State Police is putting an emphasis this week on enforcing the state’s Move Over Law. Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The House Appropriations Committee approves a bill that would create a new TOPS award called the TOPS Excellence Award, and it would go to high-performing students. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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State Police is putting an emphasis this week on enforcing the state’s Move Over Law. Trooper Ryan Davis says several L-S-P Troops will participate in a special enforcement day tomorrow…

Cut 3 (12) “…come from this.” 

The “Move Over Law” requires motorists to slow down and change lanes, if safe, when approaching emergency vehicles with flashing lights that are stopped on the side of the road. Davis stressed that drivers must move away from stopped emergency vehicles and reduce speed.

Cut 4 (11) “…from the roadside”

Davis reminds drivers to stay alert, avoid distractions, and respect roadside responders’ safety.

Cut 5 (07) “…if the need arises.”

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The House Ways and Means Committee advanced a pair of bills aimed at lowering homeowners insurance premiums by strengthening the state’s fortified roof program. One of them is House Bill 145, proposed by Denham Springs Republican Roger Wilder 

Cut 6 (08) “…a fortified roof.” (Doubles deduction from $5,000 to $10,000)

The bill has the support of Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple, who says it would encourage people to get a fortified roof put on their homes and not wait for a grant program to open up to do so.

Cut 7 (07) “…fortified roof on.”

Also, House Bill 663 would create the Fortify Coastal Homes Fund. It’s proposed by Pollock Republican Gabe Firment, who says it would direct a portion of sales and use taxes in coastal areas following a natural disaster to the fund.

Cut 8 (11) “…into the fund.”

Firment says that amount would be capped at 60-million dollars. Both bills advanced to the full House without objection.

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St. Tammany Parish deputies arrested a 23-year-old Folsom man and his 45-year-old mother yesterday after a concerned resident reported them for a possible dog-fighting operation on their property. Lt. Suzanne Carboni says STP Animal Control investigated and seized 28 pit bulls.

Cut 9 (08)  “…dog fighting.”

Austin Alexander faces 28 counts of dogfighting, while Natia Alexander faces 28 counts as a principal to dogfighting. Carboni says deputies found other items on the property that are normally associated with dog fighting on the property.

Cut 10 (11) “…machine pistol.”

Both suspects were booked into the parish correctional center. Carboni reminds residents that if they see something, say something.

Cut 11 (06) “…will be arrested.”

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A Rapides Parish man is under arrest for stealing hundreds of pounds of crawfish from a farmer’s traps. Chief of Staff Tommy Carnline with the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office says a crawfish farmer told investigators late last month that someone had emptied his traps, and it happened again a few days later. He says deputies launched what they dubbed “Operation Tail Chaser,” and they caught the suspect, 47-year-old Tony Hicks, red-handed.

Cut 12 (11) “…on May 10th.”

Hicks is facing several charges, including theft and criminal trespass. Carnline says Hicks stole a boatload of crawfish from the farmer.

Cut 13 (05)  “…and 500 pounds.”

Given the wholesale price of live crawfish, that cost the farmer about 12-hundred dollars in lost sales. Carnline says what’s worse is that the thief used some of the farmer’s own property to steal the crawfish.

Cut 14 (07) “…that’s pretty bad.”

Carnline says this is still an active investigation, and more arrests are possible.

Louisiana’s education comeback continues with another increase in a national ranking. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Could US Representative Julia Letlow run for U-S Senate next year? Jeff Palermo reports President Trump and Governor Landry have reportedly discussed it…

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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The House Appropriations Committee approves a budget for next fiscal year that keeps teacher salaries at their current level. There’s been a concern that a two-thousand dollar stipend that teachers have received the last couple of school years would go away, but House Appropriations Chairman Jack McFarland announced today they have moved money around to make sure teachers do not see a drop in pay…

Cut 3 (10) “…charter school systems.” 

The two-thousand dollar stipend for teachers and one-thousand dollars for school support workers costs the state nearly 200-million dollars. The teacher stipend money was not included in the governor’s proposed budget. Baton Rouge Representative Denise Marcelle says the committee amended the budget proposal so  teachers will not receive a pay cut.

Cut 4 (12) “…support staff”

The House Appropriations Committee found money to pay for the teachers stipend by blocking 91-million dollars in funding for new vehicle and heavy equipment purchases for state agencies. The panel also cut 26-million dollars in benefits for ineligible Medicaid recipients. Louisiana has also saved 20-million dollars because of a hiring freeze and the state has also paid down debt early, saving 25-million dollars in interest.

New Orleans Representative Jason Hughes says the budget bill heading to the House floor is balanced and contains no new taxes

Cut 5 (06) “…pledged to do.”

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Louisiana continues moving up the national rankings in education. U.S. News and World Report now ranks Louisiana 37th in K-through-12 education – that’s up from number 40 last year and 46 two years ago. Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley says there are two main catalysts behind the increase in ranking. 

Cut 6 (08) “…additional support.”

Dr. Brumley says while innovation in education is important, this is a time when going back to the basics is what the state needs right now.

Cut 7 (11) “…little extra help.”

Brumley says while the state can certainly be proud of moving up nine notches in the education ranking by U.S. News and World Report, the number-37 ranking means that the job is nowhere close to being done yet.

Cut 8 (07) “…left to do.”

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The Derek Carr era in New Orleans, as brief as it was, is over. The Saints quarterback announced his retirement over the weekend, saying his right shoulder developed a degenerative condition that will prevent him from continuing his NFL career. Luke Jackson, who covers the Saints for NOLA-dot-com and The Advocate, says it’s a crushing blow for Carr.

Cut 9 (12)  “…it a career.”

Carr’s retirement leaves a trio of youngsters in the Saints’ quarterback room – Jake Haener, Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough (“shuck”). Shough is a rookie, and Haener and Rattler have a combined total of zero wins as starting quarterback. Jackson says the quarterback competition is on.

Cut 10 (08) “…leg up already.”

The Saints have taken a quarterback in the last two drafts – Rattler in the fifth round last year and Shough in the second round this year. Jackson says depending on what happens this season, they may do so again next year.

Cut 11 (08) “…next year’s draft.”

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The Associated Press is reporting that President Trump and Governor Jeff Landry have discussed Congresswoman Julia Letlow challenging Senator Bill Cassidy in next year’s Republican primary. Cassidy is seeking a third term, but ULM political science professor Joshua Stockley says Cassidy’s vote in 2021 to convict Trump in his impeachment trial still has many Republicans upset…

Cut 12 (11) “…for this state.”

A spokesperson for the Cassidy Senate campaign says Senator Cassidy delivers conservative results for the people of Louisiana and he works hard to support the President’s agenda.

Letlow has served in the U-S House Representatives since 2021 and already has a seat on the powerful House Appropriations Committee. She’s well respected among the Louisiana Congressional delegation and Republicans. But Stockley says it’s not easy to defeat an incumbent U-S Senator…

Cut 13 (11)  “…chooses to do.”

Cassidy is already well-funded. Last month, Louisiana’s senior senator announced he has seven-point-five million dollars in campaign donations.

Stockley says he’s not surprised President Trump is getting involved in Louisiana’s 2026 U.S. Senate race, especially considering Cassidy voted to convict Trump in 2021. And Cassidy had concerns about the President’s pick for U-S Health Secretary, before eventually voting to confirm Robert F Kennedy…

Cut 14 (14) “…to him.”

Cassidy is already facing one well-known challenger, former Congressman and now State Treasurer John Fleming.