and fewest number of psychologists per capita…
She adds that many Louisianans don’t get enough sleep either, which adds to the low rating for health and safety related stress. Other states with some very high stress levels include New Mexico, West Virginia, Mississippi and Nevada.
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The Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Louisiana kicked off it’s Smoke Free Louisiana Campaign, as Opelousas Representative Dustin Miller filed legislation to ban smoking in bars and casinos statewide. A smoking ban for restaurants has been in effect since 2007. Spokesperson Raegan Carter says Miller’s bill would amend the current law…
Tobacco is the number one cause of preventable death nationwide as an estimated 480,000 die nationwide each year from either smoking or breathing second-hand smoke. Carter says a person working in a bar and casino should not have to jeopardize their livelihood…
Several cities have passed local ordinances that prohibit smoking in bars and casinos in Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Monroe, New Orleans and in Ouachita Parish. Louisiana would become the 18th state to implement a statewide smoking ban in bars and gaming facilities. Carter is hopeful that legislators will look at this bill as one that will improve the well-being of all…
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A House committee will hear a bill today by Baton Rouge Representative Rick Edmonds that would require the state to provide adoption information to women considering abortion. Louisiana Right to Life Executive Director Ben Clapper says women seeking to terminate their pregnancy at abortion clinics would receive this information.
Clapper says many pregnant women are not aware of the options and support available to those who chose adoption.
Clapper says both pro-life and pro-choice Louisianans should be able to get behind the bill.
The legislation was inspired by the story of an LSU law student who was put up for adoption after his mother considered abortion.
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A Governing Magazine Report says Louisianan’s saw a 2.9 percent increase in per capita income last year. The report says the big parts of that gain were the state’s 8.3% increase in benefits received due to the Medicaid expansion, and 2.7 percent increase in property earnigns. Louisiana Department of Labor Executive Director Ava Dejoie says the governor’s healthcare expansion is driving the state’s economic recovery.
The 2.9 percent was slightly above the national average of 2.4 percent.
Workers saw a one percent increase in pay last year. Dejoie says we could give that number a boost with an increase to the minimum wage.
Dejoie credits the Incumbent Worker Program for the boost in wages and employment levels that helped the state post a strong showing last year.
The inflation rate, or how much less a dollar buys you, rose two percent last year.
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LSU is hosting it’s pro day today for 25 NFL hopefuls. The former Tigers will start the day off with some measurements, before moving on to weight tests, speed and agility drills, and positional work. LSU Analyst Mike Detillier says it’s a great opportunity for some unheralded talents to show scouts what they’ve got.
But Detillier says there’s still going to be one star of the show, the only Tiger to be consistently projected to go in the first round…
The biggest question mark today is the status of Arden Key. The uber-talented defensive end was projected to go in the top ten in preseason mock drafts, but has slid out of the first round with most NFL aficionados after a mysterious personal issue led to him missing spring football. Detillier says it could lead to the pass rusher lingering into day two.
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