Today the House will debate a bill that would allow a statewide vote on marijuana legalization. Matt Doyle has the story.

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The world’s largest retailer is making another large investment in the Bayou State. Brooke Thorington explains

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Later this week a federal advisory committee will meet and vote on emergency use of the Pfizer COVID vaccine for a younger age group. Brooke Thorington has more for state officials.

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Legislation that would allow Louisiana voters to vote on the full legalization of marijuana is set to be heard in the House today.

House Criminal Justice’s 7-5 approval of the bill was a shock to many. JMC Analytics publisher John Couvillon says there’s real momentum behind this bill’s historic visit to the House floor.

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Governor Edwards has backtracked on his previous opposition to legalization. He says he won’t make a decision until a bill hits his desk.

Couvillon says his polling shows 68 percent of Louisianans now support full legalization, but that popular desire is going to run up against legislative inertia and opposition from key constituencies.

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Supporters argue legalization could raise as much as 200 million dollars a year in state revenue. Opponents argue it will lead to increased marijuana consumption.

Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says even if 60 to 70 percent of the public says they want legalization that 30 to 40 percent who are opposed are an important voting block for Republicans.

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Legislation allowing for smokeable medical marijuana has received little to no opposition so far this session.

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The world’s largest online retailer is investing $200 million in Shreveport to build its first robotic fulfillment center in Louisiana.  Amazon Regional Director of Operations William Hicks says the state-of-the-art facility being in North Shreveport will provide more than 1,000 jobs.

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Hicks says while Amazon is a global business it’s a conglomeration of small businesses.

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Hicks says since Amazon launched its operations in the state it has grown its workforce to more than 2,000 employees.

Governor Edwards attended the announcement and said it was over a year ago when Louisiana Economic Development dedicated the 135-acre site in Hunter Industrial Park where Amazon will locate their robotics facility. Edwards says teamwork was responsible for making it a reality.

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The Amazon robotics fulfillment center in Shreveport is the largest of seven Amazon facilities, operating, announced, or under construction in Louisiana. Hiring for the Shreveport facility will begin next year.

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A federal vaccine advisory committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday to discuss if they will recommend Pfizer’s COVID vaccine for ages 12 to 15. State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says if you have concerns about your children being vaccinated now is the time to talk with their physician.

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Dr. Kanter says if approved, he anticipates LDH will recommend the use of the Pfizer vaccine for that age group, based on the data he has reviewed so far.

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Currently, the Pfizer vaccine is the only one with emergency use approval for ages 16 and older. Kanter says we know children ages 12 to 15 are not as likely to develop a serious illness from COVID, having that age group vaccinated is still beneficial.

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Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agents are the stars of a new Animal Planet series “Louisiana Law” which premiered last night at 8 PM.

LDWF Enforcement Division Colonel Chad Hebert says the program showcases what a game warden does daily as they traverse the Louisiana wilds from the wooded north to the coastal marshlands…

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The first episode focused on a crab trap theft, rescuing an injured eagle, a drunk oyster boat captain, and more. Hebert says you’ll get to see a lot more as the series unfolds…

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Hebert says working with the production team was a joy and they really captured the feel of the job.

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LSU had a chance to sweep Auburn on the Plains this past weekend, but mustered just two hits in a two to one loss on Saturday. Tre Morgan started the game with a solo home run, but that was all of the scoring for the Tigers. Coach Paul Mainieri was surprised they couldn’t do more at the plate…

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LSU won the first two games of the series, eight to three and nine to six and they head into the final two weekends of SEC play with a nine and 15 league record and in fifth place in the SEC West. Mainieri on taking two of three from the War Eagles…

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LSU has a new president and chancellor of its flagship school as William Tate the 4th was a unanimous pick by the LSU Board of Supervisors. He becomes LSU’s first Black president and the first African American university president in the SEC. Governor Edwards says Tate, who is a provost at the University of South Carolina, is the right person to lead LSU.

The Louisiana House has approved a 36-billion dollar budget for the next fiscal year and they also agreed on how the state should spend 925-million dollars in federal coronavirus aid…
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During the President’s visit to Lake Charles, Mayor Nic Hunter had a chance to meet with Mr. Joe Biden to discuss funding for a new I-10 bridge and hurricane relief dollars. Hunter says the long wait for federal aid has been unacceptable…
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The President also went to New Orleans and toured the Carrollton water plant. Officials with the Sewerage and Water Board say the facility desperately needs to be modernized.

An LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center study indicates the pandemic was responsible for almost doubling the loss of sleep for mothers of pre-school-aged children. Researcher Dr. Chelsea Kracht says they surveyed close to two thousand mothers who on average sleep less anyway, but the epidemic only worsened the situation.
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The LSU Board of Supervisors has chosen William Tate the Fourth as the school system’s new president and chancellor of the flagship. He becomes the first black man to lead an SEC college. He’ll also be in charge of leading LSU out of a Title nine scandal that has reflected poorly on the university…
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Tate will start his new job on July 2nd.

The LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center has found that mothers who have pre-school-age children struggled during the pandemic with increased stress levels and a loss of sleep. Doctor Chelsea Kracht says in some cases this resulted in moms suffering from depression and absenteeism from work…
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The study’s findings support the necessity of providing mothers with reliable, affordable childcare options

Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter and President Joe Biden spoke Thursday during the President’s visit about the city’s most pressing needs. Matt Doyle has more.
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Today Governor John Bel Edwards will be in Shreveport to make an economic development announcement. KSLA-TV is reporting the governor will provide details of a new Amazon distribution center that would be built in north Shreveport. The governor is set to speak at 2:30 PM.

President Joe Biden was in Lake Charles and New Orleans yesterday as he pushes for his two-trillion dollar American Jobs Plan that seeks to rebuild roads, bridges, and water systems like the Carrollton Plant in New Orleans that has century-old turbines. In Lake Charles, officials say a new I-10 bridge is needed. Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter on his meeting with the President…
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Meanwhile, the Louisiana House approved spending 300-million dollars in federal coronavirus aid on water infrastructure projects around the state…
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That’s House Appropriations Chairman Jerome Zeringue who also says another 90-million will be used to expand broadband.

The LSU Board of Supervisors has named William Tate the Fourth as the new LSU system president and chancellor. He becomes the first black person to lead LSU after spending the last 10 months as the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at the University of South Carolina. Tate is expected to start his new job on July 2nd…
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Moms with preschool-age children saw their stress levels during the pandemic rise and twice as many of the mothers reported they lost sleep during the COVID-19 outbreak than before it. That’s according to a study conducted by LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center. Doctor Chelsea Kracht (Krok) says having fathers or other family members take on some of the childcare and housework would help moms balance the demands of their career and personal lives…
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Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter met briefly with President Joe Biden yesterday during his visit to Louisiana to promote his jobs and infrastructure plan. Biden vowed that if his plan is passed a new I-10 bridge over the Calcasieu River would be built. Hunter says that’s great, but this isn’t the first time they’ve heard that promise…
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The Louisiana House approved next fiscal year’s 36-billion dollar budget and agreed on how to spend 800 million dollars in federal American Rescue Act funds. Appropriations Chairman Jerome Zeringue highlighted the increased investment in higher education.
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The proposed spending plans still need Senate approval.

LSU is the first school in the SEC to select a Black president. Brooke Thorington has more on the historic appointment of William Tate IV.
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