This is the Louisiana Radio Network legislative report I’m Jeanne Burns.

There are ten days left in the legislative session and lawmakers still have a lot work to do. They need to approve a budget, but one of the biggest non-fiscal bills left is a measure that would reorganize the state Department of Transportation. Senate President Cameron Henry says it’s needed to help DOTD allocate its money more efficiently to improve the state’s roads…

Cut 11 (08) “..work anymore.”

Most of the heavy lifting is done when it comes to insurance reform legislation as the governor has already signed six bills.

A Senate bill to make the insurance commissioner an appointed position rather than elected did not pass. Henry says it’s an idea the legislature may have to revisit…

Cut 12 (06) “…different direction.”

The bill that gives the insurance commissioner more authority to reject rate increases is the most controversial bill to be approved.  Executive Director of the Insurance Council of Louisiana Rodney Braxton says the new law makes insurance companies uneasy about what the future looks like.

Cut 6 (09) “…in the future.”

It’s been a year since the legislature passed a series of tort reform laws aimed at driving down the cost of property insurance. Are premiums starting to go down???

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

It’s been a year since the legislature passed a series of tort reform laws aimed at driving down the cost of property insurance. Are premiums starting to go down? Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season has officially begun, and forecasts are predicting another above-average season.  Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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Ten days left in the legislative session and lawmakers still have a lot of work to do. Jeanne Burns has the story…

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Jeanne Burns.”

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It’s been a year since the legislature passed a sweeping series of laws that took on the rising cost of property insurance. Are homeowners feeling the effects of it yet? Ben Albright, the president of Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of Louisiana, says it might be a little longer before property insurance premiums turn the corner and start going down.

Cut 4 (08) “…gone into effect.”

Albright says while premiums have not started coming down quite yet, the increases are slowing down.

Cut 5 (13) “…very marginal increase.”

Albright says the new laws have led to more companies coming into Louisiana, and that added competition will lead to premiums going down – and that will have a residual effect.

Cut 6 (08) “…cut their rates.”

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The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season has officially and will last through November 30th. Forecasters, including NOAA, predict an above-average season with more storms and hurricanes than usual. LSU Public Health Climatologist Barry Keim says warmer sea surface temperature is one factor indicating an above average season.

Cut 7 (12) “…form a hurricane.”

Keim says NOAA’s forecast calls for 13 to 19 named storms and 6-10 hurricanes and 3-5 major hurricanes.

Cut 8 (11) “…kind of a season.”

Keim says with conditions ripe for significant storm activity, early and thorough preparation is essential for safety throughout the 2025 hurricane season.

Cut 9 (08)  “…just be prepared.”

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Ten days left in the legislative session so what is left to do? The Louisiana Legislature still has to approve a budget. Senate President Cameron Henry says they are making good progress and it helps the Revenue Estimating Conference recognized additional dollars to spend. Henry says some of that additional revenue will go to roads and bridges…

Cut 10 (08) “…up there.”

A bill to reorganize the state Department of Transportation still needs final legislative approval before the session ends on June 12^th. It’s a bill Governor Jeff Landry supports. Henry says it’s needed because DOTD is having a hard time spending money efficiently to improve the state’s roads…

Cut 11 (08) “..work anymore.”

Most of the heavy lifting is done when it comes to insurance reform legislation as the governor has already signed six bills. Landry still wants an enhanced medical transparency bill approved. It would give judges and juries more clarity on the dollar figure for medical bills from a car crash.

A Senate bill to make the insurance commissioner an appointed position rather than elected did not pass. Henry says it’s an idea the legislature may have to revisit…

Cut 12 (06) “…different direction.”

The legislative session must conclude June 12th.

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LSU has been forced into a winner-take-all contest with Little Rock. Two days after shutting out the Trojans in the opening game of the Baton Rouge regional, they came back in a big way, beating the Tigers, 10-4. The same two teams play at eight tonight, with the winner advancing to the Super Regional. Tigers Coach Jay Johnson says credit Little Rock, who beat Dallas Baptist, 8-6, earlier in the day.

Cut 13 (13)  “…performance by them.”

Johnson says LSU gave the 27-and-33 Little Rock Trojans several opportunities, and they took full advantage of them as the Tiger pitchers walked eleven and LSU hitters left ten men on base…

Cut 14 (17) “…a tough spot.”

