Legislation that provides businesses with tax breaks has advanced out of the House Ways and Means Committee. The proposals do not have the full support of the Edwards Administration, because it will result in less revenue for state services. Revenue Secretary Kimberly Robinson…
cut 14 (10) “….session”
Supporters say the legislation is needed to help businesses struggling after the COVID shutdown.

During the regular session, lawmakers passed criminal justice reforms advocates say will cut down on recidivism. One of the bills allows parolees to check in with their officers virtually. Pelican Institute CEO Daniel Erspamer says this saves parolees from having to take off from work to meet their parole officer.
Cut 3 (08) “…work.”
That’s House Bill authored by Eunice Representative Patrick Devillier.

He can’t do it in this special session, but Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields is looking at filing legislation for an upcoming session that would require certain policy changes for Louisiana police officers. Fields says a duty to intervene among officers is one proposed policy change…
cut 30 (08) “….or procedures”
Fields says he’ll also file a bill that would ban the use of chokeholds by Louisiana law enforcement.

LSU professors are testing wastewater from various areas in East Baton Rouge parish as a way to track COVID-19 cases. LSU Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor John Pardue says they can do this because COVID-19 patients shed the virus in fecal matter. He says sewer epidemiology is not a new science and is used to track other metrics…
cut 9 (12) “….are doing that”
Houston, Oregon, and Michigan are doing similar tests.

The House Ways and Means Committee has approved a series of tax relief bills for Louisiana businesses worth millions of dollars. Chairman of the Louisiana Economic Recovery Task Force Jason Decuir says the state owes it to these businesses after many were ordered closed for weeks.
Cut 13 (08) “…safe”
One of the bills that passed would suspend franchise taxes for small businesses.

LSU professors are tracking COVID-19 in wastewater in Baton Rouge through a science called sewer epidemiology. Civil and environmental engineering professor Dr. John Pardue says coronavirus patents shed the virus in their fecal matter and testing wastewater from various areas in the parish can see how many cases exist.
Cut 7 (08) “…get pretty precise.”
Pardue says Houston, Oregon and Michigan are doing similar testing.

The ongoing special session does not allow lawmakers to file bills that seek to reform police practices, but Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields says the legislation will come up in either a special session in the fall or the 2021 regular legislative session. Fields says he will propose a ban on the use of chokeholds by law enforcement, routine psychological testing for both prospective and current officers and new regulations for body cameras.
Cut 6 (12) “…in real-time.”

Governor Edwards has signed legislation that would put an end to higher auto insurance rates for military members who return from a deployment. Alexandria Senator Jay Luneau says it’s a great piece of legislation….
cut 11 (08) “…overseas”

Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields plans to file police reform legislation in a future session and in the current special session he’s authored a resolution to create a Task Force to study police practices…
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Brooke Thorington”

Opelousas Police Sergeant Tyron Andrepont is facing five felony charges of malfeasance for allegedly beating up a black teenager last fall in a hospital. Andrepont, who is white, has been on paid administrative leave since November.

Governor John Bel Edwards has signed legislation that ends what is called the Patriot Penalty. Service members pay higher auto insurance costs when renewing their policies after coming back home following deployment. Alexandria Senator Jay Luneau authored this legislation to end this practice but wishes his other rate reduction bills passed as well…
cut 12 (10) “…drive more”

LSU researchers are using what is known as sewer epidemiology as a way to track community spread of the coronavirus in Baton Rouge. LSU Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor John Pardue says you can track the spread of the virus through human waste in the sewers…
cut 8 (11) “…about to come”
Pardue says COVID-19 patients shed the virus in fecal matter.

Bills that would provide businesses with various tax breaks have been approved by the House Ways and Means Committee. Democrats on th panel raised concerns that the state can not afford tax cuts at a time of declining revenues. Lafayette Representative Stuart Bishop disagrees…
cut 15 (10) “…leave”
According to the Associated Press, the proposals would provide 130-million dollars in tax cuts over five years.

He can’t do it in this special session, but Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields is looking at filing legislation for an upcoming session that would require certain policy changes for Louisiana police officers. Fields says a duty to intervene among officers is one proposed policy change…
cut 5 (08) “….or procedures”
Fields says he’ll also file a bill that would ban the use of chokeholds by Louisiana law enforcement.

The University of Louisiana at Monroe says they’ve placed two faculty members on administrative leave after they posted racial slurs on their personal social media pages. The school says a termination letter has been sent to Biology professor Dennis Bell and they are in the process of firing Nursing instructor Mary Holmes.

LSU researchers are tracking COVID-19 cases in Baton Rouge through wastewater testing. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

New Orleans will move into phase two of coronavirus pandemic restrictions on Saturday which means bars can reopen on Bourbon Street and Harrah’s Casino in New Orleans can also welcome gamblers back.

The House Ways and Means Committee approves a series of bills that reduces the tax burden for Louisiana businesses. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

Governor Edwards has signed a bill that would ban vaping in vehicles with children riding as passengers.

The ongoing special session does not allow lawmakers to file bills that seek to reform police practices. But Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields says he has a series of bills in mind that will be introduced in either a special session in the fall or in next year’s regular legislative session. Fields says he will propose a statewide ban on the use of chokeholds by law enforcement, routine psychological testing for both prospective and current officers and new regulations for body cameras.
Cut 6 (12) “…in real-time.”

