The state Board of Ethics opposes legislation signed by Governor Edwards that removes the cap on how much money candidates can receive from PACs. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

House Speaker Clay Schexnayder says he’s in favor of a four-day override veto session after Governor Edwards vetoed a bill that bans transgender athletes from competing on girls sports teams. But it’s unclear if the support is there in the Senate to hold one. If a majority of Senators or House members say no, the veto session is canceled.

Governor John Bel Edwards has signed the bills associated with a tax reform plan that will lower individual income tax rates, but take away a tax break that allows taxpayers to deduct the federal income taxes paid on their state income tax forms. But before the plan goes into effect, voters have to approve a constitutional amendment on the October ballot. Tax expert Jason DeCuir says the amendment should make sense to voters who learn about it for the first time at the voting booth…
cut 6 (09) “….understand”

St. Tammany Parish voters will decide whether a riverboat casino will be built in Slidell. St. Tammany Corporation CEO Chris Masingill says Peninsula Pacific Entertainment is proposing to invest 325-million dollars. Masingill says revenues from the casino resort will go towards flood protection and a new regional sports complex…
cut 15 (11) “…east St. Tammany”

An attorney for Ronald Greene, a black man who died while in State Police custody following a police chase in north Louisiana in May of 2019, says federal authorities are investigating whether there’s a pattern of racist abuses within State Police. There are cases of State Troopers from Troop F beating up Black motorists.

Governor Edwards has signed the complicated tax swap plan approved by the Legislature, but voters will have the final say on the entire plan in October…
Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

St. Tammany Parish Sheriff deputies have arrested a Covington-area woman who allegedly tried to hire four teenagers to kill her former girlfriend’s new boyfriend. Captain Scott Lee says 20-year-old Mykia Tyson drove the teens to the home where her former girlfriend’s new boyfriend was located…
cut 12 (11) “….in LaCombe
Lee says one of the teenagers got cold feet and fired shots at the home instead. No one was injured and Tyson and the four teens face criminal charges.

The developer of a proposed new riverboat casino in Slidell promises the casino will employ nearly one thousand people once it’s in operation. St. Tammany Corporation CEO Chris Masingill says 50-percent of those workers will come from St. Tammany Parish…
cut 16 (08) “…with benefits”
Voters in St. Tammany will decide in October if they want the casino.

House Speaker Clay Schexnayder supports the idea of a veto session after Governor Edwards vetoed a bill that would ban transgender athletes from participating in female sports. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (31) “ …I’m Jeff Palermo.” 

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Governor Edwards has signed into law oversight for Title IX policies on college campuses, legislation that was a reaction to mishandlings of sexual misconduct at LSU. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (31) …I’m Brooke Thorington.”  

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Now that Governor Edwards has vetoed the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, which would prohibit transgender girls and women from participating on female sports teams, will we see a veto session? Political consultant Lionel Rainey says House Speaker Clay Schexnayder supports a veto session

Cut 3 (10) “…big, big sign”

The Legislature has never a held veto override session. State lawmakers will receive mail ballots during the first week of July asking whether they want a veto session. Rainey says if one chamber votes against it, the veto session is canceled…

Cut 4 (09) “…tough call”

In Edwards’s veto announcement, he said a ban on transgender athletes in girls sports is discrimination and the bill was a solution in search of a problem that simply does not exist in Louisiana. But Rainey says there’s strong public support for this legislation…

Cut 5  (12) “…otherwise” 

Governor Edwards is also expected to veto another bill that received strong support in the Legislature. That legislation would do away with the need of a concealed carry permit in order to carry a concealed handgun.

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Starting June 1^st of next year 300 dollar individual lifetime hunting and fishing licenses will be phased out but sportsmen will still be able to buy a 500 dollar combination lifetime hunting and fishing license.

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Undersecretary Bryan McClinton says this change has some sportsmen under the false impression that all lifetime licenses are going away.

Cut 6 (10) “…clear up.”

McClinton touts the benefits of the combination lifetime hunting and fishing license saying it gives you every recreational hunting and fishing license privilege with gear fees included.

Cut 7 (12) “…can hunt.”

Current lifetime license holders will be grandfathered in.

Cut 8 (09) “…consolidated.”

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Governor Edwards has signed into law legislation providing more oversight for Title IX Offices on college campuses. Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell’s legislation closes loopholes found in previous campus safety policies and now allows for employees who fail to report sexual misconduct to be terminated.

Cut 9 (12) “…available.”

The law also calls for new training requirements and details when employees must report complaints or incidents they witness. It also bans retaliation against those who report allegations and requires detailed published reports from campuses on how they handle Title IX complaints.

Cut 10 (06) “…closely.”

Mizell says the passage of the unanimous legislation proves that lawmakers are gravely concerned about the safety of students on college campuses and wanted to enforce changes as soon as possible, especially after the LSU Title IX scandal.

Cut  11 (09) “…proud of.” 

Female lawmakers held hours of hearings to go through the Husch Blackwell report of LSU’s violations and heard from students who said their abuse went unaddressed. Mizell says it was testimony from those students who helped detail the legislation.

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Ragin Cajuns head football coach Billy Napier is receiving a contract extension that will pay him two-million dollars, nearly double what he made last year.  This extension comes on the heels of a 10-1 record in 2020 and ranked 15th in the final AP poll. The Voice of the Cajuns Jay Walker says this contract is well-earned.