Jaden Noot got the start for LSU and couldn’t get out of the second inning, giving up three hits and two runs in an inning and a third. Johnson says Noot may need to be ready today for the rubber match.

Cut 15 (13) “…to do that.”

Johnson says despite his team’s backs now against the wall, he’s confident that they will bounce back and beat Little Rock to advance to the super regional, which would be played at Alex Box Stadium should LSU win.

Cut 16 (09) “…can do tomorrow.”

The championship game of the Baton Rouge Regional will start at 8 PM tonight.

Keep an eye on your “pick-a-nick baskets.” Black bears have been spotted in Baton Rouge and St. Tammany Parish. Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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Get ready for another hurricane season – it starts Sunday. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Black bears have been spotted roaming neighborhoods in Baton Rouge, and the Covington and Abita Springs areas of St. Tammany Parish. LDWF Large Carnivore Program Manager John Hanks says while not common, bear sightings in the parish aren’t unusual.

Cut 3 (12) “…place to live.”

Hanks confirmed that bears live in the area but are rarely seen and says the biggest bear in Louisiana was 698 pounds.

Cut 4 (09) “…400 pounds.”

Hanks says if you encounter a bear, don’t run and back away slowly. Don’t yell at the bear, but be loud and calm.

Cut 5 (07) “…not something to eat.”

Louisiana black bears, once considered threatened, were removed from the Endangered Species List in 2016, and bear hunting quotas have since increased.

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The Insurance Council of Louisiana is sounding the alarm on House Bill 148. That’s the bill that Governor Landry signed into law that gives the insurance commissioner the ability to reject rate increases regardless of market conditions. Executive Director Rodney Braxton says the new law makes insurance companies uneasy about what the future looks like.

Cut 6 (09) “…in the future.”

Braxton says this new law will cause insurance companies not to expand in Louisiana and will impact their desire to deploy new capital in the state.

Cut 7 (06) “…be less competition.”

Braxton says this law is reminiscent of when Louisiana had the now-abolished insurance rating commission, which injected politics into the process.

Cut 8 (10) “…on actuarial science.”

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Hurricane season starts Sunday, and the National Weather Service and NOAA are both prepared to keep people informed at all times with the latest life-saving information. Acting NOAA Administrator Laura Grimm says personnel will be going to great lengths in this endeavor.

Cut 9 (16)  “…of storm processes.”

Grimm says NOAA is also improving its process in predicting how storms intensify.

Cut 10 (13) “…and underwater gliders.”

High winds are not the only deadly hazard when it comes to hurricanes and tropical storms; storm surge is also blamed for countless deaths in each storm. Grimm says NOAA is also enhancing how it issues storm surge watches and warnings.

Cut 11 (14) “…caused by storms.”

In addition, the National Hurricane Center will provide a rip current risk map. Also, NOAA’s global tropical hazards outlook is also being extended from two weeks to three weeks, to provide additional time for preparation and response.

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LSU-Shreveport made history last night and they can make more history tonight. The Pilots won their 58^th straight game in the semifinals of the NAIA World Series. The 14-4 victory over Hope International gives LSU-S the longest winning streak in college baseball at any level. Right fielder Ryan Davenport credits team chemistry…

Cut 12 (10) “…we are” 

Davenport says at the beginning of the season, they knew they were a good team…

Cut 13 (11)  “…that happen.”

Tonight in Lewiston, Idaho, LSU-Shreveport can win the school’s first NAIA World Series and complete a perfect 59-0 season. Davenport says it’s time to finish season off right…

Cut 14 (10) “…just proud.”

First pitch against Southeastern of Florida is at 8:30. LSU-S beat Southeastern 10-0 earlier in the week.

In the battle to restrict speed cameras throughout the state, a major monkey wrench. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The House Health and Welfare committee rejected a bill that would ban fluoride in drinking water in a 10-5 vote.  Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans is boosting its reward for information leading to the capture of the two remaining escapees from the Orleans Justice Center to 20-thousand dollars. That brings the overall reward per fugitive to 50-thousand dollars. President Darlene Cusanza says Crimestoppers has gotten so many tips that it had to increase staffing to handle the calls. And she says they have been very beneficial.

Cut 3 (11) “…within 30 minutes.”

Cusanza says each of those tipsters will be paid their reward money. Louisiana State Police Superintendent Colonel Robert Hodges stresses that anyone who helps either of the two remaining escapees will be held criminally responsible.

Cut 4 (11) “…potentially high bond.”

