Governor John Bel Edwards supports two bills heading to the Senate floor that altar the TOPS scholarship program. Halen Doughty has more…
voicer 3 (30) “…I’m Halen Doughty

The Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival begins today, but it wasn’t a good year for Louisiana strawberry producers. Farmer Eric Morrow says he lost the majority of his crop and so did several other strawberry producers…
cut 8 (06) “….their pocket”
Morrow says federal assistance is unlikely, because government aid doesn’t usually go for specialty crops.

Legislation is heading to the House floor that would make public parks, playgrounds and recreational facilities firearm free zones. New Orleans Representative Jimmy Harris says his bill was not created to infringe on anyone’s rights, but to keep people safe…
cut 15 (09) “…foolishness”
Gun right supporters oppose the legisltions.

Louisiana wildlife officials are increasing their efforts to look for a incurable, brain disease that could impact the state’s deer population. It’s known as chronic wasting disease and it’s already been confirmed in Arkansas and Texas. Jim LaCour, with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says they do have a plan in place if the disease is spotted in Louisiana…
cut 6 (12) “…sample it”

Two bills that attempt to resolve TOPS funding problems were approved by the Senate education committee today. Michelle Southern has the story…
voicer 2 (29) “….I’m Michelle Southern”

The House approves legislation to extend the waiting period to get an abortion from 24 to 72 hours. West Monroe Representative Frank Hoffman says the extra time gives women facing crisis pregnancies time to examine their options…
cut 6 (06) “…later regret”
The bill heads to the senate for more discussion.

Agriculture losses from the March flooding could reach 15 million dollars. That’s according to LSU agcenter economist Kurt Guidry, who says livestock took a hit, as hundreds of cattle died after their pastures were flooded…
cut 13 (11) “…be moved’
Cattle production is a 663-million dollar industry in this state.

LSU’s band director, Roy King, has been placed on administrative leave and his attorney is calling it a witch hunt. Lawyer Jill Craft says a lot of King’s troubles started when the School of Music’s administration tried to get some of the athletic funds that go toward the Tiger Band…
cut 9 (10) “….purposes”
But LSU says this is not a result of any alleged dispute between King and the School of Music and gave no further comment.

A new study shows if Louisiana lawmakers loosen the restrictions on the dispensing of medical marijuana it could be a multi-million dollar industry. Cannabis Association spokesperson Jesse McCormick says the report also shows medical marijuana could generate between 5 and 13-million dollars in revenue, if a four-percent tax was placed on the sale of the product….
cut 9 (12) “….are doing”

Lt Governor Billy Nungesser says he would like to see movies share with Louisiana some of their profits, if a successful film was shot in the Bayou State. Nungesser says he would like to see legislators and producers discuss if this is feasible…
cut 5 (07) “….that works”
LSU has finished two-days of town hall meetings to get feedback from students on possible new rules that attempt to crack down on binge drinking on campus before home football games. LSU’s Dean of Students Maria Fuentes-Martin says most students are not happy with the proposed changes…
cut 12 (07) “…other activities”

Many college sports fans are not happy with a bill that would restrict college athletic teams in the state, excluding LSU, from traveling more than 375 miles to play games. The proposed law also does not apply to football or basketball or postseason action. Baton Rouge Representative Steve Carter, says state dollars are scarce and public dollars shouldn’t be used on long road trips for non-revenue generating sports…:
Cut 13 (09) “great distances”
It’s unclear when Carter’s bill will come up for debate in committee.

Legislation aimed at preventing the removal of Confederate monuments failed to get out of a senate committee. Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell is the author of the bill…
cut 8 (08) “…shared history”
The measure failed to advance out of committee on a five to four vote. Democrats opposed the measure while Republicans voted yes.

On the House side, there were three bills that would have put limitations on the TOPS scholarship, but none of them passed out of the Education Committee. Hammond Representative Chris Broadwater had one fo the proposals. He says the program has to be altered because of the state’s budget problems…
cut 11 (05) “…a challenge”
The Senate education committee is expected to debate its own set of bills to change TOPS tomorrow.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says one of the two 19-year-old boaters that was rescued off the coast of Cameron Parish this morning has died. LDWF spokesperson Adam Einck says two young men launched an aluminum boat from Joseph’s Harbor yesterday and were found this morning clinging to their sunken boat…
cut 30 (04) “…Joseph’s harbor”
The deceased boater has been identified as 19-year-old Derek Romero of Iberia Parish. The other 19-year-old rescued is expected to survive.

Two new Zika cases have been confirmed in Louisiana, bringing the total number to four – but DHH says they are all okay. Medical Director for the Louisiana Center for Community Preparedness, Dr. Frank Welch says this Zika confirmation is really a few weeks late, because the tests had to be sent to the Center for Disease Control for confirmation….
cut 12 (07) “…positive”
Welch says the two individuals who tested positive for the Zika Virus recently traveled to the Caribbean and South America.

The House Education Committee is taking up several bills that propose changes to the TOPS scholarship program. Baton Rouge Representative Barry Ivey has a proposal that would raise the GPA requirement to retain the scholarship once a recipient is in college. Ivey says changes like this will keep the program intact for more students in the future…
cut 10 (05) “….pretty quickly”
There’s also a bill that would make the scholarship a loan that students would have to pay back if they drop out or fail classes.

A state senate committee has given approval to banning the sale of aborted fetal tissue. Bossier City Senator Ryan Gatti says his main emphasis is to make sure people can’t profit from the selling of parts of an aborted fetus…
cut 15 (10) “….that process”
Before heading to the Senate floor, the bill was amended so mothers would not be criminalized for donating stem cells or unbilical cord blood.

A rally in support of legislation to have 17-year-olds charged as juveniles rather than adults takes place on the State Capitol steps today. Meg Garvey with the Youth Justice Coalition says this bill allows 17-year-olds the opportunity to be in a system that’s rehabilities and addresses their needs…
cut 13 (11) “….public safety”
Governor John Bel Edwards is also expected to speak at this rally.

US Representative Ralph Abraham is in Cuba today. Abraham is there to talk about how Lousiaina can be a trade partner with the island country once the trade embargo is lifted…
cut 6 (08) “….the latest”
Abraham says Cuba currently gets its rice from Asia, but Louisiana rice would make for sense for both sides.

A state lawmaker tells higher ed officials not to expect any additional revenue and they need to come up with a plan on how to educate students with exisiting dollars. Covington Representative John Schroeder says after raising hundreds of millions of dollars in the special session, he doesn’t see the legislature passing any more tax increases…
cut 13 (09) “…money coming”
A bill that would allow pets to be buried with their owners failed to get approval from a Senate committee today. Gerald Melancon, with the Louisiana Cemetery Board, says this proposed law would give cemeteries problems, if the owner never wanted to be buried with the pet, but the family wants it to happen…
cut 11 (09) “…that owner”
The author of the bill says he’ll bring the legislation back again next year.

LSU Vice President for Agriculture Bill Richardson says the school is debating whether or not it will grow medical marijuana. Lawmakers gave the ag centers at LSU and Southern the first right of refusal to produce the prescription drug. Richardson says they are considering their options…:
CUT 4 (08) “or out”
He says several bills on medical marijuana in this regular session outline the regulations that could help them make a decision.

Seat belt fines would double on a first offense under a bill that advances out of the House Transportation Committee. New Orleans Rep. Walt Leger says under this legislation, the maximum fine would be 75 dollars. He feels this would help more people buckle up …:
CUT 7 (10) “use a seat belt”
The bill moves to the full House.