The 2019 legislative session begins today at the State Capitol. Since it is a fiscal session that means lawmakers can debate tax issues and there is a bill to increase the state’s gasoline tax. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says the proposal by Baton Rouge Representative Steve Carter will start its legislative process in the lower chamber…
cut 9 (10) “….pass the Senate”
Americans for Prosperity State Director John Kay opposed a similar proposal in 2017 that failed to gain momentum and he says anti-tax crusaders will be back to stop this year’s push as well…
cut 11 (11) “…enought”
The session will gavel in at noon today and Governor Edwards will speak to legislators at 1 PM.

In the legislative session there seems to be widespread support to give teachers a one-thousand dollar pay raise. And Republicans want to see more money go towards early childhood education. House Education Chairman Nancy Landry says additional dollars would help working families pay for high quality daycare…
cut 16 (10) “….critical time period”

Louisiana’s supply of Hepatits C medication is about to drastically increase as the Louisiana Department of Health finalized a first in the nation deal with Asegua Therapeutics for “subscription model” access to the lifesaving treatment. LDH Secretary Dr. Rebekah Gee says before the new arrangement, thousands of Hep C sufferers went untreated.
Cut 4 (10) “…drug.”
The “subscription model” will pay Asegua a flat fee every year for unlimited access to the medication roughly equal to the amount the state previously paid when ordering “a la carte”.