Legislation that’s been called Louisiana’s version of “Don’t Say Gay Bill’ heads to the Senate for possible final passage. Brooke Thorington reports.
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

The legislative session must end Thursday and lawmakers are still trying to agree on a spending plan for next fiscal year. The Senate leadership would like to raise the spending cap in order to fund teacher pay raises and construction projects, but fiscal conservatives in the House are concerned about a loss in state revenue in 2025 when the state’s sales tax is lowered.

Ruston peaches are a sweet-tasty crop in North Louisiana but the peach industry is still dealing with a fungus in the soil nearly a decade later. Mitcham Farm Manager Joe Mitcham says farmers are still losing a portion of their crops due to the fungus.
Cut 3 (09) “…go away.”
Despite a decline in peach production in north Louisiana, the 73rd Ruston Peach Festival will still take place in downtown Ruston on Saturday.

Colorado State University researchers have increased their hurricane forecast and now predicting a near-average season. CSU Hurricane Investigator Angelie Nieves-Jimenez says they believe the 2023 season will produce 15 named storms….
Cut 14 (11) “…or more.”
Forecasters are keeping an eye on a tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico, but significant strengthening is not expected as it makes its way towards Cuba.

Public School employees would not be allowed to discuss sexuality and gender identity under legislation that’s moving closer to final legislative passage at the state capitol. Opponents say this is not an issue in Louisiana, but the author of the legislation, Haughton Representative Dodie Horton disagrees…
cut 9 (11) “….an issue”
But Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis, Louisiana’s first openly gay elected official, says the measure singles out students, teachers and parents who are different…
cut 10 (10) “…their child”
Louisiana’s version of the Don’t Say Gay Bill has been approved by the House and is awaiting debate on the Senate floor.

Louisiana and nine other states have filed a lawsuit against the federal government for the steep flood insurance rate hikes they are implementing. State Solicitor General Liz Murrill says there’s no transparency in what FEMA is doing…
cut 5 (10) “….of other states”
FEMA says they’ve calculated the new premiums by looking at scientific models and projecting the costs of rebuilding a flood damaged home.

LSU’s 2023 Louisiana Survey finds that 70-percent of residents support legal recreational use of marijuana. That percentage has increased from 42-percent in 2013. Doctor Michael Henderson organized the poll and says this is an issue the new governor and legislature will have to face…
cut 13 (09) “….with this”
Governor John Bel Edwards opposes legalizing recreational marijuana use.

House passed legislation to prohibit classroom discussion of sexual orientation and/or gender identity in public schools’ heads to the full Senate after Senate Education approved the bill. Critics refer to the legislation as Louisiana’s version of the “Don’t Say Gay Bill.” Bill author Haughton Representative Dodie Horton disagrees.
Cut 7 (09) “…conversations.”
But opponents like openly gay Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis says the bill is hateful and it tells children they aren’t accepted if they are different.
Cut 8 (09) “…the United States.”
The Senate Education Committee also sent a bill to the floor that would give school employees the right not to use alternate pronouns for children if it goes against their religious or moral convictions.

Louisiana has joined ten states in a lawsuit against FEMA over the federal agency’s Risk Rating 2.0 which is causing flood insurance premiums to go up substantially for homeowners in south Louisiana. State Solicitor General Liz Murrill says FEMA is not being transparent on how they came up with these new premiums…
cut 6 (09) “….the Federal Government”
FEMA says Risk Rating 2.0 rates are based on a home’s proximity to water, construction type and ground elevation.

Colorado State University hurricane researchers have increased their forecast slightly for this hurricane season, now calling for 15 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes. Researcher Angelie Nieves Jimenez says this is a difficult year to predict, as it’s rare for sea surface temperaturs to be this warm which is conducive to tropical storm formation, but an El Nino is also expected to develop which hinders storm development…
cut 16 (09) “…El Nino”

Attorney General Jeff Landry’s office is suing FEMA; seeking transparency on why flood insurance rates are skyrocketing.
Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”

The U-S Senate approved a bipartisan debt-ceiling deal late last night. Both of Louisiana’s Republican U-S Senators voted against it. John Kennedy says the bill would normalize and institutionalize emergency spending that Congress had to provide during the pandemic. And Bill Cassidy says the legislation cuts vital defense spending and barely decreases the debt.

A poll conducted by LSU finds that 70-percent of respondents support legally allowing people to possess small amounts of marijuana for recreational use. Director of the Louisiana Survey, Doctor Michael Henderson, says in 2013, only 42-percent supported legalization for recreational use and support is also growing among older individuals…
cut 12 (13) “….them support”

Colorado State University hurricane researchers have increased their forecast slightly for the 2023 hurricane season as they are now predicting 15 named storms. Researcher Angelie Nieves-Jimenez says forecasting is difficult this year, because an El Nino is expected to develop…
cut 15 (09) “…it’s coming”

Attorney General Jeff Landry has filed a lawsuit against FEMA over the new Risk Rating 2.0 flood insurance pricing policy. Landry says the federal agency’s rate increases place many Louisianans at risk of foreclosure. They have asked for open information on how the rates are set, with no response from FEMA…:
Cut 4 (13) “…gonna file suit.’”
Nine other states have joined Louisiana in this lawsuit.

LSU’s annual 2023 Louisiana survey shows increasing support to legalize the recreational use of marijuana…..
cut 11(11) “a bit”
That’s the Director of the Louisiana Survey Dr. Michael Henderson who says the survey also shows a sizable increase in support from respondents 65 and older.

Legislation that’s been called Louisiana’s version of “Don’t Say Gay Bill’ heads to the Senate for possible final passage. Brooke Thorington reports.
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

The Louisiana Senate has revived a bill that would ban gender affirming care for transgender youth. The legislation appeared to be dead for the session when the Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted against it, but the full Senate voted yesterday to bring the bill back up and it will be heard today by the Senate Judiciary A Committee.