The odds of a sports betting bill passing this year look slim after multiple failures in the House yesterday. Matt Doyle has more…
Voicer 3 (30) “..Matt Doyle”

Will we see a spirited debate this afternoon in the House over a Senate approved bill that would ban abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which is normally six weeks into pregnancy. And Legalizing recreational marijuana will be discussed in the House Criminal Justice this morning.

A Senate approved bill that would set the minimum age at 16-years-old for a couple to get married has advanced to the House floor after receiving approval from the House Civil Law committee. Executive Director of the Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families Susan Nelson explains why teenagers should be allowed to get married…
cut 14 (11) “….otherwise have”
Current law does not set a minimum age on marriage so long as the marriage receives the approval of the parents of the minors.

LSU basketball Coach Will Wade dodged questions about the reported strong offer that was made to sign Tigers guard Javonte Smart. Wade took questions from reporters for the first time yesterday…
cut 6 (09) “…place right now”
Wade says those allegations were thoroughly discussed with LSU and NCAA officials during a meeting last month.

Sports gambling legalization is on life support at the State Capitol after House Appropriations voted 14 to six against the activity and efforts to move the bill out of Appropriations failed. So many amendments were added to the legislation that even the Louisiana Casino Association dropped its support. Executive Director Wade Duty.
Cut 10 (12) “…model.”
The legislative session ends Thursday and it could be another two years before lawmakers can legalize sports betting.

Tigers basketball coach Will Wade spoke for the first time yesterday since he was suspended for failing to address allegations of illegal payments to recruits with LSU officials. Wade dodged questions about the reported strong offer made to Javonte Smart, but he did address the allegation of a 300-thousand dollar offer for Naz Reid…
cut 4 (07) “….did not happen”

The Morganza Spillway is set to open Sunday to relieve pressure on Mississippi River levees downstream, but ecologists say it comes at a steep cost for Atchafalaya Basin wildlife. Atchafalaya Basin Keeper Executive Director Dean Wilson says there’s nothing that can be done to save thousands of at-risk animals.
Cut 7 (12) “…basin.”
Experts also warn opening the Basin will likely wipe out most of the crawfish and oyster crop in the area as well.

Northwest Louisiana is under a marginal risk for severe weather today.

A proposal to allow sports betting at the state’s casinos and racetracks failed in the House Appropriations Committee. Amendments were added to the legislation to get some money for horseman and allow sports betting at video poker establishments, which drew the opposition of the Louisiana Casino Association. Executive Director Wade Duty…
cut 13 (11) “…we can support”
There’s still a chance the sports betting bill could be revived through legislative procedures, but the odds are against the measure from passing.

A bill shielding the makers of the drugs used in lethal injections to carry out death sentences failed in a Senate committee. New Orleans Senator Karen Carter Peterson says offering confidentiality is not the way to go…
cut 11 (09) “…this body”
The last execution held in Louisiana was in 2010.

The Senate Finance committee has approved a budget proposal that contains a one-thousand dollar pay raise and 39-million dollars in block grant funding for local shool systems. But the House does not support extra money for local schools, instead they prefer a larger pay raise for teachers. Council for a Better Louisiana president Barry Erwin says election year politics is playing a role in the dispute…
cut 5 (11) “…teacher pay raise’
The dispute needs to be solved by June sixth, the final day of the session.

An eleven-year-old Baton Rouge boy has been charged with negligent homicide in the weekend fatal shooting of his nine-year old brother. No charges have been filed against the parents in what police call an accidental shooting. Legal analyst Franz Borghardt says without facts and data in place, it is a difficult call on how to charge the parents…
cut 8 (09) “…indirectly”

On a 15-6 vote, a House Committee voted against a proposal that would allow the public to legalize sports betting. Louisiana Baptist Convention Director for Office of Public Policy, Doctor Will Hall, spoke in opposition….
cut 14 (11) “…that hope”
Another House bill dealing with the taxing and regulation of sports betting could be amended, so that a vote could take place this fall to legalize sports betting. But it would take 70 votes in the House to pass.

The session comes to a close next Thursday and the House and Senate differ on how much of a pay raise teachers should get and if public schools should receive an additional 39-million dollars in block grant funding. Council for a Better Louisiana president Barry Erwin believes a deal can be made…
cut 4 (08) “…compromise”

A Senate committee has killed a bill that sought to help the state carry out lethal injections. Jeff Palermo has the story…
cut 2 (30) I’m Jeff Palermo”

LSU basketball coach Will Wade spoke publicly today for the first time he was suspended on March 7th. Wade told reporters covering the SEC Spring Meetings in Destin, Florida that it’s been a couple of difficult months for the basketball program. But Wade says allegations of illegal recruiting were thoroughly addressed with LSU administrators and NCAA officials.

An attempt to legalize sports betting in Louisiana is dead for the session after the House Appropriations Committee voted 15-to-6 against it. The bill got swamped with amendments, video poker, horse breeders, software producers and others wanted a piece of the gaming pie. The bill’s author, Metairie Senator Danny Martiny, questioned whether those additions were in good faith.
cut 12(10) “…posture””

Another bill that died today is a proposal to shield the drug manufacturers who supply the state with drugs to carry out a lethal injection. Several came to a Senate Committee to speak out against the proposal. Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops executive director Rob Tasman…
cut 10 (12) “…the process”
The measure died on a three-two vote.

The Senate Finance committee has approved a budget proposal that contains a one-thousand dollar pay raise and 39-million dollars in block grant funding for local shool systems. But the House does not support extra money for local schools, instead they would prefer giving teachers a larger pay raise. Council for a Better Louisiana president Barry Erwin says election year politics is playing a role in the dispute over education funding…
cut 5 (11) “…teacher pay raise’
The dispute needs to be solved by June sixth, the final day of the session.

An 11-year-old Baton Rouge boy has been charged with negligent homicide in the shooting death of his nine-year brother. Police say it was an accidential shooting. Legal analyst Franz Borghardt says if conficted, the child could receive a juvenile life sentence, which would keep him in state custody until he turns 18…
cut 7 (07) “…he becomes an adult”
The child’s parents are not facing any charges at this time.

A fatal blow was delivered to a pro death penalty bill at the State Capitol today. A proposal to shield the identity of the drug companies that supply lethal drugs for the state to carry out death penalty sentences failed on a 3-2 vote in Senate committee. New Orleans Senator J-P Morrell says the legislation opens the state to lawsuits, if an execution is botched
Cut 9 (10) “…of dollars”
Proponents of the legislation say the only way to buy the drugs to carry out an execution, is if drug manufacturers know their names would names would not be made public.

The session comes to a close next Thursday and the House and Senate differ on how much of a pay raise teachers should get and if public schools should receive an additional 39-million dollars block grant funding. Council for a Better Louisiana president Barry Erwin believes a deal can be made…
cut 4 (08) “…compromise”

Three Louisiana teams are in the NCAA Baseball Tournament. Jeff Palermo has more on who they will play…
Voicer 3 (30) “..Jeff Palermo”