Colonel Hodges says he’s very confident that Antoine Massey and Derrick Groves will soon be back in custody.

Cut 5 (12) “…them in custody.”

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A major monkey wrench in the fight to restrict speed cameras throughout the state. As the legislature continues considering Monroe Republican Senator Stewart Cathey’s bill to do away with the speed cameras, the House passed an amendment by a single vote to exempt Opelousas from any such rule. Cathey is clearly unhappy.

Cut 6 (14) “…of this amendment.”

It was proposed by Democrat Dustin Miller, who says Opelousas is short-staffed and doesn’t have enough manpower to conduct speed enforcement the traditional way. Cathey says the people of Opelousas should fight back.

Cut 7 (10) “…these speed cameras.”

Cathey says the Opelousas carveout creates a slippery slope – if Opelousas is exempt from these bills, Cathey fears other communities could seek the same exemptions. The overall bill passed in the House 72-to-23 and now goes back to the Senate to consider the House changes. Cathey says he’s completely unsure how to proceed, especially since he says he got 99-percent of what he wanted.

Cut 8 (08) “…one little fight.”

Cathey already agreed to exempt school zones – two hours in the morning and two hours during after school hours. He says without the school zone exemption, his bill likely would not have passed.

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On a 10-5 vote, the House Health and Welfare committee rejected a bill by Houma Sen. Mike Fesi that sought to ban fluoride in public drinking water systems.  Dentist testified against the bill saying it would increase tooth decay, Fesi fought back against that argument.

Cut 9 (11)  “…saving our teeth.”

Fesi says natural fluoride is different from the fluoride being put in the drinking water.

Cut 10 (11) “…poison in our water.”

Opponents, including 9-year-old  Toby Ramen from Monroe, defended fluoride as safe, effective, and essential for public health as well as helping fight chronic diseases.

Cut 11 (13) “…than asthma.”  

Ramen ended his testimony saying if fluoride is taken out of drinking water then every child should be able to see a dentist at no cost

Cut 12 (12) “…thank you (applause)”

The bill, which received Senate approval, would have allowed parishes to reintroduce fluoride only through a petition and special election.

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LSU-Shreveport won a record-tying 57^th straight game last night, leaving them two more victories away from winning an NAIA national championship. The Pilots defeated Southeastern from Florida ten to nothing. LSU-S pitcher Isaac Rohde struck out ten and he benefited from his teammates scoring five runs in the first inning…

Cut 13 (07)  “…it was awesome”

The 57 straight wins ties the all time college baseball record for longest winning streak. Howard College in Texas won 57 in a row in 2009.  Senior shortstop Jose Sallorin drove in three runs last night and says they are not thinking about the winning streak…

Cut 14 (06) “…0-and-0.”

LSU plays defending national champion Hope International out of California tonight.

In a ceremony in the governor’s mansion. Governor Landry signed six auto insurance reform bills into law. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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A poll shows strong support for the App Store Accountability Act which requires approval from parents for minors to download apps.  Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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With just over two weeks left in the legislative session, several bills dealing with the soaring cost of auto insurance in Louisiana have made their way to Governor Landry’s desk; and this morning, he signed six of them into law in a ceremony in the governor’s mansion. Landry said insurance companies make more money in Louisiana than in other states.

Cut 3 (13) “…in the country.” 

So to help rein in those costs, one bill that Landry signed is the one that grants the insurance commissioner the authority to reject rate increases regardless of market conditions. It’s a bill that the state’s current insurance commissioner, Tim Temple, opposed.

Cut 4 (12) “…break their promises.”

Another bill that Landry signed is the one that bars drivers who are at least 51-percent at fault for a crash from collecting damages to cover the cost of their injuries. It’s something that the business community has been screaming for for years.

Cut 5 (09) “…fulfill that promise.”

Landry also signed a bill barring undocumented immigrants who are injured in crashes from collecting damages.

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A statewide poll shows strong support for the App Store Accountability Act which requires parental approval for minors to download apps on their smart devices. Louisiana Family Forum CEO Gene Mills says the legislation seeks to protect children from harmful content, misleading ratings and exploitative contracts…

Cut 6 (12) “…40 apps a week.”

The App Store Accountability Act is House Bill 570, authored by Mandeville Representative Kim Carver. The House voted 99-0 on the bill and it still needs Senate approval before the legislative session ends June 12.

Mills says passing HB 570 will hold app stores accountable and prioritize family safety.

