Insurance reform will be the overwhelming biggest issue in the legislative session that begins Monday. In a news conference in Ascension Parish, Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple announced his support for 20 bills, all filed by Republicans, designed to address the soaring cost of auto insurance.

Cut 12 (14) “…families and businesses.”

Governor Landry says since Amendment 2 did not pass, it’s back to the drawing board for preserving teacher pay at its current level. Senate President Cameron Henry says he’s hopeful that as the budget makes its way through the legislative process, dollars will emerge to keep teacher pay where it is.

Cut 8 (08) “…to do.”

Amendment 2 would have transformed a stipend into a permanent pay increase.

A New Orleans Democrat files a bill that would require all college freshmen and college students joining a Greek organization to complete a one-hour anti-hazing course. Delisha Boyd dubs her bill the Caleb Wilson Act, after the Southern University student who died in a hazing incident in February. Three men are facing charges.

Cut 4 (12) “…join those organizations.”

St. Tammany Parish’s no-kill animal shelter is in “mayday” mode due to extreme overcrowding. Animal Shelter Director Rob Bremer says overcrowding could lead to dog fights, disease, and compromised animal welfare.

Cut 10 (09) “…stressed out.”

Bremer says the shelter is waiving adoption fees for dogs that have been there over six months.

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission approved a Declaration of Emergency and Notice of Intent to expand the Chronic Wasting Disease Control Area in northeast Louisiana, effective May 1st. Sean Richardson reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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A big name is added to the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame class of 2025. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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A pair of Republican lawmakers file a bill taking aim at frivolous lawsuits. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission approved a Declaration of Emergency and Notice of Intent to expand the Chronic Wasting Disease Control Area in northeast Louisiana, effective May 1st. LDWF Deer Program Manager Jonathan Bordelon says this follows the detection of a CWD-positive wild deer in Catahoula Parish.

Cut 4 (07) “…Catahoula positive.”

The Declaration of Emergency extends the control area to include a 25-mile radius around the detection site, adding parts of Caldwell, Richland, La Salle, and expanding areas in Franklin and Concordia parishes. Bordelon says the DE prohibits baiting, supplemental feeding…

Cut 5 (08) “…spread of the disease.”

The Notice Of Intent proposes a 15-mile core area within the control zone where baiting and supplemental feeding are banned, with limited allowances beyond it. Bordelon says the NOI is subject to public comment and possible changes before final adoption, expected by August.

Cut 6 (12) “…NOI process.”

CWD is a fatal, untreatable disease affecting deer, and hunters are urged to have harvested deer tested. LDWF offers free testing services.

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Another name is added to the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame class of 2025 – Nick Saban. Before he became LSU’s nemesis while coaching Alabama, Saban led the Tigers to the national championship in 2003. Saban was originally a part of the class of 2020, but that ceremony was postponed to 2021 and Saban could not attend. Chairman Doug Ireland says a schedule change with the NCAA recruiting schedule prevented Saban from taking part in any subsequent inductions until now.

Cut 7 (11) “…have our inductions.”

Ireland says the real Nick Saban is a very different person than what people who may only know him through his intense nature on the sidelines may be led to believe.

Cut 8 (12) “…the induction festivities.”

Ireland says Saban is one of the greatest college football coaches of all time, and his induction elevates the brand of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.

Cut 9 (11)  “…Nick Saban is.”

Saban has close connections with four other members of the class of 2025 – Andrew Whitworth, Herb Vincent, Glenn Guilbeau and the late Ed Daniels. Whitworth played for Saban on the 2003 championship team, Vincent oversaw communications for the LSU athletic department while Saban coached there, and Guilbeau and Daniels covered his tenure intensely. The class of 2025 will be inducted in a ceremony in Natchitoches on June 28th.

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Governor Jeff Landry announced a key development regarding ongoing issues at the state’s Office of Motor Vehicles. A technical change was implemented last Thursday night to strengthen the office’s aging mainframe, which has prevented some residents from renewing or obtaining driver’s licenses for weeks because constant computer crashes..

Cut 10 (07) “…handle this situation.”

Landry reported that since the update on Thursday, the system has run smoothly. He praised interim OMV Commissioner Bryan Adams for identifying temporary solutions and researching new technology to modernize the outdated system.

Cut 11 (11) “…built in 1970.”

Landry also noted that the system had not been purged since 2008, potentially contributing to the widespread issues. The governor says he’s glad they have come up with a temporary fix.

