LRN PM Newscall October 14

The Louisiana House has approved the Ka’Mauri Harrison bill which was inspired by the story of a fourth-grader in Jefferson Parish suspended for moving a BB gun during a virtual class. Jeff Palermo has the story…

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LSU’s game versus Florida this Saturday has been postponed after a significant rise in positive COVID-19 tests U-F. Brooke Thorington has more

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The Louisiana House has approved the Ka Mauri Harrison Act, which is in response to the six-day suspension a nine-year-old boy in Jefferson Parish received he moved a BB gun during a virtual class. Harrison initially faced expulsion and Jennings Representative Troy Romero says his legislation will ensure due process

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Romero says the legislation would also allow students to appeal suspensions to the school board and it requires all 69 school districts to develop discipline policies for online learning…

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Ka’Mauri and his father appeared before House Education when that Committee heard the bill. Baton Rouge Representative Rick Edmonds, who is a member of House Ed, says every member on that panel has signed off as a co-author on this bill after hearing Ka’Mauri’s story

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The measure heads to the Senate for more discussion.

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The Senate unanimously passes legislation allowing clergy members access to patients in a hospital during a public health emergency.

The bill by Minden Senator Robert Mills requires the state Health Department to create rules for facilities to do so, and require healthcare facilities to follow them.

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The bill also grants healthcare facilities immunity from most lawsuits by those clergy members should they be infected with coronavirus while visiting.

Mills says the legislation was inspired by the resolution of an incident that happened earlier this year.

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Earlier in the pandemic, most nursing homes were completely shut off to visits from anyone outside the facility, and hospitals were highly restricted but those rules have since been relaxed.

Mills said his bill protects the religious liberties of patients and families should they want to have a clergy member visit a loved one.

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The legislation moves to the House.

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Saturday’s LSU-Florida game has been rescheduled for December 12th in Gainesville because of a coronavirus outbreak with the Gators football team. Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin says 21 players have tested positive and they have less than 50 scholarship players available to play for Saturday

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Stricklin says the players, coaches, and staff members who have tested positive report mild symptoms or they are asymptomatic. The Florida A-D believes last week’s trip to Texas A-and-M may have helped spread the virus within the team

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LSU coach Ed Orgeron says in cases like this. player safety is top priority…

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It appears LSU could use a weekend off anyway. Orgeron says starting quarterback Myles Brennan has not practiced this week because of a shoulder injury…

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The House approves legislation barring the state from penalizing religious leaders and their congregation who gather for in-person services against orders during a declared emergency.

The bill by Oil City Representative Danny McCormick was brought in response to the Governor’s restrictions on all gatherings during the pandemic, which includes religious activities.

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Shreveport Representative Alan Seabaugh says religious institutions should remain open during emergencies because they provide more than just spiritual support…

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The bill was partially inspired by the arrest of Central pastor Tony Spell who held services against the gathering ban. Seabaugh says the bill undoes those charges by clarifying that state law was misinterpreted in cases like that…

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The bill joins a growing list of other instruments limiting the Governor’s public health authority that await hearings in the Senate.