Cut 12 (12) “…this past year”

While two million might seem like a lot of money for UL- Lafayette to pay for a football coach, Walker says most of the money will come from the Ragin Cajuns Athletic Foundation.

Cut 13 (10) “…whatever they want”

In three seasons, Napier has a 28-11 record. The 41-year-old has been considered for coaching jobs in the SEC, but Walker says Napier is happy in Lafayette and the Cajuns are in store for another great season…

Cut 14 (12) “…this year ” 

Governor John Bel Edwards has signed two more sports betting bills that set up the possibility Louisiana residents in 55 parishes will be able to place wages on live sporting events in time for the upcoming football season. Port Allen Senator Rick Ward believes sports gaming will generate an additional 30-to-40 million dollars in tax revenues…
cut 9 (08) “….early childhood education”

State officials say over 160-thousand people who are vaccinated against the coronavirus have signed up for a chance to win one million dollars through Louisiana’s shot at a million campaign. A Drawing for a smaller cash prize of 100-thousand dollars and a 100-thousand dollar scholarship will begin on July 9th. Louisiana Health Department Assistant Secretary Kim Hood says you only have to register once for the weekly drawings…
cut 5 (03) “….prizes”
Go to shot-at-a-million-dot com to register.

Governor Edwards followed through on his vow to veto legislation that would have banned trans athletes from playing on girls’ and women’s sports teams in Louisiana…..
Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

Governor Edwards has signed the bill that will allow for medical marijuana patients to use a smokeable form starting in January. The bill received very little opposition. Houma Representative Tanner Magee…
cut 11 (06) “….a lot of uses”

Governor John Bel Edwards has vetoed the legislation that would have prohibited transgender athletes from competing on girls sports teams. Edwards says the bill was a solution in search of a problem as this is not an issue in Louisiana. But the author of the measure, Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell, says the Legislature is often proactive in responding to situations before they occur…
cut 16 (12) “….protected”
Lawmakers could vote to override the veto but would need to hold a veto session, something they have never done.

Governor Edwards has signed House Bill 391 legalizing the usage of smokable medical marijuana for certain patients…
cut 10 (11) “….alternative to opiods”
That’s Houma Representative Tanner Magee who says the smokeable form will become available in January.

Gamblers are one step closer to legally place bets on live sporting events now that Governor Edwards has signed two bills for it to become law on July 1st. Brooke Thorington.
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Ragin Cajuns football coach Billy Napier is set to make two million dollars next season, nearly doubling what he made for the 2020 season. One-point-six million dollars of that salary will come from the Ragin Cajun Athletic Foundation. Napier’s proposed contract needs University of Louisiana System Board approval.

Governor John Bel Edwards has vetoed a bill that would have prevented transgender girls and women from participating on women’s sports teams in Louisiana. Edwards calls the legislation discriminatory and in search of a problem that does not exist.
cut 15 (10) “…in sports”
The governor says the proposed law also puts Louisiana at risk of losing major sporting events like next year’s NCAA Men’s Final Four.

Governor Edwards has signed legislation creating the framework to bet on a live sporting event and a bill that spells out where the tax revenues will go. Port Allen Senator Rick Ward says the state Gaming Control Board will develop the rules and accept applications from venues that want a sports betting license.
Cut 7 (10) “…able to do.”
The state’s riverboat casinos, Harrah’s casino in New Orleans, and the racetracks are expected to apply for licenses.

Governor Edwards has signed legislation legalizing the smokable form of medical marijuana. Erik Piccoli has the story…
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Erik Piccoli.”

Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul is in Washinton D-C has he’ll participate in a roundtable discussion with President Joe Biden to discuss crime prevention. Aides say the President is also expected to issue a series of executive orders that will seek to reduce violence and he’ll continue to push Congress to pass more gun legislation.

Governor John Bel Edwards has signed the legislation that puts the framework in place for legal sports betting in the 55 parishes that approved it last fall. The governor also signed a bill that lays out where the tax revenues from legalized sports gambling will go…
cut 8 (05) “….annually”
Port Allen Senator Rick Ward says 25-percent of that money will go towards early childhood education.

The governor also got out his veto pen and with a signature, he prevents a bill that would have prohibited transgender girls and women from participating in female sports. Edwards calls the bill discriminatory, but the bill’s author Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell disagrees…
cut 14 (10) “….sport”
The state legislature can attempt to override the veto if they call themselves in for a veto session.

Starting next year, Louisiana patients who are prescribed medical marijuana can purchase the smokeable form at one of the state’s nine licensed medical marijuana pharmacies. It’s another expansion to the state’s medical-marijuana program the Legislature created in 2015. Houma Representative Tanner Magee on what state lawmakers may try to do next year to expand the program even more…
cut 12 (12) “….have more pharmacies”

More than 160-thousand vaccinated residents have registered to get another shot, a shot at a million dollars. Assistant Secretary for the Louisiana Health Department Kim Hood says the lottery to incentivize more people to get vaccinated, ShotAtAMillion.com, went live at noon on Monday.
Cut 4 (06) “…exciting.”
Weekly drawings start July 9th, the one-million-dollar grand prize will be announced on August 13th.