If campaign finance reports are a telltale sign of voter support, State Treasurer John Fleming will have his work cut out for him against Senator Bill Cassidy. Colleen Crain reports.

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Several education bills will be heard in the legislative session, ranging from school funding to TOPS scholarship changes. Sean Richardson has more…

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A Republican state senator is proposing an alternative to the fortified roof grant program. Andrew Greenstein reports.

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While one poll shows State Treasurer John Fleming beating Senator Bill Cassidy in next year’s Republican primary, the latest campaign finance report numbers tell a completely different story. According to the official numbers released by the campaigns, Cassidy raised 1.36-million dollars in the first quarter of 2025, compared to just over 263-thousand for Fleming. ULM Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says that’s not a good sign for the state treasurer.

Cut 4 (10) “…in this race.”

Fleming is reporting a war chest of 2.2-million dollars, much of which he loaned to himself, while Cassidy is reporting a war chest of 7.5-million dollars. Cross says in terms of fundraising, Fleming has his work cut out for him.

Cut 5 (12) “…trouble matching Cassidy.”

This will be the first Senate election cycle to use a closed primary, which is scheduled for one year from Friday. With an electorate that skews much more to the right than in the previous jungle primaries, Cross says Fleming is hoping to capitalize on Cassidy’s vote in 2021 to convict then-former President Trump in his second impeachment trial, while Cassidy is hoping that voters have a short memory.

Cut 6 (13) “…of people’s minds.”

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Several education bills are waiting to be debated in the legislative session, ranging from school funding to testing requirements and proposed changes to the TOPS scholarship programs. Leaders for a Better Louisiana Chief Policy Officer Barry Erwin says there is also teacher pay, and whether teachers will continue to stay at the same pay level after the failure of Amendment 2.

Cut 7 (11) “…of people wanted.”

There is also a proposal for high school students to attain a minimum ACT score to graduate, eliminating the need for end-of-course exams. HB 243 proposes accountability measures for the LA GATOR voucher program, but Erwin says it will be tough getting it passed.

Cut 8 (10) “…wild about either.”

Changes to the TOPS college scholarship program include HB 70, which revises eligibility criteria; HB 77, which adjusts award amounts and adds a new category for high ACT scorers; HB 275, which allows unused awards to fund graduate study in Louisiana. Erwin says the challenge will come down to funding.

Cut 9 (13)  “…dollars to enact.”

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A Republican state senator has a bill that would provide an alternative to the fortified roof grants. River Ridge Senator Kirk Talbot says his proposal is geared towards people who want to take advantage of the grants but have the financial means to install the fortified roof.

Cut 10 (08) “…ten-thousand dollars.”

Talbot says the key is that this is a non-refundable credit – the state would not be mailing any checks under this plan.

Cut 11 (10) “…dollars in liability.”

Talbot says his bill is another way to make it easier for people to put a fortified roof on their homes to give them peace of mind living in the state during severe storms.

Cut 12 (07) “…and live here.”

To be clear – Talbot’s bill would not replace the fortified roof grant program; it would be an addition to it.

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Today is Tulane Day at the Capitol. The legislature will be honoring the school and its 5.2-billion dollar impact on the state economy. University President Michael Fitts says Tulane’s history goes back almost to the time when Louisiana became the 18th state.

Cut 13 (08)  “…time with Louisiana.”

Fitts says Tulane and Louisiana go hand in hand.

Cut 14 (09) “…at the hip.”

As he’s being honored at the Capitol, Fitts will be meeting with lawmakers to discuss how Tulane is helping the state’s quest to retain talent and grow new industries.

Cut 15 (12) “…really talented individuals.”

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This is the last week of spring football for the LSU Tigers. Coach Brian Kelly is searching for four new starters on the offensive line. The lone returning starter, D-J Chester, is expected to start at either center or guard in 2025. It’s a big of question mark who else will start on the o-line, especially in the interior, but Kelly feels good about his options…

Cut 16 (14) “…into preseason camp.”