Cut 7 (11) “…parental consent.”

Mills says 88-percent of the parents polled by JMC Analytics supported the App Store Accountability Act.

Opponents of the legislation say the bill creates new data privacy and security problems and it doesn’t address the fact that children can access harmful content on websites as well as apps. But Mills says parents want Big Tech to put technology in place to make sure they approve their kids app store downloads…

Cut 8 (11) “…not with my child.”

The Senate Commerce Committee is set to hear the App Store Accountability Act this afternoon.

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A person who infects another person with a sexually transmitted disease could be charged criminally under a bill approved by the House Criminal Justice Committee. Monroe Representative Pat Moore has spent the last six weeks trying to get this proposal out of committee…

Cut 9 (08)  “…incurable diseases.”

Moore’s measure calls for a person to be charged with a felony if one person infects another with an incurable STD without that person’s knowledge of the disease. Moore says current Louisiana law only addresses HIV and her bill would include all sexually transmitted disease that are incurable and a prison sentence of six months or more is possible

Cut 10 (10) “…want to.”

The charge would be a misdemeanor in cases where the STD is curable. The bill passed on a seven to five vote. Meghan Garvey from the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers testified against the proposal…

Cut 11 (11) “…someone’s word.”  

Garvey doesn’t see how you can prosecute Moore’s proposed law…

Cut 12 (12) “…what first”

Moore’s bill heads to the House floor. But with the legislative session set to end on June 12^th, there’s not a lot of time for this bill to get both House and Senate approval.

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A Senate bill that restricts exit polling outside of voting locations to “bona fide news gathering organizations” received approval from the House on a 57-38 vote. It returns to the Senate for final approval of House changes.  Destrehan Representative Beth Anne Billings says the bill creates clear boundaries…

Cut 13 (09)  “…nondestructive manner.”

Billings says this means a college student, blogger, or influencer would not be able to conduct their own exit polling

Cut 14 (04) “…in this bill.”

Billings says organizations will have to get approval from the Secretary of State’s Office…

Cut 15 (12) “…collect information.”

Monroe tourism officials say Phil Robertson brought a lot of attention to the region. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Nearly 100-thousand  customers in New Orleans and Southeast Louisiana lost power for hours due to a “load-shed” event ordered by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator on Sunday.  Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich gave high praise to current Speaker Mike Johnson during an appearance on a Baton Rouge radio morning show. The 81-year-old Gingrich says Johnson is the most remarkable Speaker of the House in his lifetime for how he has led a 435-member body with a slim Republican majority…

Cut 3 (12) “…people complain.” 

Gingrich was a guest on Mornings with Brian Haldane. He said Johnson has been a steady hand in a deeply divided Congress. Gingrich says Johnson did a magnificent job in getting President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” approved in the House…

Cut 4 (09) “…and doing this.”

The “Big Beautiful Bill,” extends and expands existing tax cuts, particularly those enacted in 2017, and includes provisions related to border security, military spending, and social programs.

Johnson was elected in 2016 and became Speaker of the House in 2023. Gingrich is impressed with Johnson’s ability to unify factions within the GOP, something past leaders struggled with.

Cut 5 (11) “…remarkably smart.”

Gingrich does not think Johnson will be a presidential candidate in 2028, because he’s too humble.

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Monroe tourism officials say Phil Robertson and his family provided a huge boost in visitorship to the area. Sheila Snow with Discover Monroe-West Monroe says that was spurred in large part to “Duck Dynasty.”

Cut 6 (11) “…family called home.”

“Duck Dynasty” aired on A-and-E for 11 years, but Snow says the show’s impact on the community has lasted a lot longer.

Cut 7 (09) “…their offerings there.”

Snow says the region took full advantage of its new-found fame that came with the launch of the “Duck Dynasty” TV show.

Cut 8 (13) “…in West Monroe.”

Phil Robertson passed away Sunday at the age of 79 following a battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.

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On Sunday, nearly 100-thousand  customers in New Orleans and Southeast Louisiana lost power for hours due to a “load-shed” event ordered by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator. The outages, affecting 75-thousand Entergy and 25-thousand Cleco customers, were triggered when an Entergy nuclear plant unexpectedly went offline.  Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta says MISO would not give specifics more than that.

Cut 9 (10)  “…that you can’t tell me.”

