A bill to end executions in Louisiana meets defeat in a Senate committee Tuesday. Brooke Thorington reports…:
Cut 1 (36) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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Insurance. You hope you don’t need it, though you’ve got to have it. But are Louisianans satisfied with what they’ve got? David Grubb has more…
Cut 2 (34) “…I’m David Grubb.”
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In March $232 million was wagered on sports in Louisiana, and the state’s gaming chairman says it was a slam dunk for the Bayou State. Brooke Thorington explains.
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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A bill seeking to end the death penalty in Louisiana meets defeat in a Senate committee. Monroe Democrat Senator Katrina Jackson argued for her bill before the Judiciary C panel, saying Louisiana is only one of 27 states that still sentenced people to death and it should stop…:
Cut 4 (15) “…have in their hands.”
Louisiana has not executed anyone since 2010, and the state’s last death sentence was handed out on 2020. The state has difficulty in buying the drugs used for a lethal injection execution, and so Jackson feels it’s time to put an end to the punishment altogether. She says, if you cannot agree with a moral argument, consider a fiscal one…:
Cut 5 (05) “…13-plus-million dollars a year.”
But there was doubt among committee members. Franklinton Republican Senator Beth Mizell worries Jackson bill forgets the rights of the survivors of a capital crime…:
Cut 6 (13) “…a right to ask for.”
Jackson argued that too many people in Louisiana have been sentenced to death; only to have their conviction overturned later. She says some were actually executed, then found to be innocent later. Baton Rouge Republican Bodi White – who could not support the bill – says that was an earlier, less-enlightened time. He points to the state’s recent decision to end non-unanimous jury verdicts as a safeguard against a mistake…:
Cut 7 (09) “…get a guilty verdict.”
Voted down by a 5-to-1 vote, the bill is defeated for this session.
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The LSU Public Policy Research Lab continues to release its findings from the 2022 Louisiana Survey. Insurance, something nearly everyone deals with in one form or fashion, is the focus of the latest report. Associate professor Michael Henderson says the numbers reveal just how many people have had to file property claims while the state deals with repeated weather events.
Cut 8 (08) “…significant number.”
Attitudes among those who have filed claims are split about evenly among those satisfied and dissatisfied with their insurance provider’s response, but Henderson says that overall the survey shows…
Cut 9 (10) “…things are going.”
Perhaps it’s two years of weather events or the lingering effects of a pandemic that hasn’t gone away…No matter what, Henderson says that there’s a general dissatisfaction consistent across a number of areas of the 2022 Louisiana Survey.
Cut 10 (11) “…be getting better.”
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$232 million in sports betting was wagered in the Bayou State last month, which translates into more than $5 million in tax revenue. Gaming Control Board Chairman Ronnie Johns credits March Madness for the impressive numbers and says the Final Four in New Orleans even attracted new customers.
Cut 11 (10) “…Superdome.”
Johns says both online and retail March sports wagering in Louisiana ranked 8th among states with legalized sports betting and ranked third when you compare to those states per capita.
With only a few months of legalized sports betting under the belt in Louisiana, Johns says he’s extremely impressed with how things are progressing, and no major technicalities with online wagering.
Cut 12 (10) “…of March.”
Predicting which months will be more profitable than others Johns says is hard to do with Louisiana sports betting still in its infancy, but he does anticipate the numbers will increase dramatically in the fall.
Cut 13 (09) “…once again.”
In addition to out-of-state wagers in New Orleans for the Final Four, Johns says technology indicates a significant number of Texans crossed the state line near Lake Charles and Shreveport to place bets last month.
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The Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, which was vetoed last year and received opposition from transgender advocates passed in the Senate on a 29 to 6 vote Tuesday. Franklinton Republican Senator Beth Mizell’s bill prohibits transgender females from competing against women. Mizell says the legislation has wide support.
Cut 14 (07) “…believe in.”
On the Senate floor, Alexandria Democrat Senator Jay Luneau spoke in opposition, because the Louisiana High School Athletic Association already has regulations prohibiting transgender females from competing against biological females and it’s not an issue in Louisiana.
Cut 15 (11) “…State of Louisiana.”
Mizell responded to Luneau’s statement about LHSAA and says they told her the legislation merely clarifies the language in their policy.
Cut 16 (07) “…right now.”
Last year Governor John Bel Edwards vetoed the legislation saying the bill was mean-spirited and a solution looking for a problem.
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The New Orleans Pelicans beat the Phoenix Suns 125-114 to even their playoff series at one game each. Brandon Ingram put on a show, finishing with 37 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists. Here’s head coach Willie Green on where this performance ranks in Ingram’s career.
Cut 17 (12) “ …on display tonight.”
It was an unlikely victory for the Pelicans, with the worst record in the playoffs, over the team with the best record in the league. Green has been praised all season for his part in turning the Pels’ season around, but he says the credit shouldn’t come to him.
Cut 18 (20) “ …do it every game.”