LSU has plenty of options at wide receiver too. Oklahoma transfer Nic Anderson was slowed by an injury earlier in the spring, but Kelly says he’s getting healthy and the coach is excited about his potential…

Cut 17 (16)  “…into spring practice.”

LSU filled many needs during the winter transfer portal period. The spring transfer portal opens today and Kelly hopes his roster does not change…

Cut 18 (14)  “…development of it.”

The legislature is taking aim at distracted driving this session. Andrew Greenstein is at the Capitol, where a news conference was held.

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Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple has faced difficulty arranging a meeting with Governor Jeff Landry, even as Landry emphasizes tackling Louisiana’s soaring auto insurance rates, the highest in the country.  Sean Richardson has more.

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LSU football coach Brian Kelly spoke publicly this morning for the first time since the death of former Tiger football star Kyren Lacy. Lacy was one of Kelly’s first signees out of the transfer portal after he arrived in Baton Rouge in November of 2021…

Cut 3 (05) “…incredible personality” 

Lacy died Saturday night in Houston from an apparent suicide. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office says Lacy, who shot a gun at the ground earlier in the night during a verbal argument with his sister, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound during a police chase.

Lacy was just 24 years old. Kelly says he’ll always remember Lacy’s incredible personality…

Cut 4 (07) “…full of energy” 

Lacy was a two-sport star athlete at Thibodaux High School. His first two seasons of college football were at UL Lafayette. He was the Cajuns leading receiver his freshman season and transferred to LSU for the 2022 season. Lacy developed into a second-team All-SEC receiver his senior season. Kelly says Lacy will be missed…

Cut 5 (10) “…great emotion.”

Funeral services for Lacy are still pending.

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The legislature is taking aim at distracted driving this session. A bill by Slidell Representative Brian Glorioso and Covington Senator Patrick McMath would make using a hand-held cell phone while driving illegal. Study after study has shown that using a hand-held cell phone while driving has deadly consequences. That’s something that Suzanne Salter knows all too well. Her 31-year-old daughter, Nicole, was killed by a distracted driver in Livonia in late 2014.

Cut 6 (14) “…heard the thump.”

Louisiana Highway Safety Commission Director Lisa Freeman says texting while driving is tantamount to driving blindfolded.

Cut 7 (13) “…miles per hour.”

Governor Landry says addressing distracted driving will also go a long way towards addressing another one of his top priorities in this session.

Cut 8 (11) “…their insurance premiums.”

Glorioso’s and McMath’s bill — House Bill 519 — would make hand-held cell phone use a secondary violation, meaning officers won’t pull drivers over for that reason alone. But they can tack that charge onto another moving violation. Hand-held cell phone usage is already a primary violation in school zones and construction zones.

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Despite rising egg prices across the United States, families continue to embrace the beloved Easter tradition of dyeing eggs. Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says at the start of April the average wholesale price in Louisiana was $3.75 per dozen and in other markets $6.23 per dozen.

Cut 9 (09)  “…before you buy them.”

Strain says the Department of Justice was told by the Trump Administration to take a hard look at the price of eggs.

Cut 10 (09) “…pricing of eggs.”

Strain urges that buyers to shop around for the best prices before they buy.

Cut 11 (12) “…see that spike.”

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Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple has struggled to secure a meeting with Governor Jeff Landry, despite Landry’s push to address the state’s sky-high auto insurance rates, currently the highest in the nation. Temple says he’s made every effort to talk but hasn’t been able to engage in a substantive discussion with the governor.

Cut 12 (12) “…hasn’t taken place.”

While Temple agrees with Landry that excessive claims and litigation drive up insurance costs, he disagrees with the governor’s focus on curbing legal advertising by injury attorneys. Temple calls that approach a “red herring,” arguing that advertising costs only account for a small fraction of rate calculations.

Cut 13 (10)  “…cost of the claim down.”

Temple says that the legislative package he supports targets the real cost drivers, excessive bodily injury claims and litigation. Temple stresses the need to “bend the loss curve” to bring down rates, indicating that while there are disagreements, both he and Landry ultimately share a common goal: reducing Louisiana’s oppressive insurance premiums.

Cut 14 (10) “…committed on doing.”