A small town in north Louisiana is mourning the loss of a police officer, killed while on duty on Saturday. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (32)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Legislation to hold a constitutional convention heads to the Full House, after costs were discussed in House Appropriations. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (32)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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In Lincoln Parish, a Dubach police officer was killed while conducting a traffic stop on U-S 167 just south of Hamilton Road. State Police spokesperson Ryan Davis says officer Russell Croxton’s police vehicle was hit by a truck driver from Arkansas who didn’t see Croxton’s police vehicle in the right lane…

Cut 3 (05) “…flashing lights.” 

61-year-old Michael Sutterfield of Russellville, Arkansas was the driver of the truck. After making impact with Croxton’s police vehicle, Davis says Sutterfield’s commercial motor vehicle hit Croxton…

Cut 4 (11) “..injuries” 

Davis says this is a reminder to obey the “Move Over” law. He says if you see an emergency vehicle stopped with its emergency lights activated, please reduce your speed and change lanes to give first responders room to operate safely…

Cut 5 (11)  “..investigation.” 

Croxton’s father, Ruston Police Sergeant Raymond Croxton, also died while on duty. He was killed in 1978 in a traffic crash while pursuing a suspect.

Russell Croxton was a police officer for 17 years. He started with the Dubach Police Department in 2007, left to work for another agency and just returned to the Dubach Police Department two weeks ago.

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Legislation to hold a constitutional convention beginning May 20^th advances from House Appropriations. Bill author New Iberia Representative Beau Beaullieu told committee members were told the convention would cost 63-thousand-dollars if it wraps by June 3^rd, but the cost could grow to 1.5 million if it concludes in mid-July.

Cut 6  (11) “…our per diem.” 

Beaullieu was asked if overtime for legislative staff was also considered along with rental space if it can’t be held the House chamber. He says they were not included.

Beaullieu told Stonewall Representative Larry Bagley the bill was crafted from previous convention bills and donations could help cover the costs.

Cut 7 (12) “…need to.”  

Because little details of what will be discussed in the constitutional convention, Bagley believes outside funding is a concern.

Cut 8 (10) “…on a fire.” 

The bill passed on a 14 to 6 vote, along party lines and advances to the House floor.

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Three Kenner Police officers shot during a lengthy standoff with a gunman on Sunday have been released from the hospital. The gunman, Matthew Lathers, was killed. Lathers exchanged gunfire with both Kenner Police officers and Jefferson Parish deputies. Sheriff Joe Lopinto says a member of his SWAT team fatally shot Lathers

Cut 9 (04) “…in time.” 

Lopinto says Lathers was wanted for an armed robbery and an attempted murder that occurred last week. The sheriff says the incident started when Lathers shot two people sitting in a vehicle outside of his home…

Cut 10 (06) “..fired upon them.” 

At last report, one of the victims shot in the vehicle was listed in critical condition.

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Louisiana is joining several other states in a lawsuit against the federal government over new Title IX rules that expand protections to LGBTQ-plus students in a classroom setting. Attorney General Liz Murrill on what the new rules mean for every school that receives federal funding

Cut 11 (11) ” …as well.”

Murrill says these new rules will result in transgender women sharing bathrooms, locker rooms and perhaps even lodging on overnight field trips with biological girls. She says the federal government is telling colleges and universities to disregard the concept of biological sex…

Cut 12 (07) “…biological women.” 

State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley has already told public schools not to follow the revised Title IX rules….

Cut 13 (06) “…across the country”

Transgender advocates say the new rules are needed in Louisiana as the state legislature seeks to pass the legislation that goes against treating everyone with dignity and respect.

Several property insurance reform bills expected to bring more insurers into Louisiana are headed to the governor’s desk. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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A bill to make edible items that contain THC like gummies could soon be illegal in Louisiana. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (33)  “I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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The investigation of Ware Youth Center in Red River Parish prompted by a 2022 New York Times report alleging poor conditions including abuse and 64 suicide attempts is complete. Colleen Crain has the story…

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Colleen Crain.” 

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Several property insurance reform bills have received final legislative passage, including a measure Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says will create simple, clear timelines for the claims process

Cut 4 (12) “…quicker.”

Temple is talking about Senate Bill 323 which will give insurance companies 60 days, instead of 30 days for a qualified adjuster to the start claims process. He says the additional time will lead to a better claims process instead of a rushed one that could result in a lawsuit.

