In the closing minutes of the legislative session, lawmakers expressed their frustration over last-minute changes to the budget. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (30)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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State lawmakers failed to issue permanent pay raises for school teachers and staff in the legislative session that ended last week, and the state’s biggest teachers’ union is NOT happy. Kevin Gallagher reports…:

Cut 2 (32)  “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”

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A new Bankrate.com survey finds 66% of U.S. adults have a negative view about tipping and are forking over gratuities in smaller amounts. Teiko Foxx has more.

Cut 3 (31)  “….I’m Teiko Foxx.”

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At the close of the regular legislative session, lawmakers say they had only 20 minutes to review and vote on the state budget. The final budget had a $100 million cut to the Department of Health and only one year appropriated for teacher pay raises. Alexandria Senator Jay Luneau says the budget was drastically different when it returned from the House.

Cut 4 (08)  “…either.’”

Luneau says the most frustrating cut was to LDH, without any testimony in committee if the money actually legitimately needed to be cut.

Cut 5 (06)   “…in Louisiana.”

The final budget dedicated funding for $2,000 teacher pay raises but only for the next fiscal year. Luneau says if the state can’t bring teacher pay up to the southern regional average at a time when the state is flush with cash…

Cut 6 (09)  “…southern average.”

Overall Luneau says the session went well and they were able to address several issues but it’s unfortunate how it ended with the budget.

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When the state legislature concluded its business last week, it avoided dealing out pay raises for teachers and school staff; opting instead to give one-time bonuses of $2000 per teacher, and $1000 for support workers. Louisiana Federation of Teachers Legislative Director Cynthia Posey says calling that “disappointing” is an understatement…:

Cut 7 (13) “…almost a crime.”

Back in 2007, Louisiana teacher salaries were raised to meet the Southern Regional Education Board average, but have trailed more and more behind those other states in the years since. The state also has a shortage of certified educators. Posey says Louisiana needs to prioritize education funding or face further losses. She says teachers feel disenfranchised…:

Cut 8 (12) “…in education period?’”

The House avoided a vote on a Senate resolution that would have funded the teacher pay raises; electing instead to give them another one-time stipend. Posey hopes lawmakers will see things differently next year…:

Cut 9 (06)  “…and children first.”

Posey says investing in teachers and schools is investing in kids and Louisiana’s future.

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Service employees are seeing smaller tips or no tips at all according to a new Bankrate.com survey that shows 66% of people have a negative view of tipping. Senior Analyst Ted Rossman points out that gratuities are declining while annoyance with the request of tips is on the rise.

Cut 10 (13) “…lot more.”

Tipped workers receive a federal minimum wage of $2.13 per hour according to the U-S Department of Labor. In 2022, 65% of adults who dine at a sit-down restaurant tip their server which is down compared to 75% in 2021. Rossman says frequency tipping between gender and age was significant.

Cut 11 (12)  “…tip better”

67% of Midwesterners are more likely to always tip at a sit-down restaurant compared to 48% of Southerners. The study shows nearly one in three adults are annoyed by tip suggestions on screens. Rossman believes people are stingier when confronted with invitations to tip on the screen.

Cut 12 (13)    “…for it.” 

Rossman suggests tipping 20 percent as a standard practice.

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LSU is heading back to Omaha as the Fighting Tigers topped Kentucky eight to three last night to win the Baton Rouge Super Regional Series which punched their ticket into the College World Series. Cade Beloso delivered a three-run homer in the third inning to snap a one-one tie…

Cut 13 (13) “…after that”  

Coach Jay Johnson is leading his third different team to the College World Series, but this one means a lot…

Cut 14 (14)  “pretty special.”

Johnson is leading LSU to the College World Series in just his second season in Tiger Town…

Cut 15 (09)  “…so bad.”

Center fielder Dylan Crews is one of the best players in college baseball and now he gets an opportunity to play in the College World Series. Crews hit a screaming two-run  double in the ninth inning in his final at-bat at Alex Box Stadium. The two-time SEC Player of the Year admits he was nervous…

Cut  16 (16) “…it was awesome.”