CLECO says they will investigate the outage and Entergy says they want to understand the directive from MISO.  Skrmetta demands transparency from MISO on why the outages occurred without warning.

Cut 10 (12) “…within 30-minutes.”

Skrmetta calls for better communication, energy efficiency programs, and regional transmission planning to prevent future outages, and says MISO’s lack of transparency is unacceptable…

Cut 11 (07) “…explain everything.”  

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Police in Monroe arrest six people, including an Arkansas man, in connection with a brawl over the Memorial Day weekend. Police Chief Vic Zordan (rhymes with Jordan) says Trace Castleberry is facing a second degree battery charge, and Monroe Police are working to bring him back to the city to face charges.

Cut 12 (07) “…lot in Monroe”

Zordan says investigators used surveillance video footage to arrest the six, and more arrests are expected.

Cut 13 (09)  “…on video there.”

This incident comes months after a shooting outside a sporting goods store in which rival gangs went after one another.

The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission is holding another Click It or Ticket it campaign.  Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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Another jailbreak – this one in Tangipahoa Parish. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The House has passed a resolution asking the SEC not to schedule LSU home football games before six p-m in the month of September. Harahan Republican John Illg drafted the resolution after ESPN scheduled LSU’s September 21st home game against UCLA for 2:30 in the afternoon.

Cut 3 (05) “…factor into it.” 

The temperature at kickoff was 94 degrees with a heat index of 100, and Illg says that was too much for many fans to overcome. 

Cut 4 (11) “…here in Louisiana.”

Shreveport Democrat Steven Jackson asked Illg whether he’d be open to including all schools in this non-binding resolution.

Cut 5 (07) “…for everybody else.”

The House passed Illg’s resolution unanimously. The resolution now goes to the Senate. It carries no official weight; it is merely a formal request to the SEC and to the TV networks which establish the kickoff times.

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The “Click It or Ticket” campaign ramps up seat belt law enforcement, increasing the likelihood of tickets for unbuckled drivers and passengers. LHSC spokesperson Mark Lambert says this high-visibility initiative stresses buckling up to avoid a 50-dollar fine and reminds driver’s seat belt safety to reduce crash fatalities.

Cut 6 (06) “…event of a crash.”

Lambert says data shows more than 88-percent of Louisiana drivers wear a seat belt, and nearly half of passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes were unbelted.

Cut 7 (12) “…getting seriously injured”

Lambert says by combining strict enforcement with public awareness, the campaign aims to wearing seat belts every trip, every time.

Cut 8 (12) “…happy Memorial Day.”

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In St. Martin Parish, sheriff’s investigators are looking for an LSU SEC championship ring that was stolen earlier this month. Major Ginny Higgins says the ring was among many items stolen from a home on May 13th.

Cut 9 (06)  “…of this ring.”

Major Higgins says there are things that you can be on the lookout for as deputies look for the stolen ring. 

Cut 10 (07) “…bragging about it.”

Higgins says investigators have made arrests in this case. 

Cut 11 (06) “…with anything else.” (suspects are juveniles)

If you have any information on the whereabouts of this ring, call St. Martin Parish Crime Stoppers.

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Another jail break – this one in Tangipahoa Parish. A manhunt is underway for 19-year-old Tra’Von Johnson, who escaped from the jail Thursday afternoon – and this is not the first time he’s escaped from that jail.  Sheriff Gerald Sticker says at around 4:15 p-m, inmates had flooded one of the cells. At some point when jail employees were pushing the water out of the jail, the cell door and the exterior door were open simultaneously for less than a minute – plenty of time for Johnson and another inmate to escape. Sticker says they didn’t realize that Johnson was missing for more than five hours.

Cut 12 (09) “…the back fence.”

Sheriff Sticker says a deputy found someone Thursday night who matched that description, but an hours-long search that involved several departments, drones and search dogs came up empty.

Cut 13 (08)  “…on the loose.”

Johnson was being held at the jail for his alleged role in a deadly home invasion in 2022. Sticker apologized to Johnson’s victims.

Cut 14 (13) “…back into custody.”

The inmate who helped Johnson scale the fence is charged with accessory and simple escape, even though he never left jail grounds. At least four jail employees have been placed on administrative leave. Johnson had previously escaped the jail with three other inmates in May of 2024. The sheriff’s office says Johnson may be in the Tickfaw or Hammond-Pumpkin Center areas, since those are the areas that he had frequented.

