Two bills have been filed for the upcoming session that would increase the tax on consumable hemp products, increasing the tax from three percent to as high as 20-percent. Needless to say, retailers who sell hemp products are not happy. Joe Gerrity, the CEO of Crescent Canna, says those bills only hurt the retailers who already face a great deal of red tape.

Cut 9 (08)  “…know they enjoy.”

The legislative session begins next week and the Pelican Institute for Public Policy  polled 800 Louisiana voters and found that a majority of them support school choice legislation. Pelican Institute CEO Daniel Erspamer,,,

Cut 5 (13) “…fully funded”

Governor Landry has proposed 93-million dollars for the LA Gator scholarship program, the state’s new school voucher program. That would provide about 11-thousand families with state funds for education expenses.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation is actively involved in litter removal with this week being Love the Boot Week. DOTD spokesman Rodney Mallett says partnering with Keep Louisiana Beautiful, DOTD employees are engaged in cleanup efforts statewide…

Cut 14 (12) “…100 miles of roadway.”

Mallett says the state spends more than 13-million dollars annually by picking up trash on the side of roadways.

Louisiana Oil and Gas Association President Mike Moncla calls the decision by a Plaquemines Parish jury that Chevron must pay 745-million dollars in damages for contributing to coastal land loss a black eye for the state. Moncla says it’s a frivolous lawsuit and the decision reached is an industry killer…

Cut 12 (16) “…begged to do”

Attorney John Carmouche represents several parishes in these so-called legacy lawsuits and says defendant companies failed to follow state law and restore sties as close as possible to their original state.

The Louisiana Oil and Gas Association is speaking out after a jury awards Plaquemines Parish almost 745-million dollars from Chevron. The jury agreed with the plaintiffs that Texaco operations and abandonment of equipment led to land loss. Chevron later acquired Texaco. LOGA president Mike Moncla says the state gave Texaco the green light decades ago for oil exploration…

Cut 11 (10) “…ruin our coast”

The plaintiffs in the case say a 1978 state law was violated when Texaco did not restore its drilling site after use.

Monroe Representative Mike Echols wants to increase the tax on consumable hemp products. The state tax is currently three-percent, Echols has filed a bill to increase it to 20-percent and the money will go towards drug treatment and prevention…

Cut 8 (10) “…alcohol or tobacco”

CEO of Cresent Canna, Joe Gerrity calls the tax excessive and forces people to pay more money at a time when they are already tightening their belts.

Ahead of the 2025 legislative session, the Pelican Institute released its Pelican Pulse poll highlighting voter sentiment on key issues facing the state.  Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

Phil and Kay Robertson, the matriarch and patriarch of Duck Dynasty are suffering from serious health problems. It was announced late last year 78-year-old Phil Robertson was suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease. In a podcast, Unashamed with the Robertson Family, Phil’s son, Jase, says his father is not doing well and Miss Kay recently spent 11 days in the hospital after suffering a cut from a fall that became infected and is now in a rehab hospital.

The Louisiana Oil and Gas Association is speaking out after a jury rules that Chevron must pay Plaquemines Parish almost 745-million dollars….

Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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. Jose Francisco Garcia Rodriguez has been in the United States for 45 years and his family acknowledges he made some mistakes early in his life which has prevented him from becoming a U-S citizen. But his family felt it was unfair he was apprehended, and they begged for his release and he’s now back home.

The Pelican Institute for Public Policy released its latest Pelican Pulse Poll ahead of the upcoming 2025 legislative session.  The survey of over 800 Louisiana voters shows lawmakers a clear picture of what voters are prioritizing.  Pelican Institute CEO Daniel Erspamer says the poll shows voters believe government spending is out of control.

Cut 4 (07) “…limit its growth.”

Erspamer says 61-percent of the respondents also want the L-A Gator Scholarship Program fully funded and 55-percent want further tax reductions, after legislators reduced income taxes last year.

It’s Love the Boot Week, an anti-litter initiative put on by the Lt Governor’s Office. DOTD spokesperson Rodney Mallett says they have workers removing litter year-round and they received an additional extra three-million dollars this year to ramp up those efforts…

Cut 16 (04) “…across the state”

Louisiana Oil and Gas Association President Mike Moncla’s reaction to a 745-million-dollar verdict against Chevron to restore wetlands that a Plaquemines Parish jury said the energy company destroyed…

Cut 13 (07) “…killed it”

There are 40 other parish lawsuits against energy companies and Moncla says these frivolous lawsuits will keep oil and gas companies from doing any kind of production in coastal inland waters.

The Pelican Institute for Public Policy conducted a poll to find out what voters want to see lawmakers address in the upcoming legislative session. Pelican Institute CEO Daniel Erspamer says rising insurance costs is a major concern, with 54-percent strongly agreeing that lawsuit abuse is a factor…

Cut 6 (08) “…that fix”

The state legislature convenes a two month long regular session on Monday, among the bills they will take up are ones that would tax consumable hemp products. Thibodaux Representative Bryan Fontenot is proposing raising the tax on hemp products from three percent to 15-percent, while Monroe Representative Mike Echols is proposing raising it to 20-percent. Echols says there are multiple purposes behind his proposed hemp tax rate.