House Bill 611 has also received a final legislative passage. Insurers are prohibited from canceling a homeowners insurance policy if the company has insured the policyholder for three years or more. Temple says House Bill 611 allows insurers to drop some policies after three years

Cut 5 (06) “…for them.” 

Temple’s insurance reform legislation seeks to reduce regulations to create a more friendly insurance writing market, which he believes will drive up competition, stabilizing insurance premiums.

Another bill heading to the governor’s desk removes an end date on the popular fortified roof program. Temple says this shows insurance companies Louisiana has a long-term commitment to resiliency…

Cut 6 (06) “…toward that.”

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Edibles containing THC, like gummies, could soon be illegal in Louisiana. Shreveport Senator Thomas Pressly says his legislation does not impact the highly regulated medical marijuana industry, he’s going after the recreational hemp industry that he says misled lawmakers.

Cut 7 (10) “…of children.”

Pressly says there are more than 2,200 locations in the state selling THC products and he’s gravely concerned about the ATC’s lack of regulatory ability to inspect them.

Senate Bill 237 removes a loophole that allows hemp products to contain up to half a milligram of THC per serving or package. Pressly used the example of THC gummies.

Cut 8 (11) “…and safety.” 

Even with an age requirement to purchase hemp products in Louisiana, Pressly says they are easily getting into the hands of minors. He says there have been reported cases of psychosis in children.

Cut 9 (12)  “…the effects.”

The bill passed in the Senate on a 27 to 9 vote and was assigned to the House Criminal Justice.

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After three years and nine announced and unannounced visits to the facility, the State Inspector General’s Office has completed its investigation of conditions at Ware Youth Center in Red River Parish. Inspector General Stephen Street says the goal was to determine current conditions and whether the facility was suitable to house juveniles going forward…

Cut 10 (07) “…suitable place.”

In 2022 the New York Times reported allegations of abuse and at least 64 suicide attempts at the facility prompting then Governor Edwards to request an investigation. Street says his office was able to review unredacted files and found the same 5 of the highest offending juveniles were often involved…

Cut 11 (11) “…actually occurred.”

Street says reporting procedures were also an issue as they lacked objective criteria for labeling incidents…

Cut 12 (13) “…other categories.” 

Street says OIG staff visits every facility operated by OJJ in the State of Louisiana and Ware currently compares favorably to them.

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If you have illegally tinted windows or a cover obscuring your license plate, Louisiana State Troopers are giving you a heads-up they’ll be issuing citations the first full week of May. Trooper First Class Ross Brennan…

Cut 13 (12)  “…plates are obscured.”

Brennan says there will be a concentrated effort on window tint law in Lafourche, Terrebonne, Assumption, the West banks of St. Charles, St. John, and St. James Parishes.

Brennan says excessively dark tinted windows create a driving hazard for motorists, especially when it’s dark outside, it’s like wearing sunglasses at night and driving. He says dark tint on your front or side windows…

Cut 14 (10)  “…pulling out.”

Another concern Brennan says is the difficulty obscured license plates and dark windows present identifying motorists and vehicles.

Cut 15 (12)  “…place coverings.”

Louisiana law requires front window tint to have light transmission of at least 40-percent, side windows 25-percent and rearmost windows 12-percent.

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The Saints selected five players in the draft on Saturday and the highlight was South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler. Rattler was a five-star recruit coming out of high school in Arizona. He had ups and downs during college but finished at South Carolina throwing for 31-hundred yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions last season. Coach Dennis Allen likes the potential of Rattler…

Cut 16 (17)  “…as a quarterback.”

Rattler says he felt the Saints would draft him after spending a couple of days with the team during a pre-draft visit…

Cut 17 (17) “…got me.”

Rattler started his college career at Oklahoma but was benched his sophomore season. He transferred to South Carolina. In 2022, he led the Gamecocks to huge victories over Tennessee and Clemson. Last year, Carolina struggled to a 5-7 record because of several injuries to guys on the offensive line…

Cut 18 (20)  “…I’m prepared.”

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The LSU Tigers missed out on sweeping the Auburn Tigers this past weekend, losing the series finale seven to five on Sunday. Coach Jay Johnson’s team is 7-14 in the SEC and will need to finish strong to make the NCAA Tournament…

Cut 19 (16) “…last eight.” 

LSU fell behind five to nothing after the first inning on Sunday. Kade Anderson got the start and couldn’t get out of the first inning. Johnson didn’t go to his best reliever, Griffin Herring, until the second inning. He says Herring was on a pitch count and didn’t want to bring him in the middle of an inning…

Cut 20 (20) “…..constraints.”