The House Criminal Justice Committee will be headed up by a Baton Rouge Democrat who will take on some of the session’s most controversial topics. Matt Doyle spoke with Ted James…
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Homicide is the leading cause of death for pregnant women in Louisiana according to a joint study from Tulane and LSU. Brooke Thorington has more…
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The LSU Alexandria Foundation receives a $460,000 contribution to fund the expansion of the nursing program. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
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Baton Rouge Democrat Ted James is named Criminal Justice Committee Chairman, and plans to approach incarceration reform, marijuana, and capital punishment with a focus on their fiscal impact.
The bipartisan criminal justice reform of 2017 significantly reduced the state’s prison population, but James says he will guide the committee towards further reductions with a new pitch.
Louisiana retook the title of the nation’s highest per capita incarcerator last year after briefly dropping to 49th following the 2017 criminal justice reform.
Marijuana decriminalization is spreading to more states every year, and James says he plans on introducing decriminalization legislation to the committee with a focus on the cost savings.
Louisiana currently allows for the tightly regulated sale of medical marijuana for patients with certain conditions.
James says capital punishment repeal is likely to be back on the docket and compared to previous years he plans on permitting an extensive public hearing on the topic.
James also anticipates gun legislation will be addressed as well.
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President Trump highlighted two bills by Senator Bill Cassidy last night, one focusing on parental leave and the other targeting surprise medical billing.
Cassidy’s family leave bill would allow parents to receive a larger child tax credit in their child’s first year after birth or adoption. He says it’s a favorite of the President’s daughter…
The legislation would be paid for by drawing from parent’s future child tax credits.
Cassidy says he and Trump have heard endless horror stories from constituents that prompted his surprise medical billing proposal.
The legislation would address the sky-high bills that come with receiving out of network procedures when the patient isn’t aware they are out of network.
The two bills will be up for consideration in a post impeachment Congress that just finished a bitter partisan battle. Cassidy says legislation like this can help get the two chambers on track.
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In Louisiana, the death rate for pregnant women is twice the national average and the leading cause of death for expectant mothers is homicide, that’s according to a joint study between Tulane and LSU. These numbers come as no surprise to Mariah Wineski Executive Director of the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
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Of the 119 pregnancy-related deaths in Louisiana from January 2016 to December 2017, 13-percent were homicides. Wineski says healthcare providers can help identify women who might need assistance if they are in a dangerous situation.
Maternal deaths are defined as anything occurring during pregnancy or the year after birth. Wineski highly encourages females in a domestic situation that fall into this category, to seek help immediately.
If you are experiencing domestic violence contact the Louisiana Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-888-411-1333 for assistance.
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The LSU Alexandria Foundation receives a $460,000 contribution from six community partners to fund the expansion of the nursing program. Foundation director Melinda Anderson says this helps combat the nursing shortage in Central Louisiana.
Cut 13 (10) “…some more nurses.”
The money will fund scholarships as well as the salary and benefits of an additional faculty member over the next four years.
Cut 14 (07) “…students every year.”
Anderson says the positive impact will reach beyond the students and says the whole region will see a substantial benefit.
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LSUA and the Department of Nursing has a year to year passing rate of around 94 percent.
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The 18th ranked LSU men’s basketball team looks to extend its winning streak to eleven games tonight and improve to 9-0 in the SEC when they visit Vanderbilt. Former NBA player Jerry Stackhouse is in his first season as head coach of the Commodores and Tigers Coach Will Wade says Vandy is a well coached team…
But the Commodores have yet to win a game in the SEC this season. Wade says Vanderbilt’s ability to make a bunch of three-pointers makes them a dangerous team…..
Vanderbilt averages eight made three-pointers a game. Tip off tonight is at 8.
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LSU football looks to put the finishing touches on its best recruiting class in more than a decade as today begins the second national signing period for the 2020 class . 24-7 sports recruiting analyst Shea Dixon says the Tigers are hoping five-star defensive end Jordan Burch signs at LSU, even though he is committed to South Carolina, but Burch knows LSU is one of the best football programs in the country
Burch is from South Carolina and is scheduled to announce where he’ll sign at noon central time.
Dixon says LSU is expecting a signed national letter of intent from four-star running back Kevontre Bradford out of Lancaster High in Texas
Dixon says LSU also reached into Texas to get a commitment from four-star defensive back Dwight McGlotern from Klein Oak High in Texas. He says McGlothern is expected to sign today…