Legislation that would prohibit insurance companies from using gender as a factor in determing auto insurance rates was approved today by the Senate Insurance Committee. The lone female on the panel, Monroe Senator Katrina Jackson, voted “Yes”….
cut 11 (09) “…down to”
Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says insurance providers are not discriminating against female drivers. He says predictive modeling is used to determine rates of female and male drivers.

An ATV crash near Slidell last night killed a 14-year-old girl and injured another 14-year-old girl. St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s office spokesperson Suzanne Carboni says this is any parent’s worst nightmare…
Cut 6 (10) “…a tree”
The teenage girl who died has been identified as 14-year-old Samia Rogers of Slidell.

The top ranked LSU baseball went down in defeat last night as the Nicholls Colonels pulled off a dramatic upset victory over the Tigers. Jeff Palermo has the story…
Cut 2 (32) “….I’m Jeff Palermo”

Our next severe weather event is upon us. Scattered severe storms will move into northwest Louisiana tonight. The severe weather threat shifts to south Louisiana tomorrow from about 5 AM until mid-afternoon on Thursday. Damaging winds and isolated tornadoes are the biggest threats.

A bill to legalize recreational marijuana is nipped in the bud. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Brooke Thorington.”

A 14-year-old girl died and another 14-year-old was injured in an ATV crash that occurred last night near Slidell. St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Suzanne Carboni says the ATV crashed into a tree and the girls were not wearing a helmet…
cut 7 (05) “…very dangerous”
14-year-old Samia Rogers of Slidell succumbed to her injuries.

Legislation that would chop off the minimum hours required to obtain a cosmetology license in Louisiana from 1,500 hours to 1,200 hours has been approved by the House Commerce Committee. All students would still be required to pass a national exam to become licensed. An opponent of the bill – Pineville Salon Owner Vivian Green says fewer training hours means a less qualified hair stylist…
Cut 15 (14) “…wrong, period.”
The debate will continue on the House floor.

Good economic development news for Shreveport, as Prolec GE, announces plans to add 153 new jobs so they can manufacture electrical transformers used in wind farms, solar parks and other renewable energy applications…
cut 4 (03) “…is booming”
That’s Prolec GE Business Director Sergio Fernandez.

The House Criminal Justice Committee voted nine to four to kill a proposal to legalize marijuana in Louisiana. New Orleans Representative Candace Newell was upset she didn’t have the chance to voluntarily defer the bill, with the hopes of bringing it back before the session ends…
cut 7 (10) “….very much”

We were expecting a debate this afternoon in the Senate Labor Committee on a bill to increase the state’s minimum wage to ten dollars an hour starting on January 1st. But the proposal was removed from today’s agenda late yesterday afternoon. Jeremy Alford of La Politics-dot-com says there’s strong opposition to raising the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour…
cut 10 (06) “…the capitol”
No word on when the bill will be heard.

The House Commerce Committee has approved legislation that would cut the minimum number of training hours down from 15-hundred to 12-hundred to a get a cosmetology license. Jeremy Aydell, who owns several Sport Clips, says he has 25 job openings at this site and this legislation could help…
cut 14 (10) “…minorities”
But there were salon owners who testified against the bill, claiming 15-hundred training hours is needed to produce a professional haircut. More debate will take place on the House floor.

The 37th Annual Festival International De Louisiane begins today and runs through Sunday in downtown Lafayette. Marketing Director Carly Viator Courville says there will be great art, food, and its a cultural melting pot of diverse music
Cut 11 (10) “…in Louisiana.”
One of the headline acts is Louisiana’s own Lauren Daigle.

A bill to raise the state’s minimum wage was set to be heard this afternoon in the Senate Labor Committee, but the legislation was removed from today’s agenda late yesterday afternoon. Jeremy Alford of La-Politics-dot-com says the propsoal does not have much of a chance at passing…
cut 9 (07) “…in Louisiana”
Simliar minimum wage hike bills have failed in the past, despite support from Governor John Bel Edwards.

