The bill that would do away with capital punishment sentences in Louisiana advanced out of a Senate Committee by a vote of 6-1. Michelle Southern reports..:

Cut 1 (29) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Even after New Orleans begins removing confederate statues, a state lawmaker plans to move forward with a bill to make it harder for local governments to take down monuments. Halen Doughty has more… ­­­

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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On a 6 to 1 vote, a Senate Judiciary committee approves a proposal to abolish the death penalty in Louisiana. The bill by Baton Rouge Senator Dan Claitor would eliminate the death penalty for capital murder and aggravated rape cases after July 31. Bishop Shelton Fabre of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux says taking a life should be left to a higher power.

Cut 3 (10) “gift from God”

New Orleans Attorney Nick Trenticosta testifies 82 percent of death penalty sentences in Louisiana have been reversed, a rate he says is the highest in the country. He adds the death penalty doesn’t provide closure for the victims in these cases. Rev. Leo Cyrus of New Hope Baptist Church in Baton Rouge agrees.

Cut 4  (08) “seek healing”

The head of the Louisiana Public Defender Board says the state spent $91 million defending death penalty cases since 2008.

Speaking in opposition to the bill is Christie Battaglia [bat-tà-glia] whose father is on death row in Texas for shooting and killing his two other daughters when they were age 6 and 9. Battaglia says if her father ever happened to get out of jail, she would live in fear…:

Cut 5  (10)  “wouldn’t be here”

Battaglia says she knows that some people are wrongly on death row, but that means there is a problem with the system and not that others don’t need to be executed. She says her father is an angry killer who will never change…:

Cut 6 (10) “living in fear”

(The lone nay vote was from Baton Rouge Senator Bodi White.)

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Two individuals from Orange, Texas have been arrested and one is still on the loose after allegedly tying up an elderly Starks man for hours and stealing his guns, cell phone and wallet. Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso says the victim was discovered when a food delivery showed up at his home.

Cut 7 (11)  “seven hours”

Mancuso says 32-year-old Thomas Henson and 33-year-old Lea Pence were arrested and authorities are still searching for 43-year-old Michael Helmer, known as Mikey Irish. He says the three individuals face multiple charges including, cruelty to the infirmed and false imprisonment while armed with a dangerous weapon.

Cut 8 (10) “before”

All three suspects have previous criminal records. Mancuso says in his opinion, these individuals stalked and took advantage of the elderly gentleman.

Cut 9 (09)  “as that”

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A state lawmaker plans to move forward with her legislation designed to protect Confederate monuments, even though the process of removing them has begun in New Orleans. The Liberty Place monument was taken down early Monday morning, and the city also plans to remove three more confederate-era statues. Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell opposes what Mayor Mitch Landrieu is doing.

Cut 10 (10) “where we are today”

That’s why Mizell will still seek passage of her bill, which requires the legislative approval before local government can remove any monument.

Cut 11 (11) “or not”

Mizell says the bill would not only protect confederate monuments. She says it includes memorials that have been in place over 25 years and any landmark on the National Register of Historical Places.

Cut 12 (10) “find objectionable”

Mizell says it’s unclear when her bill will get a hearing in the Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs, but it could be too late to save the monuments that the city of New Orleans plans to remove.

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The centerpiece to Governor John Bel Edwards’ tax plan fails to receive support from the House Ways and Means Committee and the legislative sponsor has decided to pull the legislation from further consideration. Franklin Representative Sam Jones says the Commercial Activity Tax proposal would provide a stable revenue stream for the state but the legislature doesn’t support it.

Cut 13 (09) “do it”

The CAT Tax as it was known, would’ve imposed a tax on transactions that businesses make and would’ve generated nearly 300 million dollars in state revenues. But the measure received stiff opposition from business groups, who says this tax would hurt the state’s business climate. President of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association Chris John…

Cut 14 (11) “we have”

Head of the anti-tax organization Gator PAC, Col. Rob Maness, says this tax policy encourages and allows Louisiana to spend more than the economy can sustain.

Cut 15 (09) “gas business”

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In the middle of the night city contractors removed one of the confederate monuments in New Orleans that has been targeted to be taken down. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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A bill that will be heard before the House Transportation Committee could eliminate inspection stickers on personal vehicles in most parishes. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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During the overnight hours, New Orleans city contractors began removing the first of four Confederate monuments. The Liberty Place monument was taken away at around 5:30 this morning in pieces on a flat bed truck. Mayor Mitch Landrieu says this statue was put up to honor the killing of police officers by white supremacists…

Cut 3 (10) “strong today”

Landrieu says there are three other statues that will be taken down, two of them are Confederate generals and the other was a Confederate President. He says they will come down sooner rather than later, but won’t say when…

Cut 4  (11) “deterred”

He says they were taken down in the middle of the night for the safety of the workers. Tulane Professor Richard Marksbury said on Talk Louisiana with Jim Engster that it was extreme for police to have snipers on hand for the removal…

Cut 5  (10)  “with that”

Landrieu says the removal of these statues sends a message that New Orleans celebrates its diversity. But Marksbury argues these statues can be used as teaching moment…

Cut 6 (10) “anymore”

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A measure to be heard before the House Transportation Committee would eliminate inspection stickers on personal vehicles in most parishes. Stonewall Representative Larry Bagley says he filed the bill because with the installment of two year inspection stickers, it’s no longer about public safety but collecting more money.

Cut 7 (06)  “stickers on”

Bagley says inspections would still be required for school buses and other commercial vehicles. But he says for the everyday person, it’s very hard to take time out of your busy work day to stop in and get a new inspection sticker.

Cut 8 (10) “runaway”

Inspection stickers will still be required in the five-parish Baton Rouge area, because federal law mandates it, due to air quality concerns. Bagley says in terms of safety, the stickers really aren’t useful anymore.

Cut 9 (10)  “my opinion”

Opponents of the measure have voiced concerns about people dropping their insurance providers and people are no longer held accountable for keeping up with their vehicles.

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The centerpiece of Governor John Bel Edwards plan to overhaul Louisiana’s tax structure did not receive a warm reception from Republicans in the House Ways and Means committee. Franklin Representative Sam Jones says the Commerical Activity Tax would raise over 400-million dollars in taxes on businesses, but the governor’s plan calls for a reduction in individual income taxes…

Cut 10 (08) “get a tax cut”

But Shreveport Representative Alan Seabaugh says any tax on business, will be passed down to the consumer…

Cut 11 (11) “paying more”

Monroe Representative Jay Morris also opposes this new tax on businesses, because it will be residents who pay for this tax not the company…

Cut 12 (09) “double taxation”

The governor is proposing this Commercial Activity Tax on businesses as a way to generate revenue to make up for the one-point-three billion dollars in temporary sales taxes that expire next year. But Baton Rouge Representative Barry Ivey fears this tax on business sales will hurt economic development efforts….

Cut 13 (08) “10 billion dollar projects”

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Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Deputies are looking for the gunman who fired shots into an elderly victim’s home over the weekend, killing an 80-year-old woman. Major Wendell Raborn says authorities responded to several calls reporting gunshots in the area off South Hopkins Street in New Iberia.

Cut 14 (09) “on them “

The woman has been identified as Bertha Hill. Raborn says when deputies responded, they were unable to get a response from inside the home.

Cut 15 (10) “passed away”

Raborn says there was a large crowd surrounding the home when police arrived but no one was able to give any information into who shot into the home. But he says since then, the community has been very helpful.

Cut 16  (11)  “their neighborhoods”

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