Updated LRN AM newscall ###corrected early voting dates in Ardoin story###

Deadlines to register to vote in the upcoming Presidential Primary in Louisiana are fast approaching. Brooke Thorington spoke with Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin.

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Governor John Bel Edwards names his three non-budgetary legislative priorities for the year. Matt Doyle has the story…

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A Franklinton Senator brings legislation that would bar trans women from playing women’s sports at Louisiana schools. Matt Doyle has the story…

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With voter registration deadlines fast approaching, Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin is reminding Louisianans that only registered Democrats and Republicans are eligible to vote in the upcoming Presidential Primary or April 4th.  Ardoin says the Deadline for in person or by mail registration for the primary is tomorrow…

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Ardoin says early voting will begin Saturday, March 21 and end Saturday March 28th, except for Sunday, March 23rd.

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There are 24 parishes that will have local elections on the ballot and are open to eligible voters., regardless to party. However, if you plan to vote in the Presidential Primary, Ardoin says the respective parties have established rules.

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For more information visit www.GeauxVote.com

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Governor John Bel Edwards laid out his top legislative priorities yesterday at the Baton Rouge Press Club, naming minimum wage, pay secrecy, and auto insurance as his primary, non-budgetary focuses.

Edwards threw his weight behind New Orleans Senator Troy Carter’s minimum wage bill that would lift the state from 7.25 to nine an hour by January 2021 and ten dollars an hour by July 2021.

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Edwards made raising the minimum wage a pillar of his 2015 election, and 2019 reelection efforts.

The Governor is also back supporting a push to prevent employers from firing workers who openly discuss their salary with other workers, and allow workers to keep their previous job’s pay secret.

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He came out in favor of a series of bills by Alexandria Senator Jay Luneau that bars auto insurance companies from charging customers more based on their gender, credit, or military service.

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Republicans are pushing to lower the jury trial threshold to 15,000 dollars, but Edwards says he believes the current 50,000 dollar level is adequate.

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State Police have found the body of a missing deaf and mute Ville Platte woman and have made an arrest in the case. Trooper Thomas Gossen says 53-year old Phillip Dewoody of Opelousas has been arrested in connection with her disappearance.

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Search teams found the body of Joyce Thomas along I-49 between Sunset and Opelousas. Gossen says he is unsure of a previous connection between the victim and the suspect, adding the woman had been reported missing on February 26th.

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The Advocate newspaper reports that court documents show the suspect has been in and out of prison after convictions including two armed robberies and escaping prison at knifepoint.

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The legislature will consider a bill that bans schools from allowing transgender athletes who were not assigned as a woman at birth to play on women’s sports teams.

The legislation was brought by Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell who says women’s sports are a women’s rights issue and should be for women only.

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She says she’s concerned about the competitive advantage that trans women have over someone who was assigned female at birth.

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Louisiana Trans Advocates President Dylan Waguespack opposes the bill and says a similar ban functionally already exists at the high school level, but this would target all Louisiana trans students.

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Waguespack says the legislation, and it’s companion bill in the House, is imported from radical national anti-trans groups, and is discriminatory.

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The bill provides for the “Save Women’s Sports Act”.