Prostate cancer is on the minds of millions of Americans in light of former President Joe Biden’s diagnosis. Colleen Crain reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

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The House Appropriations Committee approves a bill that would streamline the post conviction appeals process. Sean Richardson reports Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill says death penalty cases in particular are taking too long, because defense attorneys are dragging out the appeals process…

Cut 2 (26) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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There was spirited debate on the Senate Floor but no vote was taken on a bill that would make insurance commissioner an appointed position instead of an elected position. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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New research finds that 31-percent of households in Southwest Louisiana are ALICE households, which means they live paycheck to paycheck but their income is high enough that they do not qualify for government assistance. Tammy Chrisope with United Way Southwest Louisiana says many of these workers are the backbone of the community; they are cooks, personal care aides, fast food workers and food preparation workers.

Cut 4 (09) “…things like that.”

The 31-percent of ALICE households do not include the 15-percent of households in Southwest Louisiana that live in poverty. Chrisope says residents that live below the ALICE Threshold are having to make difficult financial survival decisions.

Cut 5 (09) “…rent that month.”

Chrisope says Louisiana has the nation’s highest financial hardship rate, with 87-percent of single-female-headed households with children struggling.

Cut 6 (12) “…verge of losing it.”

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Prostate cancer is on the minds of many Americans in light of the news that former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones. Ochsner Health Oncologist Dr. Brian Halbert says prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men; and as such, they need to stay on top of their prostate health.

Cut 7 (13) “…around age 45.”

Dr. Halbert says prostate cancer is a hormone-sensitive cancer.

Cut 8 (14) “…for prostate cancer.”

Halbert says with prostate cancer being sensitive to hormones, the key to treat it is to lower testosterone levels.

Cut 9 (11)  “…three years.”

Another option that prostate cancer patients have is a new advanced treatment that some locations offer called Pluvicto, which is essentially a targeted form of radiation.

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The House Appropriations Committee has approved a bill that would streamline the post conviction appeals process for incarcerated individuals. The measure is part of Attorney General Liz Murrill’s legislative package. Murrill says the legislation is designed to speed up the appeals process in capital murder cases. She says they can still file numerous appeals, but they can’t wait three to four years between appeals…

Cut 10 (12) “…in this system (2x).”

The legislation is making its way through the process at the same time that death row inmate, Larry Roy, also known as the Cheneyville slasher, is still fighting against an execution date and he’s been on death row since 1997. Murrill says this is torture for the family members of the three people Roy killed…

Cut 11 (10) “…going to fix it.”

The bill will cost the state an additional four-million dollars. The Office of the State Public Defender’s office says it needs the additional dollars, because if the post conviction appeals process was sped up, they will need more lawyers to defend the additional cases. Attorney Robert Morris represents death row inmates and expressed his concerns about the legislation…

Cut 12 (10) “…by this bill.”

The bill goes to the House floor for debate.

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After almost 25 minutes of spirited debate, the Senate did not vote on a bill that would make the position of insurance commissioner an appointed position instead of an elected position. That’s something that 39 other states currently do. It was written by New Orleans Democrat Royce Duplessis, who wants to take politics out of the role.

Cut 13 (12)  “…of the people.”

The notion of removing citizens’ ability to choose their insurance commissioner did not sit well with Bossier City Republican Adam Bass, and he confronted Duplessis about it.

Cut 14 (15) “…finding another solution.”

River Ridge Republican Kirk Talbot spoke out against the bill, which he acknowledged was ironic because he wrote a very similar bill in 2019 when he was in the House. Talbot says making insurance commissioner an appointed position would do nothing to lower insurance premiums.

Cut 15 (14) “…not this.”

When Duplessis closed on his bill, he acknowledged that the votes to pass it likely were not there, so he returned it to the calendar.

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U-L Lafayette begins its quest for the Sun Belt baseball championship tonight against Marshall. Both teams finished the regular season 16-and-14 in conference play, with Marshall achieving a better overall record. Cajuns head coach Matt Deggs says his team will have its work cut out against the Thundering Herd.

Cut 16 (17) “…to come by.”

Deggs will counter with Tate Hess, who was 6-and-2 in the regular season with an ERA of 5.17. The Cajuns achieved an overall record of 26-and-29, good enough for the fifth seed in the double-elimination tournament. The top seed is Coastal Carolina, which finished the regular season with an overall record of 44-and-11, 26-and-4 in Sun Belt play. Coach Deggs says his team has nothing to lose.

