New Orleans is hosting over 7,000 teachers this week for a yearly development conference. Becca Dill has the story.

Cut 1 (30)  I”m Becca Dill“

______________________________________

The Governor’s veto of a bill by Senator Danny Martiny will allow local governments require developers build affordable housing. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 2 (32) ”  I’m Matt Doyle” 

_______________________________________________.

House appropriations passes four bills on the House Floor. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 3 (30) “Im Matt Doyle”

______________________________________________

Louisiana is kicking off its 6^th Annual Teacher Leader Summit in New Orleans today. The conference is expected to be attended by 7,000 teachers from districts across the state. The summit even has its own app, to help teachers plot their way through the dozens of lectures and workshops. Superintendent of Academic Content Rebecca Kockler says it’s a reinforcement of educational basics.

Cut 4  (10) “and writing” 

World renowned researchers and speakers will be in attendance, keeping Bayou State teachers up to date on the latest in educational science. Kockler says some of that new research will help reinvent the way we teach children to read.

Cut 5  (10)  “every day”

This year’s conference will have a focus on how to improve outcomes for students who are struggling the most. Kockler says they’ll be showing teachers how to pick the best books for their class.

Cut 6 (12) “of that”

The conference will run throughout the week at the Morial Convention Center.

__________________________________________________

Governor Edwards weekend veto of a bill will give local governments the ability to require real estate developers set aside a certain portion of their units for affordable housing, to combat ballooning rent prices. Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center Executive Director Cashauna Hill says it’s a big win for a working class that’s being squeezed by higher rent.

Cut 7 (12)  “affordable units”

Hill says New Orleans pumped millions of dollars into incentivizing developer created affordable housing units after Hurricane Katrina, but the policy had a short shelf life, and once it expired many residents were pushed out in favor of more expensive units.

Cut 8 (10)  “so much”  

Concerns were also raised about the nature of the bill. Hill says local zoning ordinances should be left to the cities, and not controlled by state government.

Cut 9 (10)  “they serve”

Senator Dany Martiny, the bill’s sponsor, argued that cities should not be allowed to dictate what developers build, and that rent prices should be left up to the market.

___________________________________________________

After several days of inaction, The Appropriations Committee passed four budget bills to the House floor for consideration. The proposed spending plan from Representative Cameron Henry would fund TOPS at 80 percent, and cut higher education by 26 million dollars. Baton Rouge Representative Patricia Smith says funding TOPS while slashing higher ed just doesn’t make sense.

Cut 10 (10)   “you want”

Prior to that, the Appropriations committee was the scene of some tense moments as Poor People’s Campaign Advocates testified to the panel, accusing legislators of adopting immoral budgets that target societies most vulnerable.

Cut 11 (15) “a budget”

Abita Springs Representative Scott Simon took offense to the accusation that the budgets being passed on, that include deep cuts, are immoral. He says the people whose services are getting cut are not actually poor.

Cut 12 (09) “so big”

That commentary from the St. Tammany Republican sparked a intense reaction from several in attendance, who temporarily shut down the meeting and had to be dragged out, chanting “we want a moral budget!”

Cut 13 (07)  “reflect it”