Tropical Storm Cristobal forms near the southern Gulf. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”
____________________________
A political analyst expects Governor Edwards to veto the session’s signature bill aimed at lowering auto insurance rates through lawsuit reform. Matt Doyle has more…
_____________________________
President Trump calls on governors to deploy the National Guard in sufficient numbers to “dominate the streets” in the wake of lawlessness following nationwide police brutality protests.
Senator Bill Cassidy backed the President’s statement. He says Americans have the right to protest peacefully, but not violently.
The protests were triggered by the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police last week. The officer seen on video kneeing into Floyd’s neck has been charged with murder.
The President has been criticized for using inflammatory language to describe the protests, but Cassidy says Trump’s focus right now is on restoring order.
The President came under fire yesterday after police were seen clearing a seemingly peaceful protest outside the White House with teargas to make room for a press conference.
Cassidy says the President’s statements were in response to protests that the Senator says have been infiltrated by anti-government elements.
President Trump announced over the weekend his call for ANTIFA, or anti-fascists, to be designated a terrorist organization. It’s currently unclear what that designation would mean, or who is would apply to.
_________________________________________________
Tropical Storm Cristobal forms in the Bay of Campeche, but it’s expected to remain stationary over the next few days. The system is expected to eventually move north, but State Climatologist Barry Keim says there is much uncertainty when it comes to forecasting the track and intensity.
Cut 6 (08) “…taking this storm.”
The system is started off as Tropical Storm Amanda in the Pacific, but as it crossed over Central America it weakened and ended up in the Bay of Campeche and has been renamed with an Atlantic storm name.
Keim says the current forecast calls for the storm to move to about 200 miles south of Morgan City on Sunday morning and tracking northward.
Cut 7 (10) “…surrounding the storm.”
Keim says this storm is a reminder that it is never too early to be prepared for hurricane season.
This is the earliest date for an Atlantic third named storm formation on record.
_______________________
Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat believes Governor Edwards will veto legislation headed to his desk aimed at lowering auto insurance rates through lawsuit reform.
Pinsonat says GOP lawmakers scrambled to pass the bill in the last minutes of the session, failing to make their case effectively to the public.
Edwards says he’s concerned the legislation will not lower rates. Proponents disagree, claiming it would lower rates by at least 10 percent.
The legislation is a few votes shy of a supermajority needed to override a veto. Pinsonat says some of the lost support came from compromise changes made over the weekend.
Pinsonat says tort reform supporter’s inability to pass the legislation with veto-proof majorities may have doomed their effort, despite a mandate from voters to lower auto insurance rates.
Cut 11 (09) “…rates.”
_______________________________
The Legislature signs off on a 300 million dollar grant program for small businesses funded with cash set aside to help local governments whose revenue was impacted by the shutdown.
National Federation of Independent Business State Director Dawn Starns says with the 50 percent cap on occupancy still in effect for Phase Two, the bill is timely.
If signed by the Governor the program would begin taking applications from businesses with fewer than 50 employees July 1st. Eligible businesses could receive up to 15,000 dollars.
New Orleans Representative Gary Carter opposed the grant program saying the Louisiana Congressional Delegation sent us that money to aid local governments.
The 300 million for the grant program is being drawn from an 811 million dollar fund for local governments.
Amite Representative Robby Carter says Louisiana businesses have already received 7 billion dollars in Payroll Protection Program funds…
Governor Edwards has indicated he’s not a fan of using the local money for the program. It did not pass the Legislature by a veto-proof majority.