Cut 17 (20)  “…in this thing.”

First pitch from Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, Alabama, is approximately 7:30 tonight.

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Louisiana Tech will face Jacksonville State tonight in the opening round of the Conference USA Tournament. The Bulldogs are 14-and-12 in league play and finished fifth in the standings. Coach Lane Burroughs says his team has enough talent to make a run in the tourney…

Cut 18 (11)  “…do that.”

The Bulldogs lost a series to the Gamecocks earlier this month.

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LSU baseball is ranked number one in all of the polls but have they done enough to be a Top 8 National seed, which puts them in position to host a Super Regional if they win their Regional. But LSU is ranked eighth in the RPI which is a metric the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee relies on when determining seeding. LSU Pitcher Kade Anderson believes the Tigers should be a Top 8 national seed…

Cut 19 (19) “…we will be ready”

LSU plays in the SEC Tournament on Friday night. The Tigers will need to win twice to reach the SEC Tournament Championship game on Sunday. Coach Jay Johnson says they are going to Hoover, Alabama to win…

Cut 20 (18) “…not do that.”

A maintenance worker at the Orleans Parish Justice Center was arrested for aiding in the escape of 10 inmates this past weekend.  Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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One of Governor Landry’s priority bills advances to the Senate. Andrew Greenstein reports it’s quite divisive. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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A 33-year-old Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office maintenance worker, Sterling Williams, was arrested for aiding the escape of 10 inmates from the Orleans Justice Center, as announced by the Attorney General Liz Murrill.

Cut 3 (07) “…period of time.” 

Williams confessed to turning off the water in a cell as instructed by an inmate, enabling the group to escape through a hole behind a toilet. Murrill says he was identified after reviewing footage and interviewing employees who had directly interacted with inmates.

Cut 4 (12) “…assigned to it.”

Williams faces 10 counts of principal to simple escape and malfeasance in office. Murrill says its an ongoing investigation and urges anyone involved to turn themselves in.

Cut 5 (11) “…came forward voluntarily.”

According to an arrest affidavit, Williams said one of the inmates threatened to stab him with a makeshift knife if he didn’t turn off the water.

Four out of the ten inmates have been captured.

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The House has advanced a bill that would prohibit diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in state offices and public colleges. The vote was 57-to-32, with three Republicans joining Democrats in voting no. The vote came after two hours of impassioned debate. More than a dozen Black Democrats took to the house floor to denounce Baton Rouge Republican Emily Chenevert’s bill, including Candace Newell of New Orleans, who called it the most racially offensive piece of legislation she’s ever had to debate.

Cut 6 (08) “…or white guilt.”

Edmond Jordan of Baton Rouge says Chenevert’s bill is an anti-Black bill.

Cut 7 (13) “…the Japanese internment?”

A pair of Republicans offered a rebuttal to the Black Democrats’ arguments. Gray Republican Beryl Amedee took exception with the concept of equity.

Cut 8 (09) “…for is equality.”

Chenevert delivered a heartfelt plea in support of her bill. She says her bill does not codify discrimination.

Cut 9 (10)  “…is it doesn’t.”

Chenevert said she filed the bill to keep the state compliant with President Trump’s executive order to retain its federal funding for state universities. The bill now moves to the Senate. Governor Landry is in support of the bill. 

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The House Transportation Committee approves a Senate bill that is attempting to prevent speed cameras that issue cameras from operating outside of school zones. Monroe Senator Stewart Cathey says these cameras are unconstitutional and the citizens of Louisiana agree….

Cut 10 (10) “…go away”

Several local police departments oppose the legislation. They say cameras that issue speeding tickets help with highway safety, but Cathey argues manpower improves public safety…

Cut 11 (09) “…pulling you over.”

Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux testified against the bill. Arceneaux says speed cameras in school zones have helped to reduce speeding in front of schools and the city plans to install speed cameras outside of school zones…

Cut 12 (13) “…local level.”

Cathey’s bill, which has already passed Senate, would result in local officials being charged with malfeasance if speed cameras were used outside of school zones.

Shreveport’s Chief Administrative Officer Tom Dark says the city does not have the physical ability to send officers to run radar. He says the speed camera has shown it’s an effective tool to get motorists to drive at the speed limit…

Cut 13 (10)  “…paying attention.”

Cathey’s bill heads to the House floor for more debate.

