Efforts to decriminalize prostitution in Louisiana are halted by the bill’s author after a lengthy debate in House Criminal Justice. Brooke Thorington has more
Cut 2 (36) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

A House committee voted against a bill to prohibit transgender athletes from competing in girls’ sports. A similar bill will be debated on the Senate floor this afternoon. Governor Edwards will also provide a COVID-19 update at 3:30.

The state’s proposed 36-billion dollar budget for the next fiscal year contains an 800-dollar pay raise for K-through-12 teachers and a 400-dollar pay raise for school support workers. The governor’s initial spending plan only called for a 400-dollar teacher pay raise. Louisiana Federation of Teachers Legislative Director Cynthia Posey is glad to see lawmakers are proposing more than what the governor recommended…
cut 11 (06) “….enough”
The budget bill will be up for debate on the House floor tomorrow.

A measure that would allow student-athletes in college to profit from their name, image, and likeness is waiting for a hearing in front of the Senate Finance Committee. New LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey told the Louisiana House she supports this legislation as it will make the lives of all student-athletes better…
cut 7 (10) “….most of you”
The bill has already received approval from the Senate Education Committee.

A New Orleans legislator is no longer seeking to pass a bill that would decriminalize prostitution. There were about three hours of testimony on the proposal in a House committee yesterday, but Representative Mandie Landry saw that the opposition was too great…
cut 10 (10) “….happens”
Landry filed the bill after hearing from women who say sex work is a form of labor if it’s consensual.

For restaurants looking for federal assistance to recover pandemic-related revenue losses, they can now apply for funding through the S-B-A’s Restaurant Revitalization Fund. Louisiana Restaurant Association President Stan Harris…
cut 15 (09) “….run on the funds”
For more information go to S-B-A-dot-gov.

LSU Women’s Basketball coach Kim Mulkey calls on lawmakers to pass legislation allowing student-athletes to sell their image and receive compensation for selling their likeness. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

The Louisiana Senate is set to debate the Fairness in Women’s Sport’s Act this afternoon which says biological females are the only ones that can compete in women’s sports. A similar measure failed to get out of the House Education Committee yesterday on a six to five vote. Arkansas and Mississippi have passed laws to ban transgender individuals from competing in girls’ sports.

After close to three hours of testimony in House Criminal Justice, New Orleans Representative Mandie Landry shelved her bill to decriminalize prostitution. Gloria Blankenship with Purchase Not for Sale, an organization to assist victims of sexual exploitation, says while she agrees with the intent of the bill, she’s unable to support it in its current form.
Cut 8 (10) “…exploitation.”
Other opponents disapproved of the bill on moral grounds.

A bill to ban corporal punishment in public schools is possibly dead for the session after the proposal fell five votes short of passing the Louisiana House. Plaquemine Representative Chad Brown questioned New Orleans Representative Stephanie Hilferty about her bill…
cut 5 (12) “…Americans”

Governor John Bel Edwards encourages owners of restaurants, bars, and other food-related establishments to register for the Small Business Administration’s new Restaurant Revitalization Fund. Louisiana Restaurant Association President Stan Harris says $28-billion has been set aside to fund the program.
Cut 14 (11) “… disadvantaged businesses.”
The federal program will provide restaurants with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss of up to ten-million dollar per business and five million per physical location. Go to S-B-A-dot-gov for more information.

The Louisiana House will consider the proposed budget for next fiscal year tomorrow. It contains an 800-dollar pay raise for K-through-12 teachers and a 400-dollar pay raise for support staff. Louisiana Federation of Teachers Legislative Director Cynthia Posey says the raise will help reduce attrition of teachers….
cut 13 (06) “…children there”

Legislation that would have outlawed the use of corporal punishment in Louisiana schools is defeated on the House floor. Pollock Representative Gabe Firment debated the merits with bill author and New Orleans Representative Stephanie Hilferty…
Cut 4 (11)“…methods”
But not enough House members agreed with Hilferty and the measure came up four votes short of passing and 29 school districts can still use a paddle on students.

