Planned Parenthood supporters rallied on the state Capitol steps to advocate for women’s health. Emelie Gunn was there…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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 There’s talk of ending the regular legislative session early so lawmakers have time to get ready for a second special session, which is expected to begin in June. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Able-bodied adults without children will soon be required to participate in job training programs in order to get food stamps, because of an executive order signed by Governor John Bel Edwards. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 3 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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First Lady Donna Edwards has announced a new recycling initiative at the Governor’s Mansion in honor of Earth Day, which is today. Mrs. Edwards says she and the governor have been recycling ever since they lived in Hawaii many years ago…

cut 4  (09)  “the military”

The first lady is encouraging Louisiana residents to do their part in recycling as much trash as they can. Edwards says as an educator, it’s important to teach young kids the importance of recycling and to lead by example. She says it’s easy to start in your home or workplace.

Cut 5  (09)  “a habit”

Edwards says plastic bottles, aluminum cans, most paper, and even ink cartridges are recyclable. She says we produce a lot of trash each day…

Cut 6 (10)  “their part”

___________________________________________________

Planned Parenthood advocates rallied on state Capitol steps after a House committee approved a bill to defund Planned Parenthood. Unitarian Minister Rev. Darcy Roake says nearly 20 pieces of anti-women’s health legislation has been filed, three of those bills aimed directly at defunding Planned Parenthood, which provides preventive health care and accurate sexual health information.

CUT 7 (10)  “religious values.” 

Roake aimed some of her frustration at Governor John Bel Edwards, who has described himself as pro-life.  She says injustice is being done to us as human beings as anti-abortion bills described as protecting the health of women continues to move through the legislative process.

Cut 8  (10)  “of legislation” 

New Orleans Dr. Julie Finger spoke before advocates and says Planned Parenthood is committed to providing women safe and reliable healthcare. She says many legislators try over and over to limit access to reproductive health.

Cut 9 (10)  “legal abortion”

___________________________________________________

Legislative leaders seek to end the regular session early, so they could prepare for a special session that Governor John Bel Edwards plans to call to address the 750-million dollar revenue shortfall for next fiscal year. Senate President John Alario says the next special session needs to be held before the start of the next fiscal year.

Cut 10 (09) “operate on”

The regular session is set to end June 6^th and lawmakers will likely approve a budget that cuts state spending by 750-million dollars. Alario says special session will be needed to restore cuts to higher education, TOPS, public schools and health care, but that doesn’t necessarily mean raising more taxes.

cut 11 (10) “a whole”

Alario says ending the regular session early will give lawmakers a break, as they have been in one session after another since February. He says this will also allow legislators to meet with constituents to discuss what they would like to see done at the Capitol.

cut 12 (06) “a discussion”

___________________________________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards has signed an executive order that requires able-bodied adults without children to participate in job training and work assistance programs in order to receive food stamp benefits. Edwards says this will prepare individuals for successful careers.

Cut 13 (10)  “job training”

Starting July first, unemployed able-bodied adults will have to visit one of the 59 Louisiana Workforce Commission Business and Career Solutions Centers. Edwards says these career centers have proven to be effective. He says in 2015, many people found jobs in Louisiana through the centers.

Cut 14 (06)  “Louisiana jobs” 

Republican lawmakers have been pushing for the governor to add work requirements to food stamp recipients. Edwards says for the past 19 years, Louisiana has received a waiver from the federal government, which allowed people to receive food stamps without working. He says this is an historic order and hopes other states will follow our lead.

Cut 15 (09) “federal government”

______________________________________________________

The LSU baseball team brings a five game winning streak into its SEC showdown series with Mississippi State, which begins tonight at 7 PM at Alex Box Stadium. The Bulldogs will start Dakota Hudson on the mound in game one. He could be a  a top ten pick in this year’s Major League Baseball Draft. Coach Paul Mainieri says his won’t be intimidated…

Cut 16  (25)  “kind of challenges”

LSU enters the series ranked fifth in the country by Baseball America, while Mississippi State is seventh. The Bulldogs have the third highest team batting average in the SEC and Mainieri says the key for his pitchers is to limit traffic on the basepaths…

Cut 17 (13) “certainly helps”

In the SEC West standings, both LSU and Mississippi State trail Texas A&M for first place. The Tigers are one game back, while the Bulldogs are two games back. Mainieri says it makes that a lot is on the line this weekend at the Box….

Cut 18 (19) “part of the country”

The Senate approved a measure to expand the list of diseases that medical marijuana can be used to treat. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (29)  “I’m Halen Doughty”

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The Senate Education Committee unanimously approved a bill to require that students be taught cursive writing by the third grade. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 2 (28)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

===================

Louisiana lawmakers are standing up for the little guys, and girls, looking to make a few dollars at their neighborhood lemonade stand. A bill unanimously passed in the Senate to exempt minors, who sell less than $500 a year worth of product, from having to pay an occupational license tax.  Norco Senator Gary Smith says some children in the state have been ticketed for selling lemonade without a license.

