The 2020 legislative session resumed this morning as the House gaveled back in just after nine o’clock. The regular session must come to a close on June 1st and the state must approve a 30-billion dollar spending plan for next fiscal year. The Revenue Estimating Conference will meet May 11th to provide legislators with a dollar figure on how much they can spend. Senate President Page Cortez says they anticipate it will be less than this fiscal year, but they don’t know much…
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Governor Edwards has said the Legislature is an essential business, but Baton Rouge Representative Ted James, who was hospitalized with COVID-19, will not be at the Capitol this month….
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For those looking to get their hands on farm-fresh foods and support local farmers, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture introduces a new online tool that can help…
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You can now enter Texas and not have to self-quarantine for two weeks. The screening stations along the Texas-Louisiana borders are gone as the Lone Star State has rescinded its quarantine orders. Also, Carnival Cruise Line has announced it has canceled all cruises out of New Orleans this summer but will begin limit service on August 1st out of Miami, Port Canaveral, and Galveston.

Lawmakers return to the State Capitol today to resume the 2020 session, but not all legislators will be present. Baton Rouge Representative Ted James, who was hospitalized with COVID-19 and pneumonia, says the House chamber is not a safe environment for him…
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James has since recovered but noted there’s no confirmation currently that those who’ve caught the virus once can’t be reinfected.

Meanwhile, the legislators who are reporting to the capitol have 28 days to pass a budget before the regular session must end June 1st. Before the coronavirus pandemic, lowering auto insurance rates was a big topic. Senate President Page Cortez still expects the tort reform bills to be heard
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A Lafayette company is set to start offering a rapid result coronavirus antibody test. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
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Louisiana reported 20 new COVID-19 deaths yesterday, the smallest increase in weeks. The state’s death toll is just shy of two-thousand. The state also reported just new 200 cases, also one of the lowest single-day totals in weeks, The number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized decline by 15 to 1,530, the number of patients on ventilators increased by five to 213.

State lawmakers return to Baton Rouge today for the resumption of the 2020 legislative session. Legislators have been away from the State Capitol since mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic and safety concerns still exist. But House Speaker Clay Schexnayder says it’s time to get back to work
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But not all lawmakers will be present when the House gavels in at 9 AM. Baton Rouge Representative Ted James, who has recovered from a rough battle with COVID-19, says he’s not mentally ready to re-enter the House chamber that holds over one-hundred representatives. James says if the session must go on, legislative leaders need to ensure the only items discussed are the budget, COVID-related bills, or essential business…
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Lafayette firm Global Data Fusion says it will soon offer large quantities of antibody test kits that can determine if someone has had the coronavirus in ten minutes. Global Data Fusion CEO Ed Roy says the test is highly accurate and provides two important pieces of information…
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Having anti-bodies may indicate you are now immune to the virus. The Lafayette company says the first tests should arrive in the coming days.

If you are searching for farm-fresh foods and looking to support Louisiana farmers, then check out the Louisiana Farm Food Map and Directory tab on the state department of agriculture’s website…
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That’s Johannah Frelier, manager of the Louisiana Farm to School Program, who says the site identifies farms selling directly to consumers.

Safety is on the mind of legislators as they return to the state capitol for the resumption of the 2020 legislative session today. Brooke Thorington has more…
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The state health department reported just 20 more COVID-19 deaths yesterday bringing the state’s total to 1,969. How does that compare with the flu? Louisiana had a bad flu season between 2018-19 and the state reported 1,550 influenza deaths.

A Lafayette drug testing company reaches a deal with suppliers to provide a test that will show patients within ten minutes whether they have coronavirus antibodies. Global Data Fusion CEO Ed Roy says it only requires participants to give a small prick of blood from their fingertips.
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Global Data Fusion is set to offer the test to hospitals.

The Louisiana Department of Agriculture introduces a new online tool for those looking to get their hands on farm-fresh foods. It’s called the Louisiana Farm Food Map and Directory. Manager of the Louisiana Farm to School Program Johannah Frelier says it’s a great way to support the state’s ag industry.
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Frelier says the Louisiana Farm Food Map can be found in the coronavirus information center section on the Ag Department’s website.

The state health department reported a big jump in coronavirus cases today as Louisiana reported 710 new positive cases. The state says the large jump is the result of a backlog of test results that have come in from two new labs who are now reporting their results electronically. It’s the first time the state recorded more than 700 positive tests since April 15th.

Oil City Republican Representative Danny McCormick is organizing an end the shutdown rally Saturday at noon in front of the governor’s mansion. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
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The New Orleans Archdiocese has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as the institution is facing mounting legal costs caused by litigation stemming from decades-old incidents of clergy abuse. Archbishop Gregory Aymond says the shutdown of church services because of COVID-19 has added more financial hardships
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Aymond says the action will not affect individual church parishes or their schools.

The Louisiana Legislature will resume the 2020 regular session on Monday and several safety restrictions will be in place. Senate President Page Cortez says instead of multiple committee hearings at one time, committee schedules will be staggered throughout the day to lessen traffic in the halls…
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Plexiglas dividers have been installed between House member’s desks as well.

The Archdiocese of New Orleans has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as the 227-year-old institution is facing mounting legal costs caused by litigation stemming from decades-old incidents of clergy abuse. Archbishop Gregory Aymond says the shutdown of church services because of COVID-19 has added more financial hardships…
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Aymond says the filing will not affect individual church parishes or their schools.

The governor’s new Stay at Home order begins today. It allows restaurants to have outdoor seating, with no table-side service. All employees of any business who deal with the public must wear a mask. Shopping malls can open for curbside delivery of goods.

LSU plans to begin a phase one re-opening on May 18th and the state legislature will re-start the legislative session on Monday.

Republican lawmakers are passing around a petition that seeks to revoke the state’s stay at home order so that the economy can begin to get back on its feet again. But Governor John Bel Edwards says overturning the order would be completely irresponsible and nonsensical…
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Edwards says revoking the order could cause the state to lose millions of dollars in federal assistance.

There’s also been a push by Republican lawmakers to re-open the state on a parish-by-parish basis. West Feliciana Parish President Kenny Havard says he supports that approach because they’ve only had a few residents impacted by the virus…
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East Feliciana and LaSalle Parish have told their churches and businesses to open today allowing 25-percent of their occupancy limits.