Cut 12 (09) “…down the road.”

While improvements are underway, no specific timeline was provided for when the OMV’s system will be fully replaced.

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A pair of Republicans are proposing legislation that would make the plaintiff pay the defendant’s attorney fees and court costs if the lawsuit is deemed to be frivolous. Along with Pineville Representative Mike Johnson, New Iberia Senator Blake Miguez is proposing the legislation as a way to help rein in insurance rates.

Cut 13 (10)  “…to other states.”

Miguez says if his bill becomes law, perhaps that will get rogue attorneys to think twice about the cases they take up.

Cut 14 (06) “…frivolous in nature.”

Miguez says his bill is not intended to dissuade people from filing lawsuits for legitimate claims, since the bar would be set high for this provision to kick in.

Cut 15 (10) “…not take effect.”

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LSU men’s basketball coach Matt McMahon told Tiger Rag Radio he’s thrilled with his transfer class haul. Thanks to a substantial increase in NIL dollars to build a better roster, McMahon signed five players out of the portal. The coach says he loves all of the new additions but he’s really excited former UNLV point guard Dedan Thomas Junior chose the Tigers over Kentucky and Florida…

Cut 16 (16) “…him into the fold.”

Thomas is ranked as the fifth best point guard in the portal and 12th best player overall according to 247sports.com. He averaged 15 points and four assists a game last season at UNLV.

LSU currently has 11 players on its roster and five of them are six-foot-nine or bigger. McMahon says that was the goal, get bigger, which is why they signed out of the portal six-foot-nine Marquel Sutton from Omaha and former Mississippi State starting center Michael Nwoko…

Cut 17 (24) “…per minute”

LSU’s NIL budget was reportedly increased from two million dollars last season to eight million dollars, which puts the Tigers more in line with other SEC schools. McMahon says they still might add one more player.

Cut 18 (18) “…Dedan Thomas.”

LSU is reportedly interested in adding Kansas State shooting guard Brendan Hausen. He led the Wildcats in three point shooting last season at 38-percent and averaged 11 points a game in 33 starts.

Governor Landry announces his insurance reform plan that would put new regulations on both insurance companies and trial lawyers. Landry says he also wants to rein in lawyer advertising that he believes are pushing car crash victims to seek big settlements.

Cut 13 (15)  “…Louisiana families.”

Consultants hired by the City of New Orleans in the wake of the New Year’s Day terror attack have recommended that Bourbon Street be turned into a permanent pedestrian mall. Teneo also recommended that St. Charles Street also be closed to vehicular traffic. But Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick says that’s a little more problematic.

Cut 8 (16) “…to their homes.”

The seven-year-old girl injured in the house fire in Shreveport over the weekend has died. Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux confirmed that this morning in an interview with KEEL radio.

Cut 3 (14) “…to her injuries.” 

The other three victims are the girl’s five-year-old sister, her grandmother and her great-grandmother.

ULM is seeking approval to implement staff furloughs to address up to a 6-million-dollar budget shortfall. Acting President Nick Bruno says a hiring freeze began on Monday, and all employees working remotely have been recalled…

Cut 10 (12) “…to disperse that.”

Bruno says layoffs aren’t currently being considered, although campus restructuring is likely.

The City of New Orleans now has the recommendation from the consulting firm it hired in the wake of the New Year’s Day terror attack on Bourbon Street. Teneo says Bourbon Street should be transformed into a permanent pedestrian mall. Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick says that recommendation only addresses ramming.

Cut 7 (11) “…have prevented that.”

A fourth victim in last weekend’s Shreveport house fire has died. A seven-year-old girl initially survived the fire that killed her five-year-old sister, her grandmother and her great-grandmother, but she has succumbed to her injuries. Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux tells LRN affiliate KEEL radio that this is the worst fire he has experienced as mayor.

Cut 4 (11) “…as a mayor.”

Governor Landry unveiled his insurance reform plan today. He says if approved by lawmakers in the upcoming legislative session it will lower prices for Louisianans. Jeff Palermo has the details…

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

It’s not something you see every day. Four people were captured on video entering a Walmart in Baker, just north of Baton Rouge, on horseback. The people who shot the cell phone video may have been laughing, but police are not. They’re asking for the public’s help in identifying the horseback shoppers. It’s unclear why they were riding horses in the store – a quick search of that store shows that hay is not available.

Consultants hired by the City of New Orleans in the wake of the New Year’s Day terror attack have recommended that Bourbon Street be turned into a permanent pedestrian mall. Teneo also recommended that St. Charles Street also be closed to vehicular traffic. But Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick says that’s a little more problematic.