CUT 3 (08)  “lemonade stand”

Houma Senator Norby Chabert says local officials need to exercise something that he says is lacking more and more in government- common sense.

CUT 4 (10)  “being fined”

The measure now heads to the House.

====================================================

The bill to expand the list of diseases for which medical marijuana can be prescribed finally passed the Senate, after previously falling one vote short. Metairie Senator Conrad Appel opposes the bill, citing sources that says this would lead to increased use of the drug for non-medical purposes.

CUT 5 (12)  “has increased” 3x

Metairie Senator Danny Martiny spoke in opposition. He says we shouldn’t legalize something just because other states are.

CUT 6 (08) “do it” 2x

Parks Senator Fred Mills authored the legislation to include seizure disorders, HIV, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, and other diseases. He says people are leaving the state to seek this treatment elsewhere. He read a text from the mother of an epileptic girl, who had to go to Colorado to get the medication she needs.

CUT 7 (06) “come home”

Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt supports the bill because of the huge influx of emails she received from parents of children who need this medicine. She says many of them said the medical marijuana is the only drug that works for their children.

CUT 8 (06) “for them”

The bill now moves to the House.

===================================================

A bill that would require public schools to teach cursive writing by the third grade passed unanimously out of the Senate Education Committee. Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell  is concerned about kids not using cursive for their signature, which she says is an identity that students carry with them through their entire lives.

CUT 9 (09) “an X”

Several states have a similar requirement. Mizell says cursive is becoming a lost art and children need to be able to read and write cursive.

cut 10 (07) “our part”

Mizell says the decline in the use of cursive is probably due to the increased use of technology. She says if kids can use an iPad, they should be able to use cursive.

Cut 11 (09) “to read”

The bill moves to the Senate floor.

===================================================

A measure that seeks to outlaw sanctuary cities in Louisiana advanced out of a House committee. The term is applied to cities in the US that have policies designed to not prosecute undocumented immigrants. Denham Springs Representative Valarie Hodges who says sanctuary cities are a national security threat…:

cut 12 (04) “in our country”

Attorney General Jeff Landry supports the bill saying this would give officers a tool to ask a possible offender what their immigration status is and to show ID. But Amite Representative Robby Carter feels that would lead to racial profiling…:

Cut 13 (10)  “tell us”

The bill will go before a full House vote now. Hodges feels the government should be able to ask about a person’s immigration status, but Carter feels this might unfairly target people…:

cut 14 (08)  “profiling”

Harriet Tubman will replace Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill, according to the Department of Treasury. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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A bill that would allow law enforcement and prosecutors to charge a person with a hate crime if they target police officers and firefighters heads to the House floor. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The House failed to pass a bill that would allow motorcycle riders over 21 years old to choose whether or not to wear a helmet. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The US Treasury has announced anti-slavery activist Harriet Tubman will appear on the $20 bill. Summer Steib with the LSU Women’s Center says the original plan was to replace Alexander Hamilton with a woman on the $10 bill, but the new Broadway hit “Hamilton” boosted his popularity.

cut 4  (06)  “on there”

Harriet Tubman was an African American abolitionist who worked to rescue slaves in the late 1800s. Rosa Parks, Susan B. Anthony, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Helen Keller were other candidates for the newly-designed currency. Steib says this is an exciting time for women.

Cut 5  (12)  “movement”

Steib says the new bill will not be issued until 2020 at the earliest.  She says this is the first time a woman has appeared on US paper currency in over 100 years.

Cut 6 (10)  “very important”

___________________________________________________

A bill that would prohibit state employers from asking job applicants about their criminal record until after the interview process moves to the full House. Baton Rouge Rep. Patricia Smith supports the legislation and says the idea is to have a face to face discussion about the applicant’s criminal background.

CUT 7 (08)  “background check”

The bill passed out of the House Governmental Affairs committee, despite objections from republican lawmakers. But Baton Rouge Rep. Barry Ivey is worried about violent criminals sliding through undetected. He’s concerned former inmates will not reveal their criminal history during the interview.

Cut 8  (10)  “you don’t” 

Baton Rouge Rep. Denise Marcelle is the author of the bill and she says the purpose is to get the person with a criminal record an interview and explain their story…

Cut 9 (10)  “decision”

___________________________________________________

The House Education Committee approved a bill to allow high school students to participate in a national survey on sexual risks. Baton Rouge Representative Patricia Smith says there is no sexual education in Louisiana public schools.