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The 2025 Louisiana Survey polled one thousand Louisiana adults and once again, the economy is the top concern of the state’s residents.  The director of the Louisiana Survey, Doctor Michael Henderson of LSU, says that’s a shift from a year ago, when crime was the top priority.

Cut 14 (12) “…back on top.”

Henderson says homeowners’ insurance is a challenging issue for current and potential homeowners with rising premiums.

Cut 15 (09) “…just a year ago.”

More people are saying that Louisiana is headed in the right direction, with that number pulling even with that of the people who say the state is heading in the wrong direction. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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LSU President William Tate is stepping down at the end of next month. Jeff Palermo reports.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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The number of people who say Louisiana is heading in the right direction is on the rise. LSU’s annual Louisiana Survey has found that the percentage of those who say the state is headed in the right direction and that of those who say the state is headed in the wrong direction is now split 50-50. Two years ago, it was about two-to-one in favor of those who said the state is headed in the wrong direction. Survey Director Michael Henderson says that’s when the U-turn started.

Cut 3 (10) “…a record high.” 

Henderson says a big driver of that is people’s views on the economy – more specifically, they say their personal financial situation has improved in recent years. He says while the number of people who believe the state is going in the right direction is up, that doesn’t mean that that’s the majority view at this point.

Cut 4 (10) “…the wrong direction.”

Henderson says while this latest survey will certainly bring a smile to Governor Landry’s face, it’s important to note that the trend started reversing itself from rock-bottom during the administration of his predecessor, John Bel Edwards.

Cut 5 (09) “…he took office.”

More than one-thousand Louisiana residents were surveyed for this study.

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Louisiana ranks 11th in the country for lightning deaths. That’s according to a new study from the CDC which looked at data from 2006 through 2021. During that time, Louisiana had 12 deaths. Florida had the most with 79. LSU Public Health Climatologist Barry Keim on why so many more lightning deaths in the Sunshine State…

Cut 6 (08) “…in the world.”

CDC data highlights that 18% of fatalities are work-related, with farmers and ranchers most at risk. Keim says males are four times more likely to be struck than females, with the average victim aged 37.

Cut 7 (12) “…than females are.”

Texas came in at number two in the CDC ranking with 36 deaths from 2006 to 2021. Keim says Florida and Texas have a lot more golf courses than Louisiana, which is one reason why they have a lot more lightning fatalities…

Cut 8 (12) “…hard to believe.”

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LSU President William Tate is heading to the Garden State. Tate has announced that he is leaving his post to become the new president at Rutgers University. Tate has been president of the LSU system and the head of the flagship Baton Rouge campus since July 1st, 2021. Piper Hutchinson with the Louisiana Illuminator says Tate’s relationship with state government took a turn for the worse with the change in gubernatorial administrations.

Cut 9 (16)  “…a specific way.”

Hutchinson says it had been rumored that there’s a list of administrators that people wanted to oust, and Tate’s name was allegedly on that list. She says there may also be a troubling trend in play.

Cut 10 (11) “…in the SEC.”

With Tate’s departure scheduled for June 30th, that leaves LSU scrambling to find a new president. Hutchinson says there could be a few names to potentially be included on the shortlist.

Cut 11 (11) “…the job again.”

During Tate’s four years at LSU, campuses in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Shreveport achieved a record-breaking 543-million dollars in combined research activity, part of his goal to make LSU a top 50 research university. 55-thousand students enrolled across all campuses, and the system achieved record-breaking graduation rates.

LSU Agriculture Vice President Matt Lee will serve as interim president.

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Seven of the Orleans Parish jail escapees remain on the run. They busted out of the jail during the middle of the night early Friday morning. Superintendent of State Police, Colonel Robert Hodges, believes it’s only a matter of time before these fugitives are back in custody…

Cut 12 (11) “…public’s help.”

The reward for information that leads to the arrest of the inmates who escaped from the Orleans Justice Center has increased to 20-thousand dollar per fugitive. Hodges says anyone caught trying to help these escapees evade authorities will be arrested themselves….

Cut 13 (09)  “…someone else helps them.”

Four of the inmates that are on the run are accused of murder. Governor Jeff Landry has ordered an audit of the Orleans Parish facility. During a press conference, he slammed the criminal justice system in New Orleans, blaming prosecutors and judges for not moving fast enough in prosecuting the cases of accused violent criminals

Cut 14 (15) “…dangerous criminals.”