Cut 7 (11) “…an addiction disorder.”

But Joe Gerrity, the CEO of Crescent Canna, which produces THC edibles and drinks, opposes the tax increase. He believes his industry is being unfairly targeted …

Cut 10 (15) “….is even better”

Bills have been filed for the upcoming legislative session that would boost the tax on consumable hemp products. Andrew Greenstein has more…

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein”

Expect a lot of discussion in the legislative session on MAHA legislation, which are food policies pushed by U-S Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy. Governor Jeff Landry is in support of bills that remove fluoride from Louisiana’s drinking water, ban ultra processed ingredients from school lunches and prohibit the use of SNAP benefits to purchase sodas.

Louisiana Oil and Gas Association President Mike Moncla calls the decision by a Plaquemines Parish jury that Chevron must pay 745-million dollars in damages for contributing to coastal land loss a black eye for the state. Moncla says it’s a frivolous lawsuit and the decision reached is an industry killer…

Cut 12 (16) “…begged to do”

Attorney John Carmouche represents several parishes in these so-called legacy lawsuits and says defendant companies failed to follow state law and restore sties as close as possible to their original state.

It’s Love the Boot Week an effort where thousands spend time cleaning up the state. Department of Transportation spokesperson Rodney Mallett says in fiscal year 2024, DOTD crews collected enough trash to fill up 18 Olympic swimming pools…

Cut 15 (12) “…how much litter is out there”

Three people are dead, including a five-year-old child, and a fourth person is in critical condition from a house fire in Shreveport on Sunday morning. Shreveport Fire Chief Clarence Reese Junior says his firefighters rushed into the burning home and found the four victims unconscious and not breathing…

Cut 6 (10) “…their shift”

Firefighters did not find a working smoke detector in the home.

A 34-year-old man wanted for killing his parents was apprehended in California. Authorities arrested Joshua Brocato in Los Angeles after he allegedly murdered Marc and Priscilla Brocato, at their Amite area home last week. Tangipahoa Sheriff Gerald Sticker says they were tracking Brocato after he fled the scene…

Cut 9 (08) “…his movements”

Sticker says when Joshua Brocato was arrested on Friday, he had three guns on his possession and he was wearing military style attire.

It’s Love the Book Week and there are volunteers in every parish cleaning up Louisiana this week.  Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 1 (26) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

Sharp declines with the Global markets again today because of President Trump’s tariffs on other countries.  LSU Economics Professor Dek Terrell says the tariffs are attempting to produce two outcomes, increase manufacturing in the U-S and leverage for future trade negotiations with other countries.

Cut 7 (10) “…by initiating negotiations. ”

An early morning house fire in Shreveport yesterday killed three people and left a fourth person in critical condition.  Shreveport firefighters responded to the blaze just after 6:30 in the morning in the Martin Luther King Junior neighborhood. A five-year-old child is among the three people who are dead. Firefighters did not find a working smoke detector in the home.

The 2025 fiscal legislative session begins next Monday, so what will be the big issues? Colleen Crain spoke with Senate President Cameron Henry

Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

Ruston Representative Christopher Turner would like to see more money allocated for the TOPS scholarship program. He’s filed a bill that would provide more scholarship money for students who achieve a 31 or higher on the ACT and the bill would also increase assistance for those students who want to attend a two year school…

Cut 12 (10) “…academic side”

Global markets continue to fall this morning as a result of President Donald Trump’s tariffs on every country. LSU Economics professor Dek Terrell says part of the President’s plan is to reach new trade agreements with these countries…

Cut 9 (07) “….a recession”

Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be at the White House this afternoon seeking tariff relief.

A bill filed for the upcoming session provides an incentive for students to attend a Louisiana public university if they achieve a score of 31 or higher on the ACT. Ruston Representative Christopher Turner is proposing that high school students who score that high can receive up to 12-thousand dollars yearly in TOPS scholarship money to attend a public university in Louisiana…

Cut 10 (14) “…in Louisiana.”    (2x 

Participation in the TOPS scholarship has declined.

It’s Love the Boot Week. Lt Governor Bill Nungesser says there are over 20,000 volunteers pitching in to clean up the state and he’s encouraging ever Louisianian to participate…

Cut 6 (07) “…our great state”

During Love the Boot Week last year, 19, 441 volunteers removed 347 tons of litter. They also planted 921 trees, 4,408 plants and refurbished 366 gardens.

For the last two school years, teachers have received a two-thousand-dollar stipend on top of their regular pay, but that additional two-thousand dollars for teachers and one-thousand dollars for school support staff is set to go away because Constitutional Amendment Two did not pass. Senate President Cameron Henry says the goal is to give teachers a permanent pay raise, but finding the money to do that will be difficult…

Cut 13 (12)  “…late May.”

Discussion on next fiscal year’s budget ramps up with the start of the legislative session next week.

An argument for increasing tariffs on other countries is that it will lead to more manufacturing of goods in the United States. Last month, it was announced Hyundai will build a 5-point-eight-billion dollar steel mill in Ascension Parish. LSU Economics professor Dek Terrell says it still costs more to makes things in the United States than other countries,….

Cut 8 (08) “…in the U-S”