Cut 10 (09) “absolutely nothing”

Smith says Louisiana has a high number of teen pregnancies and STD cases, with East Baton Rouge Parish leading in teen births and Madison Parish leading in chlamydia. She says this legislation could help reduce those numbers.

cut 11 (11) “deal with it”

The survey asks questions such as how many sexual partners someone has had, at what age the respondent became sexually active, and what methods they take to prevent pregnancy. Baton Rouge Representative Rick Edmonds opposed the bill because he says this issue should be discussed at home, not in school.

cut 12 (08) “over that”

Louisiana resident Victoria Kelly also spoke in opposition to the bill. She says the questions are invasive, and she would have been embarrassed to take this survey when she was in high school.

Cut 13 (10)  “sexual education”

The bill now moves to the House floor.

___________________________________________________________

A bill to allow adult motorcycle riders to decide if they want to wear a helmet or not failed to get enough votes to pass in the House. Jackson Representative Kenny Havard supports the legislation because he says it’s a matter of choice.

Cut 14 (11)  “my choice” 

New Iberia Representative Terry Landry opposes the bill because of concerns about safety. He says wearing a helmet improves a rider’s chance of surviving a motorcycle accident.

Cut 15 (09) “a helmet”

Oil City Representative Jim Morris spoke in support of the bill. He says many other states do not require a helmet, and he says requiring one in Louisiana is pushing motorcycle-riding tourists away.

Cut 16  (09)  “carry it”

Natchitoches Representative Kenny Cox spoke in opposition. He told a story of a biker he knows whose life was saved because he was wearing a helmet.

Cut 17 (07) “he lived”

The vote on the bill was 49 yeas and 46 nays, which was not enough to pass, but the bill can be brought up for vote again.

______________________________________________________

The band director of LSU’s Tiger Band, Roy King, is no longer employed at the university after an investigation led to several allegations. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (32)  “I’m Halen Doughty”

================

Legislation to prevent second trimester dismemberment abortions passed in a House committee. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 2 (31)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

===================

Roy King, the band director of the Golden Band from Tigerland for the last five years, is out of job today. LSU put him on administrative leave earlier this month to conduct an internal investigation and he was notified of his dismissal in a letter from the university. King’s attorney, Jill Craft, says King was shocked when he was notified.

CUT 3 (10)  “was terrible”

LSU says they’ve provided King with a letter outlining the reasons for his firing and it’s based on an investigation that found King did not follow policies, procedures and financial safeguards meant to protect the Tiger Band and LSU. Craft says one of the accusations is over petty cash in a secretary’s desk that went missing, which she says King had nothing to do with. Craft says King is also accused of nepotism.

CUT 4 (06)  “nepotism violation”

Craft says the worst part is that King was notified of his termination via letter, which she says is unbelievable after 18 years of service to the university. She says if King hadn’t checked his mail yesterday, he would have found out through the news.

CUT 5 (06)  “a letter”

LSU’s statement on King’s dismissal also announced that Dr. Dennis Llinas, the associate director of bands, will serve as the temporary band director.

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Two people have died after a mosquito-abatement airplane crashed in the woods near the Slidell City Airport last night. Slidell Police Sgt. Daniel Seuzeneau says two planes were finishing up their rounds and landing at the airport when one plane began flipping, struck a powerline, and went down into a wooded area. …

CUT 6 (10) “ATVs”

Seuzeneau says the downed powerlines caused small fires around the crash site. He says once fire fighters put out the blaze, they discovered the bodies of the two pilots.

CUT 7 (04) “unfortunate”

Seuzeneau says the investigation is being turned over to the FFA. He says the St. Tammany Parish Coroner identified the pilots as 68-year-old Wayne Fisher of Slidell and 59-year-old Donald Pechon of Covington.

CUT 8 (10) “swallow”

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Harry Morel, the former District Attorney in St. Charles Parish, plead guilty to obstruction for harassing a witness in an attempt to destroy evidence for a federal grand jury that targeted the longtime prosecutor. The charge stems from an investigation into allegations Morel requested sexual favors in an exchange for lenient plea deals from female defendants. FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeff Sallet says Morel held the freedom, and the lives, of these defendants in his hands.

CUT 9 (11) “sexual interests”

Sallet says there were at least 20 victims of Morel’s crimes. Morel faces up to three years in prison and he’ll be sentenced in August for the obstruction charge.  St Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne highlighted some of the evidence against Morel. He told a story about a key witness who contacted Morel for assistance with her DWI case.

cut 10 (11) “her case”

Keim was later found dead in her home, shortly after the story of Morel’s case was published online. Keim’s cause of death is listed as “unclassified” at this time, and the investigation is ongoing. Morel was the DA in St. Charles Parish for 33 years and resigned in 2012. Champagne says they’ve been investigating the allegations made against Morel for a while.

Cut 11 (09) “for leniency”

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A bill to prevent second trimester abortions, where doctors use forceps to abort a fetus was approved by a House committee. Lafayette doctor Damon Cudihy says spoke in favor of the bill and gave graphic testimony of what goes on during a dismemberment abortion…

cut 12 (12) “inches long”

Doctor says you are wrong if you believe this does not inflict pain of the unborn child. He says the hardest part of the dismemberment is removing the baby’s head.