LSU will play the winner of today’s game between Tennessee and Southern Miss in the opening round of the College World Series. The game is expected to take place on Saturday.

An override veto session is possible after the Republican controlled legislature approves three bills that target LGBTQ-plus community. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (31)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo” 

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An anticipated El Niño has shown up ahead of schedule which could help reduce hurricane activity. Teiko Foxx has more on what else it means for our weather…

Cut 2 (31)  “….I’m Teiko Foxx. ”  

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The final minutes of the legislative session were filled with chaos and confusion as lawmakers voted on the state’s $45-billion budget. Among the points of contention was the failure to make teacher pay raises permanent and gutting $100 million from the Department of Health’s budget. Shreveport Representative Alan Seabaugh…

Cut 3 (10) “…a joke.”

Speaker of the House Clay Schexnayder defended his actions after the session saying the lawmakers had the ability to read over last-minute changes to the budget.

Cut 4 (09)  “…those bills.” 

When asked if LDH was notified of the sizable cut to the budget Schexnayder told reporters in House Appropriations LDH asked for one amount and in Senate Finance they asked for another amount.

Cut 5 (07)  “…each one.

Governor Edwards expressed his concerns about the sizable cut to LDH and explained that the $100 million cut could result in a $400 million dollar loss of matching federal funds and frustration that the teacher pay raises are not permanent.

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The 2023 regular legislative session is over, but lawmakers could return for a veto override session. Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards says he expects he’ll veto three bills that target LGBTQ lifestyles. Edwards says the legislation is mean-spirited and wrong

Cut 6 (12)  “…for example.” 

A bill that would prohibit public school teachers from discussing gender and sexual identity in a classroom setting, legislation that would allow teachers to ignore students wishes to go by a pronoun other than what’s on their birth certificate are two measures that face a veto threat. Edwards says he also disapproves of a bill that bans gender affirming care for transgender minors…

Cut 7 (10)  “…have to do.” 

But Chairman of the Republican House Delegation, Erath Representative Blake Miguez, is passionate about protecting kids from life-altering procedures they may regret later in life

Cut 8 (04)  “… singular issue” 

If the governor vetoes these bills, a veto session is automatically called, unless a majority of the House or Senate votes not to have a veto session. It will take a two-thirds vote in the House and Senate to override a veto. These three pieces of legislation received enough votes in the House and Senate to override a veto.

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El Nino arrived early and NOAA is predicting strong weather and record hot temperatures worldwide over the next few months. State Climatologist Barry Keim says this is good news for Louisiana’s 2023 hurricane season.

Cut 9 (13) “…tropical season.”

Meteorologists give it a 56% chance of developing into a strong El Niño, and a 25% chance of topping supersized levels. In the past, a strong El Nino has led to record global warmth, like in 2016 and 1998. Keim says this could place 2023 in the running for the warmest year on record…

Cut 10 (11) “…breaking temperatures.”

An El Nino suppresses hurricane activity. But Keim says this year an El Nino is interacting with warm sea surface temperatures which helps fuel tropical activity.

Cut 11 (12)  “…to average.”

NOAA is predicting a near-normal  hurricane season this year.

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LSU and Kentucky meet for the second time this season, but this time the winner of the series advances to the College World Series. The Tigers took two of three from the Wildcats in April. Coach Jay Johnson says he got an updated scouting report on the Cats by dissecting their games last weekend in the Lexington Regional…

Cut 12 (14) “…to it” 

Typical south Louisiana thunderstorms were a factor in the Baton Rouge Regional as there were long weather delays on Saturday and Sunday. Johnson says they will not start a game unless they have a window to play the game…

Cut 13 (09) “…on the line” 

This is only the second time Kentucky has been to a Super Regional series. It will be LSU’s 16th super regional. 2019 was the last time and they lost to Florida State. Designated hitter Cade Beloso was on that team and doesn’t want to repeat that feeling again…

Cut 14 (12)  “…national championship”