Cut 8 (16) “…to their homes.”

The seven-year-old girl injured in the house fire in Shreveport over the weekend has died. Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux tells LRN affiliate KEEL radio that this is the worst possible outcome.

Cut 5 (05) “…a long time.”

The other three victims are the girl’s five-year-old sister, her grandmother and her great-grandmother. Investigators say all died of smoke inhalation.

Governor Landry unveiled his insurance reform plan today. He says if approved by lawmakers in the upcoming legislative session it will lower prices for Louisianans. Jeff Palermo has the details…

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Governor Landry released his insurance reform plan that would put new regulations on both insurance companies and trial lawyers. The governor says one of the bills he’s pushing would require attorneys to prove that injuries are the result of the accident…

Cut 12 (15) “…after the accident.”

The City of New Orleans now has the recommendation from the consulting firm it hired in the wake of the New Year’s Day terror attack on Bourbon Street. Teneo says Bourbon Street should be transformed into a permanent pedestrian mall. Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick says that recommendation only addresses ramming.

Cut 7 (11) “…have prevented that.”

A fourth victim in last weekend’s Shreveport house fire has died. A seven-year-old girl initially survived the fire that killed her five-year-old sister, her grandmother and her great-grandmother, but she has succumbed to her injuries. Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux tells LRN affiliate KEEL radio that this is the worst fire he has experienced as mayor.

Cut 4 (11) “…as a mayor.”

ULM plans to request approval from the University of Louisiana System Board to implement staff furloughs to address an up to six-million-dollar budget shortfall before the end of the fiscal year on June 30th. Acting President Nick Bruno emphasized that the financial position of the university is fragile.

Cut 9 (09)  “…correcting that problem.”

Consultants hired by the City of New Orleans have recommended that Bourbon Street be permanently closed to vehicular traffic. Now, the question is – will the city heed that recommendation? In a news conference this morning, Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick seemed non-committal.

Cut 6 (11) “…the community wants.”

The seven-year-old girl injured in the house fire in Shreveport over the weekend has died. Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux confirmed that this morning in an interview with KEEL radio.

Cut 3 (14) “…to her injuries.” 

The other three victims are the girl’s five-year-old sister, her grandmother and her great-grandmother. Arceneaux calls it the worst fire he has ever seen in his time as mayor, 

Two Lake Charles boys reported missing in November are back home thanks in part to the show On Patrol Live.  Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

Leaders for a Better Louisiana released a report showing that while high school student participation in internships and apprenticeships has grown, the state still trails peer southern states. The group says in 2023, about 5-percent of Louisiana’s 42-thousand graduates earned internship credit, which trails Georgia and Tennessee by a wide margin.

Governor Landry is set to announce his plan for lowering insurance premiums at the top of the hour, and a new poll shows that this could be the single most important announcement of his governorship. The poll by Bernie Pinsonat and Greg Rigamer shows that Landry’s favorable and unfavorable ratings are split almost down the middle, and the high price of insurance is a major factor. Pinsonat says the survey also shows that 36-percent hold the legislature accountable for addressing the crisis.

Cut 11 (11) “…cost of insurance.”

If the City of New Orleans heeds the recommendations of consultants it hired, Bourbon Street will become a permanent pedestrian mall. Consulting firm Teneo says while the final decision rests with the city council, anything short of permanently closing off Bourbon Street to vehicular traffic increases the risk of a repeat of the New Year’s Day terror attack.

The group Restore the Mississippi Delta is speaking out after the Landry administration ordered a 90-day pause on the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Project in Plaquemines Parish. Campaign Director Simone Maloz (muh-LAWS) says the project is essential to slowing the loss of coastal land to erosion. 

Cut 14 (14) “…restore our coast.”

Two Lake Charles children reported missing in November are back home with their father, thanks to a television show. On March 7th, REELZ’s On Patrol: Live aired “Missing” segments featuring Colton and Cohen Desormeaux. Angeline Hartman with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children says the show changed everything.

Cut 5 (09) “…get involved.”

Another company makes a huge investment in Louisiana. CF industries has chosen Ascension Parish to put up its new low-carbon ammonia facility. Governor Landry says the new four-billion-dollar facility will create many high-paying jobs.

Cut 10 (10) “…100-thousand dollars.”

Landry says this is the latest in a series of major economic development projects to come to Louisiana, leading to a very bright future in the state.