Cut 13 (11)  “baby’s brain”

Pro-choice attorney Ellie Schilling says this legislation presents significant legal problems by prohibiting the most common procedure used in second trimester abortions. She says this will most certainly be declared unconstitutional.

cut 14 (05)  “abortion”

Schilling says this is the safest way to perform a second trimester abortion. Also, she says the language in the bill confusing to understand.

cut 15 (10) “at all” 

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Today begins the 30^th annual  Festival International de Louisiane in downtown Lafayette. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (32) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The state’s budget problems were a popular topic on Governor John Bel Edwards first monthly radio call-in show. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The Senate sends a bill to the House that would ensure every TOPS recipient receives at least a partial scholarship, in the event the state cannot fully fund the program. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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The 30th annual of the Festival International de Louisiane begins today and runs through Sunday in downtown Lafayette. Festival Marketing Director April Courville says this is a really exciting celebration with new activities taking homage to the history of the festival. She says over 400-thousand people are excited to join in the festivities.

cut 4  (07)  “great energy”

Courville says the festival has been such an accomplishment for the last three decades because of the great support from the community. She says a lot of work goes into organizing this huge free festival.

Cut 5  (10)  “so successful”

Courville says local performers and international artists from 25 different countries are performing during the five days of the festival. She says there will also be tons of vendors with unique art, food, and craft beers.

Cut 6 (10)  “for everyone”

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There’s a new addition to the Governor’s Mansion since John Bel Edwards moved in. Edwards says he put in a chicken coop next to the garden, behind the mansion. The governor says they’re new chickens, so he hopes to supply his friends and family with fresh eggs soon.

CUT 7 (07)  “shortly”

Edwards says the coop is color coordinated with the mansion. Edwards had a chicken coop at his home in Amite, but he says it wasn’t nice enough to bring to the mansion. With the 16 new hens and his two dogs, Edwards says he’s still trying to be considerate of his neighbors.

Cut 8  (05)  “a rooster” 

Edwards says he checks on his birds every evening when he gets home. The chicken coop comments sparked questions about how the project was funded. Edwards says the project was not paid for by taxpayers.

Cut 9 (03)  “my pocket”

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The Louisiana Department of Education revokes the child care license of Abita Church Christian Daycare in St. Tammany Parish after four unsupervised toddlers were found roaming near a busy street. Department of Education spokesperson Ken Pastorick says the children left through an opening in the fence enclosing the center’s playground.

Cut 10 (08) “serious issue”

A motorist found the four toddlers the morning of April 7th walking on the street in front of the daycare center. The children were unharmed from the incident. However, Pastorick says the center still did not perform their duties as a daycare.

cut 11 (10) “for these children”

The daycare has 15 days to appeal the revocation. Pastorick says the Department of Education is quick to revoke unfit daycares.

cut 12 (08) “those licenses”

___________________________________________________________

The state Senate unanimously approves a bill that would make sure every TOPS recipient would receive at least part of their award, if the state is not able to fully fund the scholarship program. Jonesboro Senator Jim Fannin says legislators added an amendment that would allow a TOPS recipient to keep their award even if they are unable to attend college immediately because they cannot afford it.

Cut 13 (11)  “understand that”

Under the current law, students with lower ACT scores or who do not have financial need would not get a scholarship at all. West Monroe Senator Mike Walsworth says it isn’t fair to tell students for four years that they will get TOPS, then suddenly take it away because they cannot fund the program. He says lawmakers need to ensure that everyone who earns the scholarship gets something.

Cut 14 (08)  “they are” 

The cost of TOPS for the next fiscal year is about 300-million dollars. New Orleans Senator Karen Peterson says right now, the chance of TOPS being fully funded this year is nil. She says without this legislation, there will be a lot of students who will not get a TOPS award at all.

Cut 15 (11) “left out”

A study out of Baton Rouge finds pre-schoolers who watch other kids eating vegetables on TV are more likely to eat nutritious foods themselves. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (28)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

================

Governor John Bel Edwards is celebrating 100 days in office today. Michelle Southern has more on what the governor has achieved so far and what still remains to be done.

CUT 2 (31)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

===================

The bill to allow for the sale of raw, unpasteurized milk has been approved by the Senate, despite health risk concerns. Ville Platte Senator Eric LaFleur says consumers should be allowed to choose if they want to drink raw milk. He says it’s absurd that we can trust doctors to perform surgeries, but we can’t trust local farmers to produce safe milk.

CUT 3 (10)  “America”

The proposal would not allow for the sale of raw milk in grocery stores. LaFleur says he’s only looking to give farmers the ability to sell raw milk and the government should not interfere….