Tomorrow on the House floor, lawmakers will vote on the proposed budget. It contains an 800-dollar raise for public school teachers and a 400-dollar hike in pay for school support workers. Teachers last received a raise in 2019, but Louisiana Federation of Teachers Legislative Director Cynthia Posey says teacher pay in this state still trails the Southern Regional Average…
cut 12 (09) “….pay teachers”

Governor Edwards is encouraging operators of Louisiana restaurants, bars, catering companies, and other food-related establishments to register for the U-S Small Business Administration’s new Restaurant Revitalization Fund. Louisiana Restaurant Association President Stan Harris says unlike previous assistance with P-P-P loans, Revitalization funding is based on the value of your lost revenue…
cut 16 (13) “….you’ve received”
Go to S-B-A-dot-gov to register.

Safe Source Direct is investing 150-million dollars into the construction of two manufacturing facilities that will produce personal protection equipment. The facilities will be located in Lafayette and St. Martin Parishes and Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says it’s a big job creator…
cut 14 (12) “….Acadiana region”

The Louisiana House approves a bill that would expand the state’s medical marijuana program so patients can use the smokeable form. Currently, medical marijuana is only available in oils, pills, liquids, topical applications, and as an inhaler. Houma Representative Tanner Magee says the smokeable form is cheaper…
cut 12 (13) “….currently available”
The measure heads to the Senate for more debate.

The wife of 93-year old former Governor Edwin Edwards shares with the podcast Only in Louisiana that the silver fox is now confined to a wheelchair. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

New Orleans and Company, the marketing agency for the city of New Orleans, is hosting a hospitality and tourism job fest and offering job seekers COVID vaccines at the Morial Convention Center tomorrow. Spokesperson Kelly Schulz says about 100 companies will attend.
Cut 4 (07)“…on the spot.”
Job seekers should pre-register at new-orleans-dot-com–slash–jobs.

SafeSource Direct is investing 150-million dollars into the construction of two facilities in Acadiana that will produce personal protective equipment. Brook Thorington reports the projects will create a combined 12-hundred new direct jobs…
cut 3 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

Legislation that would give voters in St. Tammany Parish a chance to decide if they want a riverboat casino in Slidell never came up for a vote in Senate Finance yesterday. It’s a sign the votes are not there to pass it.

The Louisiana House approves a bill that would allow physicians to prescribe the smokable form of medical marijuana to patients. Houma Representative Tanner Magee says 35 states have a medical marijuana program, only Louisiana and Minnesota do not allow the raw or crude form…
Cut 10 (09) “…but they will get this.”
The vote was 73-26 in favor and it heads to the Senate for more discussion.

During a conversation with Michelle Southern the host of the Only in Louisiana Podcast, Trina Edwards, the wife of former four-term governor Edwin Edwards, says her 93-year-old husband is now confined to a wheelchair….
cut 9 (06) “….needed”
Trina says despite the new lifestyle, her husband is not experiencing any major health issues. The two will celebrate their 10-year wedding anniversary in June.

The Louisiana House approves a bill that would expand the state’s medical-marijuana program so patients can use the smokeable form. Currently, medical marijuana is only available in oils, pills, liquids, topical applications, and as an inhaler. Houma Representative Tanner Magee says the smokeable form is cheaper…
cut 12 (13) “….currently available”
The measure heads to the Senate for more debate.

SafeSource Direct is investing 150-million dollars to construct two facilities, one in Lafayette, the other in St. Martin Parish, that will produce personal protective equipment. State Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says P-P-E plays a vital role…
cut 13 (08) “…the globe”
The new PPE production facilities are expected to employ 12-hundred people.

New Orleans and Company, the marketing firm that represents the city, will host a job fair tomorrow at the Morial Convention Center that will feature 100 employers looking for workers in the hospitality industry. New Orleans and Company spokesperson Kelly Schulz says with the tourism industry gradually reopening, jobs at all levels are available…
cut 5 (07) “….benefit packages”
Job seekers are encouraged to pre-register at new-orleans-dot-com-slash-jobs.

Trina Edwards, the wife of former four-term governor Edwin Edwards, tells the podcast “Only in Louisiana” that her 93-year-old husband is now confined to a wheelchair. Trina says the Cajun Prince is not experiencing any major health issues, but she says taking care of a person in a wheelchair is hard work…
cut 8 (06) “….lot worse”