A 26-year-old woman is charged after allegedly hitting and killing a pedestrian on I-20 in Ouachita (WASH-uh-taw) Parish. Police say Mecca King gradually veered onto the shoulder and hit 38-year-old Eugenia Bates, killing her. State Trooper Ryan Davis says King had an odor of alcohol on her breath; and upon questioning, she admitted to having two drinks.

Cut 4 (07) “…careless operation.”

It’s possible the state’s revenue shortfall will not be as big as originally projected following the defeat of Amendment Two. Legislative leaders could recognize additional revenue when it meets in May. House Ways and Means Chairwoman Julie Emerson says for tax revenues to increase more than anticipated, the state’s economy needs to be doing well…

Cut 14 (13) “…we will.”

It is now more expensive to play Mega Millions. The cost of a single ticket is now five dollars, up from two dollars. Kim Chopin (show-PAN) with the Louisiana Lottery says in return, non-jackpot prizes now start at ten dollars, and each ticket will include a free multiplier feature.

Cut 7 (08) “…prize amount.”

While still astronomical, the odds of winning the jackpot are also slightly improved.

Governor Landry makes another huge economic development announcement. Andrew Greenstein is at the Capitol with more.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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A 73-year-old man from Cuba who was taken into custody by ICE agents in Lafayette as he was on his way to work is back with family. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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State Police have charged a 26-year-old woman with vehicular homicide after she was allegedly driving drunk and hit a Monroe woman on I-20 in Ouachita Parish yesterday. State Trooper Ryan Davis says Mecca King was traveling in the outer lane and gradually veered onto the shoulder and struck a pedestrian, 38-year-old Eugenia Bates.

Cut 3 (12) “…her injuries.”

Davis says King was found to have an odor of alcohol on her breath. Upon questioning, King admitted to drinking two alcoholic beverages.

Cut 4 (07) “…careless operation.”

King was arrested and booked into the Ouachita Correctional Center.  Davis reminds you that walking along the Interstate is illegal, and there’s no excuse for impaired driving.

Cut 5 (08) “…cab services.”

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Mega Millions players will face a price hike as tickets increase from two to five dollars, starting with today’s drawing. Kim Chopin (show-PAN) with Louisiana Lottery says, in return, players will get slightly better odds of winning the jackpot—improving from 1 in 303 million to 1 in 290 million—and more frequent billion-dollar prizes.

Cut 6 (08) “…$50 million.”

Chopin says non-jackpot prizes will also rise, starting at ten dollars, and each ticket will include a free multiplier feature.

Cut 7 (08) “…prize amount.”

Chopin hopes these changes will combat “jackpot fatigue,” a trend where only enormous prizes attract attention. They aim to distinguish Mega Millions from Powerball and raise the average jackpot from 450 million to 800 million dollars.

Cut 8 (12) “…grow a lot faster.”

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Another company makes a huge investment in Louisiana. CF industries is putting up a massive ammonia facility on the West Bank of Ascension Parish. In a ceremony at the Capitol this morning, Governor Landry said it will be the largest facility of its kind in the world..

Cut 9 (11)  “…blue ammonia.”

Landry says the new facility will create many high-paying jobs…

Cut 10 (10) “…100-thousand dollars.”

Landry says this is the latest in a series of major economic development projects to come to Louisiana, leading to a very bright future in the state…

Cut 11 (11) “…innovation and sustainability.”

CF Industries started evaluating Ascension Parish three years ago in deciding where to build its new ammonia facility. Along with the direct jobs, the project will also create more than 300 construction jobs. No word on when construction will begin; CF Industries is looking for the facility to be operational in 2029.

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House Appropriations Chairman Jack McFarland warns that budget cuts are coming because Constitutional Amendment Two did not pass last month. McFarland says passage of the amendment would have provided Louisiana with additional dollars to spend this year…

Cut 12 (12) “…through cuts.”

Passage of Amendment Two would have made a temporary two-thousand dollar teacher pay stipend permanent. 198-million dollars is needed to make the stipend a permanent two-thousand dollar raise and McFarland says finding the money remains a priority, because the state is finally making gains in student achievement…

Cut 13 (09)  “…role in that.”

It’s possible the state’s revenue shortfall will not be as big. Legislative leaders could recognize additional revenue when it meets in May. House Ways and Means Chairwoman Julie Emerson says for tax revenues to increase more than anticipated, the state’s economy needs to be doing well…

Cut 14 (13) “…we will.”