“Home of the Who Dat Nation” road signs legislation receives final passage following a 35-0 Senate vote. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
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The House Criminal Justice Committee rejects a proposal to legalize recreational marijuana. Jeff Palermo has more…
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The Senate has given final legislative approval to a bill that places signs on I-10 at the Texas and Mississippi borders declaring that motorists are entered the Home of the Who Dat Nation. New Orleans Senator Wesley Bishop says he wanted to honor Saints fans following the controversial end to the NFC title game.
Originally, the bill called for I-10 to be renamed the Who Dat Nation Highway, but it was already named in honor of veterans. The signs will be placed at the state lines of I-10 as well as the exit for the Superdome.
Bishop says Franklin Representative Sam Jones added a provision to the bill designating Highway 90 from Raceland to Lafayette as the “Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Highway.”
Bishop says a metal banner with the message will be added to existing road signs, and they will be funded by fans.
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Legislation is heading to the governor’s desk to extend Harrah’s Casino in New Orleans’ license with the state through 2054. In return, Harrah’s will invest 325-million dollars into the property which will result in a second hotel, new restaurants and other upgrades. Norco Senator Gary Smith says the bill is about economic development
Harrah’s will also pay an additional millions of dollars more to the state and city for having Louisiana’s only land-based casino license. A similar bill died last year over concerns that the state was not getting a good deal. Smith says prior to this year’s debate, the legislature hired a consultant to study the casino license’s market value
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A proposal attempting to make Louisiana the first state in the South to legalize recreational use of marijuana failed in the House Criminal Justice Committee. New Orleans Representative John Bagneris brought the bill before the panel
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Bagneris says tax revenues from the sale of legal pot would go towards public schools, TOPS and better roads. Kevin Caldwell of Common Sense NOLA says marijuana use is increasing and the state is not getting any benefits from it…
Colorado was one of the first to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes. But Winnsboro Representative Steve Pylant says that state is still dealing with illegal drug activity as authorities recently executed the state’s biggest drug bust involving marijuana growers
After about a ten-minute discussion on the proposal, the marijuana legalization bill was soundly defeated
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State officials found guilty of sexual harassment could be set to foot much of the bill for their misdeeds if Senate approved legislation gets final approval on the House floor before the end of the session.
Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt says if an official is sued for sexual harassment, her legislation would limit the impact of the damages to taxpayers.
Hewitt says her legislation was inspired by a Legislative Auditor’s report that showed taxpayers have been on the hook for millions of dollars in costs associated with sexual harassment suits.
The issue took on more prominence after former Secretary of State Tom Schedler settled a sexual harassment suit brought by his secretary. That incident cost Louisiana 184,000 dollars.
The legislation also features rules governing incidents where a false accusation is made. Hewitt says there are guidelines in place for false accusation related penalties.
The legislation received ap
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