There’s growing support from the public to legalize recreational marijuana use, but a bill to do that in Louisiana was killed by the House Criminal Justice Committee. New Orleans Representative Candace Newell tried to make the case that legalization could benefit the state by taxing the sale of the product. She says the legalization in DC has been profitable…
cut 5 (11) “…tax funding”
Despite that argument, the bill was defeated nine to four.

A proposal to clip required training hours for a cosmetology license in Louisiana was approved by the House Commerce Committee but opponents were vocal..
Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Teiko Foxx.”

Proposed legislation to sentence fentanyl dealers to life behind bars passed out of the House Criminal Justice Committee. Crowley Representative John Stefanksi is the author of the legislation…:
CUT 29 (07) “…how I feel.”
The bill would impose life without parole for distributing an ounce or more of fentanyl. Approved by a 12-to-1 vote, the bill goes to the House floor.

A bill to legalize recreational use of marijuana died in the House Criminal Justice Committee yesterday. Will Hall of the Louisiana Baptist Office of Public Policy spoke in opposition…

cut 6 (09) “….financially”

This afternoon, Senate Labor will consider a bill to raise the state’s minimum wage…
cut 2 (31) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher”

Legislation that would chop off the minimum hours required to obtain a cosmetology license in Louisiana from 1,500 hours to 1,200 hours has been approved by the House Commerce Committee. Slidell Representative Mary Dubbison –the bill’s author- says less time would mean less financial obligation.
Cut 14 (04) “…must repay.”
All students would still be required to pass a national exam to become licensed in Louisiana. A very vocal opponent to the bill – Pineville Salon Owner Vivian Green says less time means fewer qualified students.
Cut 15 (14) “…wrong, period.”
The debate will continue on the House floor.

Big upset in college baseball last night as Nicholls knocked off top ranked LSU six to five.

A bill to legalize recreational marijuana is nipped in the bud. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Brooke Thorington.”

The Louisiana Senate has passed legislation that significantly increases the penalty for a person convicted of producing fentanyl, which is a deadly opioid. Current law calls for a five to 15 year sentence, Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt’s legislation increases the penalty for a first offense to 10 to 40 years.

The House Commerce Committee approves legislation that cuts down on the number of hours in order for a person to earn a cosmetology license. Under the legislation proposed by Slidell Representative Mary DuBuisson the number of training hours would go down from 15-hundred hours to 12-hundred…
cut 16 (06) “…gainful employment sooner”
But one salon owner told the committee that less time means fewer qualified students. The measure heads to the House floor for more discussion.

Festival International De Louisiane, the largest international music festival in the U-S gets underway in downtown Lafayette today. Marketing Director Carly Viator Courville says there are musical acts from France, Africa, Belgium and one of the headliners is a Grammy award winner from Louisiana…
cut 12 (12) “…the Wailers”
And the festival is free to the public.

A Danish development company proposes building a $4-billion eco-friendly ammonia plant in St. Charles Parish. Kevin Gallagher reports…:
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”

According to Yahoo Finance, the fast food chain Raising Cane’s, which is based in Baton Rouge, plans to pay its employees 19.50 an hour and workers can make more if they work past 10 PM or train employees. The chicken finger maker plans to open over 100 restaurants this year bringing their total to 800 locations.

This is the time of the year when gas prices are usually on the rise, but in the last week they have dropped five cents to $3.24 a gallon for regular gasoline. Triple-A fuel analyst Don Redman says motorists are catching a break…
cut 14 (06) “….short term”
Redman says it’s possible gas prices will drop another ten cents in the near future.

The Advocate and Times-Picayune which provides print and digital news for New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette will expand this summer to the Shreveport-Bossier City area. Publisher Judi Terzotis says a news bureau of a dozen journalists will cover city government, education, health care, sports, culture and entertainment
cut 6 (13) “…to tell”
Terzotis says they will begin producing news on a digital platform in July.