CUT 4 (09)  “buy it”

But Delhi Senator Francis Thompson says drinking raw milk has health risks, such as contracting salmonella and other diseases. He says it isn’t safe to drink milk that is unpasteurized.

CUT 5 (10)  “same milk”

The bill now heads to the House for more discussion, after the senate approved the legislation on a 23-12 vote.

==============================================

A study from LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center finds kids that watch other children eating nutritious foods on a TV screen are more likely to eat healthier themselves. Pediatric obesity and health behavior researcher Amanda Staiano says when they offered pre-school aged children the same vegetables they saw on television, the kids ate more of the vegetable and had a preference to eating it again.

CUT 6 (10) “children”

Stainano says one-third of pre-school aged children aren’t eating vegetables. She says during the study the kids seemed to enjoy watching videos of other children their age eating bell peppers.

CUT 7 (09) “actually eating”

Staiano says the effects of the study were seen only with the children that watched others on TV eating the vegetables, other kids who didn’t watch the videos were not interested in the vegetables. She says if you child doesn’t want to eat vegetables, try this method.

CUT 8 (08) “a try”

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Today marks 100 days in office for Governor John Bel Edwards. Edwards has already faced many challenges in office, inheriting the largest budget deficit in state history and a legislature that doesn’t see eye to eye with the governor. But Edwards says it’s about making choices that solve these problems in the best possible way for the people of Louisiana.

CUT 9 (09) “same mentality”

Edwards says his numerous accomplishments in the first hundred days, includes banning discrimination against the LGBT community in state offices and raising over $1 billion in revenue during the special session. Edwards says he is most proud of the healthcare coverage that over 300,000 people in the state will receive as a result of Medicaid expansion.

cut 10 (07)  “Medicaid program”

Edwards says his biggest immediate goals are resolving the state’s budget problems and getting equal pay for men and women. He says one of the most important bills he is pushing seeks to raise the state’s minimum wage.

Cut 11 (10) “in 2016”

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A former police officer in St. Martin Parish plead guilty to his part in a ticket-writing scheme on Interstate 10. Ex-Henderson assistant police chief, Oliver Mack Lloyd, received a suspended sentence of six months in jail. St. Martin Parish prosecutor Chester Cedars says Lloyd orchestrated a plan where officers received bonuses for writing traffic tickets…

cut 12 (09) “Louisiana law”

Cedars says Henderson Police Chief Leroy Guidry was also charged in 2013 but his role was minimized after Lloyd claimed the scheme was all his idea. He says the sentence imposed on Lloyd was appropriate given the circumstances and they wanted to send a message to all police officers.

Cut 13 (10)  “our law”

Cedars says Lloyd is no longer a police officer. He says Chief Guidry signed a public statement acknowledging the town will no longer target on I-10.

cut 14 (07)  “like that”

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Today marks the 100^th day in office for Governor John Bel Edwards. Jeff Palermo talks with a political analyst on a busy three-plus months for the new governor.

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards’ monthly call-in radio show  begins today on the Louisiana Radio Network. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (28) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

The latest installment of the 2016 Louisiana Survey finds most Louisianans still don’t agree with same-sex marriage. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________________

It’s been 100 days today since Governor John Bel Edwards took office. LSU Political Science professor Wayne Parent says Edwards did not get to enjoy a “honeymoon” at the beginning of his term, like other governors have, because of fiscal issues facing the state and an uncooperative legislature.

cut 4  (11)  “the House”

Edwards has followed through with his campaign promise to expand Medicaid. The governor also said he would increase the state’s minimum wage, but that proposal will face stiff opposition from House Republicans. Parent says the governor biggest hurdle so far was addressing a 900-million dollar shortfall this fiscal year, and the governor was successful in raising taxes, wiping out most of that deficit.

Cut 5  (11)  “to do”

Parent says despite convincing the legislature to raise hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues, funding issues remain a problem for the new governor.

Cut 6 (07)  “funding them”

___________________________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards’ monthly one-hour radio show begins today on the Louisiana Radio Network. The show will air on 15 radio stations, and it will allow the governor to speak with Louisianans one on one to address their concerns in the state.

CUT 7 (09)  “work together”

Edwards’ press secretary, Shauna Sanford, says Louisianans are well aware of the pressing problems facing the state. She says this show allows them to address those issues.

Cut 8  (08)  “to do” 

After today, the show will air on the third Wednesday of every month. Sanford says that while there are many problems in Louisiana, there are also many solutions. She says Edwards wants to hear some of those ideas from the people.

Cut 9 (10)  “great ideas”

___________________________________________________

The Louisiana Survey finds 53-percent of residents surveyed are still opposed to same-sex marriages even after last year’s historic Supreme Court ruling. Director of the LSU Public Policy Research Lab Michael Henderson says this percentage has decreased over the past three years. He says the survey also found 52-percent support religious freedom laws.

