A tax reform special session will get underway next week. Governor Jeff Landry wants to lower income taxes and to offset the revenue loss he’s proposing legislators do away with several tax credits. The state’s film tax credit program could be eliminated or scaled way back. Film Louisiana President Jason Waggenspack will make the case the film tax credit program is good for the state…

Cut 12 (10) “….the Louisiana economy”

But a Louisiana Economic Development study shows the tax film tax credit program only yielded a return of 39 cents in tax revenue in fiscal year 2022.

Lawmakers will take another stab next year in addressing the state’s auto insurance rates that are among the highest in the country. Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple believes one of the primary reasons  is that Louisiana motorists are more likely to claim an injury following a wreck…

Cut 4 (07) “…that’s driving cost.”

Temple says multiple legislative committees have been meeting regularly since the summer and the medical payments that are made as a result of a lawsuit or settlement is part of the conversation.

Today is the last day to request an absentee ballot for the November fifth election. To do so, contact your local registrar of voters office. And completed ballots must be received by your parish registrar of voters by 4:30 PM on Monday.

We still have some lingering rainfall in southeast Louisiana this morning, but we are looking at another dry weekend. It’ will be a perfect weekend for the 56^th annual Pecan Festival in Colfax. Season Richardson has a preview…

Cut 2 (33) “….I’m Sean Richardson”

According to highway safety officials, three-thousand people have been killed or injured in vehicle crashes during Halloween since 2019. Louisiana Highway Safety Commission Executive Director Lisa Freeman has this message for Trick or Treaters and motorists….

Cut 8 (08) “….just for Halloween”

And Freeman says if you consume alcohol, do not drive.

A study from Bankrate finds that infant care, costs nearly 10-thousand dollars a year per child in Louisiana that’s slightly below the national average. Bankrate’s Alex Galley encourages families to look into subsidy programs that can help pay for daycare…

Cut 11 (14) “,,,higher incomes”

The Louisiana Department of Transportation says nine Louisiana high schools are competing in the Buckle Up Phone Down High School Showdown. Colleen Crain has the story.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office has charged a 12-year-old girl with terrorizing-menacing after the child allegedly bragged about a ‘hit list” she produced. The girl was taken out of Leblanc Middle School in Sulphur.

And a 14-year-old in St. Tammany Parish was also taken into custody after sending threatening text messages to students at a private school in Covington.

Little ghouls and goblins will be roaming neighborhoods this evening, looking to fill their bags with treats. As they do, make sure they know how to stay safe. Lisa Freeman, the executive director of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, says Halloween is historically one of the deadliest nights of the year in terms of vehicle-pedestrian crashes.

Cut 7 (12) “…Year’s Eve holidays.”

Since 2019 in Louisiana, three-thousand people have been killed or injured in vehicle crashes during Halloween, according to data out of LSU.

Rain is in the forecast for today, but LSU Public Health Climatologist Barry Keim says scattered showers and thunderstorms are more likely during the daytime than trick or treat times…

Cut 14 (08) “….that you could”

The St. Tammany Parish coroner is warning you about a supplement that’s widely available but could be deadly. Over the summer, a 36-year-old woman died in part of an overdose of the legal drug Kratom. Dr. Christopher Tape says since it’s readily available, people might not realize that it’s lethal in excessive doses.

Cut 28 (07)  “…think it’s safe.”

Kratom is not regulated by the FDA, so there are no standards to ensure its safety.

Nine Louisiana high schools are participating in the Buckle Up Phone Down High School Showdown. State transportation spokesman Rodney Mallett says this competition encourages students to pledge to buckle up and avoid using their phones while driving.

Cut 4 (10) “…save peoples lives.”

The participating high schools are Berwick, LaGrange, Terrebonne, Plain Dealing, Plainview, Chalmette, Ponchatoula, Walker, and Neville.

Louisiana saw a record 849-thousand voters participate in early voting which ended Tuesday. Deputy Secretary for the Secretary of State, Joel Watson, says the next big deadline is absentee balloting. Watson says voters have until tomorrow afternoon to request an absentee ballot and it must be returned by Monday at 4:30…

Cut 26 (07) “….requests in right way”

So far more Republicans have voted compared to Democrats, 430-thousand to 344-thousand.

A new study by Bankrate shows that Americans on average spend just over 14-thousand dollars during the first year of their child’s life. Alex Gailey, an analyst with Bankrate who conducted the study, says on average, Louisianians pay slightly less.

Cut 10 (11) “…dollars per month.”

That translates to about 14-percent of a typical family’s income, which is slightly under the national average.

When your little ghouls and goblins are out casing the neighborhood for yummy treats, make sure they know the dos and don’ts about staying safe.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Rain is expected to develop across Louisiana today, But LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says most of the showers and thunderstorms should dissipate before Trick or Treat times…

Cut 13 (08) “.,.down to 30-percent”

It will be warm and dry through the weekend.

Louisiana has set an in person early voting record, as 849-thousand voters cast their ballots during the early voting period from October 18^th to 29^th. Early voting ended yesterday and Deputy Secretary for the Secretary of State, Joel Watson, says the next big deadline is absentee balloting. Watson says voters have until Frliday afternoon to request an absentee ballot and it must be returned by Monday at 4:30…

Cut 5 (09) “….requests in right way”

St. Tammany Parish coroner Doctor Christopher Tape is warning the public about the use of the over-the-counter supplement Kratom. Tape says the autopsy of a 36-year-old woman who recently died showed she had a lethal dose of Kratom in her body. Tape says Kratom is mainly used to provide a burst of energy, but it you take too much, it can be lethal.

Cut 10 (08) “…..underlying natural disease”

The gates to the State Fair of Louisiana are open in Shreveport. Marketing Manager Russell Adams says the fair has a new operator this year…

Cut 28 (13) “…is just superb”

The State Fair of Louisiana runs through November 17^th.

The Rgin Cajuns football team improved to 7-and-1 on the season, with a 23-17 win at Texas State last night. Louisiana Tech dropped to three and five with a nine to three loss to Sam Houston. Bulldogs Coach Sonny Cumbie says failing to score in the Red Zone doomed them…

Cut 14 (08) “…to capitalize”

The Bulldogs will return home a week from Saturday and they’ll host Jacksonville State. The Ragin Cajuns will be home Saturday November ninth versus Arkansas State.