A bill to abolish the death penalty in Louisiana will soon be filed as the debate about capital punishment continues on the national level. State Senator Dan Claitor says he’s taking the action because he believes the death penalty cheapens life in society, adding there are errors that occur, as well as a list of other issues. Claitor, a Republican from Baton Rouge, is working with Rep. Terry Landry, a Democrat from Acadiana on pushing the bill forward. Claitor says victims’ families will get to be a part of the discussion as the bill is pushed forward.
Cut 7 (11) “…favor of it.”
This is not the first time this legislation has been introduced, but Claitor says he’ll keep trying even if not successful in this session.
A Department of Corrections investigation has resulted in multiple arrests and resignations at Angola. The allegations range from employees having inappropriate relationships with offenders, to conspiring with prisoners and their families to smuggle contraband into the facility. More arrests are expected as the investigation continues.
12 US Senate Republicans voted against the President’s national emergency declaration that would allow him to access billions in construction dollars to build additional physical border wall. Senator John Kennedy was not among the 12 and says history shows the President’s move is quite legal. The opposing Republican Senators voiced concerns about executive overreach, and the potential for the declaration to be a template for future Democratic presidents. Kennedy says he sympathizes with that concern.
Most of the Republicans who voted against the declaration, like Marco Rubio, Susan Collins, and newly elected Mitt Romney, are considered to be from the center-right of the party.
Louisiana officials are working to recover 26-million dollars mistakenly handed out to taxpayers. The Division of Administration says about 66-thousand residents received their state tax refund twice and they are asking individuals who may have received an extra tax refund not to spend that money.