Cut 10 (08) “religious reasons”

Henderson says he’s not surprised by the results on the questions regarding same-sex marriages but he is surprised that 73-percent of Louisianans believe the Confederate monuments should stay up. He says even 47-percent of black residents think the monuments should not be removed.

cut 11 (10) “been around”

Henderson says unlike the removal of the monuments, about half of residents are opposed to the state issuing specialty licenses plates displaying the Confederate battle flag.

cut 12 (08) “that issue”

___________________________________________________________

Legislation that establishes a legal framework for surrogacy births is heading to the House floor. Under current law, a child born to a surrogate is considered the infant’s mother. Metairie Rep. Joseph Lopinto wants to change the law so the genetic parents are immediately the legal guardians of the child.

Cut 13 (09)  “going forward”

Lopinto says this bill puts proper safeguards in place that will make sure biological parents who choose to have a surrogate will not be able to back out and it ensures the surrogate will not have legal custody of the baby.

Cut 14 (05)  “their child” 

President of the Louisiana Family Forum Gene Mills says they oppose third party gestational surrogacy. He says adoption is God’s way of providing parents to a child in need with a family but surrogacy disrupts that.

Cut 15 (09) “procreation”

Mills says surrogacy contracts ignore the integrity to a family because birth mothers consent to bear a child and forfeit that baby before it’s conceived. He says with this bill, now there will be a legal question and efforts that must be taken to demonstrate who is the mother of the child.

Cut 16  (10)  “that child”

______________________________________________________

After a slow start in conference play, LSU finds itself just one game back of Texas A&M for first place in the SEC West. The Bayou Bengals are 9-6 in the SEC and Coach Paul Manieri likes where his team is at…

Cut 17 (16) “9-6″

Last year, LSU was 10-5 at halfway point of league play and won the SEC regular season title. The Tigers are coming off a sweep over Missouri. They had 40 hits in the three victories and Mainieri says they faced two of the better starting pitchers in the conference…

Cut 18 (12) “get down”

LSU’s next game is Wednesday night when they host Southeastern Louisiana. The Tigers have lost three midweek games already this season. Mainieri knows the Tigers can’t afford to many more midweek defeats, if they want to host a regional…

Cut 19 (16) “get it done”

Governor John Bel Edwards announces enrollment for Louisiana’s expanded Medicaid program will begin June 1^st. Don Molino has more…

CUT 1 (28)  “I’m Don Molino”

================

Talk of uncommitted delegates choosing Ted Cruz instead of Donald Trump for president is not true according to one of the members who said he has yet to make up his mind. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

===================

Governor John Bel Edwards announces enrollment for the state’s expanded Medicaid program will begin June 1^st. Edwards told the Senate Health and Welfare Committee that expanding Medicaid will benefit the state greatly by cutting healthcare costs and improving health outcomes.  He says the expansion will also save the state much-needed dollars in critical budget times.

CUT 3 (06)  “million dollars”

Edwards says these savings will help reduce cuts to healthcare and allow the state to reinvest money into TOPS and higher education. He says this expansion will also reduce the amount the state pays for uninsured patients in Louisiana.

CUT 4 (06)  “10-percent”

Edwards says this expansion will get health coverage to working-class people, like workers in food service, tourism and construction. He says over 300-thousand Louisiana residents will be eligible for enrollment June 1st and he’ll spend the next few weeks raising awareness about Medicaid expansion.

CUT 5 (09)  “critical date”

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Talk of uncommitted delegates choosing Ted Cruz instead of Donald Trump for president is not true according to one of the members who said he has yet to make up his mind. Trump is trying to decry the system because even though he won the primary here, Cruz could end up with more delegates. Luke Letlow, a Marco Rubio delegate from north Louisiana, says he is 100% unbound at the moment..:

CUT 6 (08) “in November”

Newspaper reports indicated that Louisiana’s five state party leaders going to the Republican convention, and the five delegates who were formerly pledged to Rubio, were planning to support Cruz. But Letlow, who is also Chief of Staff for Congressman Ralph Abraham, says he and three other delegates got together and agreed to stay uncommitted until the convention…:

CUT 7 (10) “will be”

Letlow says he’s been approached by both the Trump and Cruz campaigns since Rubio dropped out. He says he’s very conflicted about which candidate he will ultimately pledge his support, but they both have their strengths and weaknesses…:

CUT 8 (08) “general election”

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Dozens of dead sea turtles are washing up along the Gulf Coast and biologists are not sure why. Director of the Institute of Marine Mammal Studies, Moby Solangi says it’s a big concern because the Kemps Ridley sea turtles that are stranding early in the season are the most endangered sea turtles in the world.

CUT 9 (05) “this year”

Solangi says there’s also an increase in the number of dolphins dying earlier this year.  He says the animal deaths could be linked to red tide, which is caused by toxins released by algae in the water.

cut 10 (09)  “the animals”

Solangi says the turtles could also be suffering from toxins left over from oil spills, as well as chemicals dumped into the Mississippi River from agriculture, industrial and sewage waste. He says they are doing what they can to rehabilitate the turtles, and other animals, that are infected by the toxins.

