e House takes up a bill today that would ban corporal punishment in Louisiana schools. Halen Doughty has more…
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”
______________________________________
The regular session ends in one month and Jeff Palermo tells us where legislators are with two big issues….
______________________________________
A bill that would give residents the chance to vote on if they want to remove traffic enforcement cameras will be heard before the House Transportation Committee. Emelie Gunn has more…
__________________________________
Today the full House is scheduled to take up a proposal to ban corporal punishment in public schools. Shreveport Representative Barbara Norton says 19 other states have similar laws on the books. She says children need a safe haven at school.
Norton says currently 12 lawsuits are pending around the country stemming from spankings in schools. She says one of pending suits is in the Bayou State and allowing children to be paddled only leaves cash-strapped public schools open to more litigation from angry parents.
Cut 5 (10) “corporal punishment”
The measure was narrowly approved by the House Education Committee on a 6 to 5 vote. Corporal punishment is allowed in 38 of Louisiana’s 69 school districts. Norton says asking teachers to spank their students also puts an additional strain on the educators.
Opponents to the bill say parents can opt their children out of spankings by signing a form.
______________________________________
The University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors has just named Dr. Chris Maggio the new president of Northwestern State University. Maggio says he’s honored and humbled to accept the position and has been with the university for 29 years.
Maggio succeeds Dr. Jim Henderson who recently became president of the University of Louisiana System. Maggio plans to continue to prioritize higher education given the uncertainty in the legislature.
Maggio says their world class faculty and academic programing draws in students from all over. He says their Natchitoches campus is warm and inviting, creating the perfect atmosphere for students.
_________________________________________________________
A measure to be heard before the House Transportation Committee today would give residents the chance to vote on removing red light or speed cameras that issue traffic tickets. Covington Representative Paul Hollis says enforcement cameras are money grabs for local government.
Hollis says traffic cameras are scams and trample on drivers’ first amendment rights. He says motorists don’t get a chance to confront their accuser.
Over the years lawmakers have brought up various bills to try to regulate traffic cameras and stop cites from installing them, but they have not fared well in the legislature. Local government say they help reduce crashes, especially at intersections. Hollis says he’s confident that given the opportunity, voters will support removing all traffic enforcement cameras.
_________________________________________________________
We’re nearing the halfway point of the legislative session, and the legislature still has a long way to go. Political analyst Clancy Dubos says lawmakers tend to be most productive as they get closer to a deadline. The session ends June 8th and Dubos says most of the work will likely get done in the final two weeks.
The budget remains the biggest priority. The House has sent next fiscal year’s spending plan over to the Senate for approval. It appropriates 97.5 percent of the revenues that the State Treasury will make available. The governor says this will lead to difficult cuts, so Dubos expects the Senate will add money to the budget bill.
Another key agenda item is criminal justice reform. Dubos expects lawmakers to focus primarily on nonviolent crime during this session. He says it will take the 2018 session to accomplish the goal of overall reform.
_________________________________________________________
Lafayette native Antoine Duplantis’ fifth hit of the game sent home the winning run yesterday as the Tigers won a wild contest versus South Carolina, seven to six in ten innings. Duplantis had four singles and one double as the Tigers had 17 hits. Coach Paul Mainieri says when Duplantis is feeling good at the plate, he’s hard to get out…
LSU lost 3-2 on Friday, but came back to win on Saturday and Sunday to take the series against the Gamecocks and stay within one game back of the conference leaders Florida and Mississippi State. Mainieri wasn’t surprised the series against South Carolina was tightly played…
Greg Deichmann had three hits on Sunday and drove in two runs, including the game tying run in the 9th inning….