Cut 11 (05) “rescue facility”

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Governor John Bel Edwards will be interviewed today for an appearance on the HBO series “Vice” to discuss the future of higher education. The governor’s press secretary, Shauna Sanford, says this episode of the 30 minute news documentary will highlight college affordability.

cut 12 (07) “affordability”

The air date for the episode is still unknown, but the governor’s interview will take place this afternoon. Sanford says the governor will address the problems facing universities, as well as the plans to remedy those issues.

Cut 13 (09)  “the country”

Sanford says currently Louisiana students are paying the bulk of the cost for their education. She says Governor Edwards wants to ensure that students are able to pursue their education in the state by reducing those costs.

cut 14 (07)  “more people”

Former St. Tammany Parish District Attorney Walter Reed’s corruption trial begins today. Halen Doughty reports the longtime DA faces 19 criminal counts….

CUT 1 (28) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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A House committee is seeking to speak with leaders of the small Tensas parish town of St. Joseph about why the water there has been yellow to murky brown for years. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Nicholls State launches a lecture series tonight that’s designed to encourage females to pursue a career as a chef. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (28) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Nicholls State is launching a series to inspire future female chefs.  Amelie Zeringue, an assistant professor at the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute, says successful female chefs will speak to the culinary students about how women can achieve their goals in this male-dominated industry.

cut 4  (11)  “the field”

According to Nicholls State, only 21-percent of the jobs in the restaurant industry are held by women. Zeringue says the schedules for people in the food industry poses problems for people with children, which may be why there are so few women…

Cut 5  (10)  “vice versa”

The series kicks off today with speaker Chef Jaqueline Blanchard, a Nicholls graduate and owner of Coutelier NOLA. Zeringue says she hopes these speakers will encourage female chefs to overcome the challenges they may face in their careers.

Cut 6 (09)  “their success”

The seven-part series will continue through the 2016 fall semester.

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St. Joseph residents are seeking help from the state about their water, which has been yellow to dark brown for years. They went before the House Natural Resources Committee and gave emotional testimony. Rev. Dr. Samuel Johnson says the water is causing health issues in the small Tensas Parish town.

CUT 7 (11)  “entire town”

In order to get state funds to fix the water, the mayor must grant permission for a state administrator to oversee the money, but Mayor Edward Brown will not give his permission. St. Joseph residents pleaded with the committee to help them get clean water and showed the committee bottles filled with murky, brown water from their town. Roy Bowman spoke about the urgency of St. Joseph’s water problems.

Cut 8  (09)  “now” 

The House Natural Resources committee is seeking to have Brown and members of the city council brought to Baton Rouge to explain how the water has gotten so bad there. Wanda Bowman, feels awful that her special needs son uses this filthy water.

Cut 9 (11)  “unclean”

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Former-St. Tammany Parish District Attorney, Walter Reed, federal corruption trial begins today at a US courthouse in New Orleans today. Reed faces 19 counts of conspiracy, money laundering, and fraud. Legal analyst Tim Meche says Reed could spend a lot of time behind bars if convicted.

Cut 10 (06) “my prediction”

Reed allegedly spent over $100-thousand from his campaign fund for non-campaign related purchases.  Meche says it’s an interesting case, because federal prosecutors are seeking to convict the former DA on what amounts to state ethic violations…

cut 11 (10) “federal crime”

Meche says the whole country will be watching, because it could have implications for other state elected officials. He says it could start a trend of prosecuting state offenses at the federal level.

cut 12 (11) “this country”

Reed became not-so-affectionately known as “St. Slammany” for his aggressive pursuit of criminals and harsh sentences for the over 30 years he spent as St. Tammany DA. Reed’s son Steven is also facing similar charges for his role in the conspiracy.

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The state senate is expected to vote this week on a new contingency plan, if the state is unable to fully fund TOPS. Currently, if the scholarship program is underfunded, TOPS students with lower ACT scores and without financial need, lose their scholarships. Jennings Senator Blade Morrish seeks to change it, so all TOPS students receive at least some scholarship money…

Cut 13 (04)  “totally”

TOPS is expected to cost the state 300-million dollars next fiscal year. But the governor’s proposed budget only allocates 110-million dollars for the popular program. Morrish says his legislation also contains language to help TOPS students, if they receive a partial scholarship..

Cut 14 (11)  “additional amount” 

For students to receive a TOPS scholarship they must have a 2.5 GPA in high school and at least a 20 on the ACT. Morrish says his legislation is an attempt to make sure recipients have at least part of their tuition paid, if the state can’t fully fund the program. He says the current rules are unfair…

Cut 15 (08) “get nothing”

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Spring football is over for the Tigers and the anticipation for the 2016 season begins. Based on a large number of starters returning, LSU will be ranked in the Top 10 in the preseason polls. Coach Les Miles says if the Tigers want to be a national title contender, they must be dedicated to improving…

Cut 16  (20)  “to be elite”

Starting quarterback Brandon Harris was 11-of-15 for 106 yards, as the Tigers worked on their short passing game in a two-hour scrimmage. Harris liked what he accomplished…

Cut 17 (11) “go out”

LSU fans were able to get a look at the tigers new back-up quarterback, Danny Etling, a transfer from Purdue. Etling was 6-of-12 for 106 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Harris enjoys the competition at the quarterback position…

Cut 18 (13) “get better”

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At Louisiana Tech’s spring game, new starting quarterback Ryan Higgins threw for 469 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. Two freshmen wide receivers stood out. Kam McKnight had 8 catches for 106 yards and one touchdown, while Alfred Smith grabbed four passes for 120 yards. Higgins McKnight and Smith will be really good football players…

Cut 19 (16) “as well”

Louisiana Tech’s defense was led by Jaylon Ferguson, who had three sacks. The former West Feliciana High standout had six sacks last season and knows a lot will be expected from him in 2016…

Cut 20 (12) “for it”

The band director at Westgate High School in New Iberia has been arrested, after he was found hiding in a 16-year-old girl’s closet. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Halen Doughty”

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A bill to give legislators a say if recipients of food stamps should have to work to receive assistance has been approved by the House. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The Iberia Parish School system says the employment status of its band director at Westgate High School is very much uncertain at this time after he was found hiding in a 16-year-old girl’s closet. Lt. Col. Bobby Webre with the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office says 30-year-old Jeremy Conner of Baton Rouge was alone with the juvenile when her mother came home.

CUT 3 (07)  “her home”

Webre says the juvenile invited Conner into her home. Webre says the girl does not attend the school where Conner teaches, and it’s unclear how the two met.

CUT 4 (08)  “parish”

Webre says Conner has been communicating with the juvenile since last year, and he admitting to sending her inappropriate texts. Webre says there are important lessons to be learned here.

CUT 5 (07)  “their career”

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The House approved a bill to allow lawmakers to have a say in whether food stamp recipients should be required to work to receive federal assistance. But Bogalusa Rep. Malinda White disagrees, because as many as 16-thousand people in the oil industry recently lost their jobs. She says these people rightfully pay their bills and have suffered enough.

CUT 6 (09) “to eat”

Author of the legislation, Monroe Rep. Jay Morris, believes a group of lawmakers should decide if childless adults who are not working should get food stamps. He says he doesn’t want anyone to starve and he knows jobs are hard to come by in a lot of areas, but…

CUT 7 (10) “every day”

The legislation will now head to the Senate. White says she’s seen abuse to the system but she’s also seen need. She says there is a time and place in America where we have to have a safety net.

CUT 8 (09) “need it”

The bill passed 56 to 28. Morris says this legislation is only giving lawmakers a say in the decision if food stamp recipients should be required to work, not deciding at this moment.

CUT 9 (10) “that route”

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The 4th Annual ever-growing Louisiana International Film Festival is underway in Baton Rouge. LIFF brings a huge variety of movies to the big screen during the 4 day event, including big budget studio films, and regionally focused productions. Kelsey Grammer is making an appearance at the screening of his new film “Breaking the Bank”, which he says is about an investment bank takeover.:

cut 10 (09)  “like that”

The festival added a new category this year called, “Southern Perspectives,” which includes nearly a dozen movies telling stories about the south. They include “Bogalusa Charm” – about small town culture, and “After the Spill” – which unveils details of the BP oil spill in the Gulf. Grammer says in some ways his film, Breaking the Bank, is an indictment on the system…:

Cut 11 (07) “might happen”

You can get more information about the festival at lifilmfest.org. Grammer, who starred in Cheers and Frasier, says he loves being in Louisiana and attending movie festivals like this because his passion for the movie industry will never go away. He says these events are great learning experiences..:

cut 12 (06) “all things”

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The Bureau of Labor Statistics finds employment in Louisiana rose for a third straight month. Spokesperson with the Louisiana Workforce Commission Aaron Caffarel says this is encouraging news. He says the number of people employed grew by nearly 8-thousand from February to March.

Cut 13 (07)  “ever recorded”

Caffarel says more and more people are entering the workforce and those unemployed are steadily seeking jobs. He says jobs in the construction industry are increasing more than they have since post-Hurricane Katrina construction shot up in 2006.

cut 14 (08)  “region”

Caddarel says jobs in the oil and gas sector continue to drop but they’re working hard to find workers in that industry new employment. He says the unemployment number has ticked up to 6.1 percent, up from 5.9 percent in February.

cut 15 (10) “labor force” 

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