KSLA-TV has uncovered video of Shreveport police officers punching and tasing 44-year-old Tommie McGlothen who evenutally died while in custody in April. The coroner has ruled McGlothen died of excited delirium, but his death could have been prevented if he received immediate medical care. The four officers invovled have been put on departmental leave.

Legislation that provides businesses with tax breaks has advanced out of the House Ways and Means Committee. These proposals do not have the full support of the Edwards Administration, because it will mean less revenue for state services. Revenue Secretary Kimberly Robinson…
cut 14 (10) “….session”
Supporters say the legislation is needed to help businesses struggling after the COVID shutdown.

Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields plans to file police reform legislation in response to George Floyd’s death. However, the current special session is limited to specific legislation that was outlined before Floyd’s death. But he has filed a resolution to create a 15-member task force to study police practices.
Cut 4 (07) “…so to speak.”
As for police reform legislation, Fields encourages police departments to act now before he introduces his bill in a possible special session in the fall or in the 2021 regular session. He wants to see policies that include a “duty to intervene” among officers.

LSU professors are testing wastewater from various areas in East Baton Rouge parish as a way to track COVID-19 cases in the capital city area. LSU Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor John Pardue says COVID-19 patients shed the virus in fecal matter and continue to shed the virus for up to five weeks after negative respiratory samples. He says sewer epidemiology is not a new science and is used to track other metrics…
cut 9 (12) “….are doing that”
Environmental engineering faculty from universities in Houston, Oregon, and Michigan are doing similar tests.

After a short break waiting for Cristobal to pass Monday the House got back to work Tuesday pushing a series of tax relief bills for Louisiana businesses worth millions of dollars out of House Ways and Means and onto the House floor.

Chairman of the Louisiana Economic Recovery Task Force Jason Decuir says the state owes it to these businesses to lend a helping hand after many were ordered closed or limited for months.

Cut 13, 8 seconds, safe

Those relief bills took many forms including a suspension of the franchise tax. Revenue Secretary Kimberly Robinson, speaking on behalf of the Edwards Administration, says passing and maintaining these tax cuts could unbalance the state budget for years to come.

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Cities and states nationwide are taking up police reforms in the wake of massive George Floyd protests. Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields says it’s a bit late for legislators to file new bills with the special session in full swing so he’s aiming to introduce legislation next year or in a potential fall special session using recommendations from a 15-member task force he hopes to have created…

Cut 4 (07) “…so to speak.”

Fields says his legislation will also call for a statewide ban on the use of chokeholds by law enforcement, psychological testing for both prospective and current officers on a routine basis and new regulations for body cameras.

Governor Edwards signs legislation ending the auto insurance “Patriot Penalty” where military who were deployed overseas would return home to higher auto insurance rates. Anyone who is uninsured for six months or more must pay a higher rate upon reinsuring. Alexandria Senator Jay Luneau says that hammered the armed forces…

Cut 10 (09) “…rates.”

The University of Louisiana Monroe takes action following racist comments made online by faculty members, as a letter of termination has been sent to an instructor, and steps for termination have started with the other individual. ULM didn’t name the employees but according to the Monroe News Star assistant nursing professor, Mary Holmes referred to former President Barack Obama as a monkey and biology instructor Dennis Bell used a racial slur on his Facebook page.

Governor Edwards says Memorial Day weekend did not result in a significant increase in the transmission of COVID-19. Edwards has a few thoughts as to why…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”  

Caddo Parish Coroner Doctor Todd Thoma says a 44-year-old man died of natural causes while in the custody of the Shreveport Police Department on April sixth, but his death could have been preventable. Authorities say police officers used tasers, mace, and nightsticks to control Tommie McGlothen, who also fought with another citizen before law enforcement arrived. Thoma says McGlothen’s death could have possibly prevented, but he was left in the back of a patrol vehicle for 48 minutes…

Cut 4 (10)_ “…medical care”

Accused serial killer Ryan Sharpe will get a new trial as an East Feliciana Parish judge has voided his conviction, because it was not unanimous. Authorities say Sharpe fatally shot three people and injured another person during a 2017 shooting spree. Sharpe’s Attorney Tommy Damico believes Sharpe was insane at the time…
Cut 13 (13) “…insanity”  

Caddo Parish Coroner Doctor Todd Thoma says a 44-year-old man died of natural causes while in the custody of the Shreveport Police Department on April sixth, but his death could have been preventable. Thoma says Tommie McGlothen Junior died from excited delirium.
Cut 3 (09)  “…stimulant use.”  
Authorities say police officers used tasers, mace, and nightsticks to control McGlothen.
A third person has died from complications of a drowning incident on Grand Isle on Sunday. Over the last two weeks, there have been eleven calls for water rescues. In addition to larger crowds, Grand Isle Police Chief Laine Landry believes there are three other contributing factors to the dangerous conditions.

Cut 7 (12) “…for beach protection.”

It’s been two weeks since Memorial Day weekend and Governor Edwards says he’s heartened to see the state did not experience a significant surge in COVID transmission as a result of the holiday. An LSU poll that showed 62 percent wear a mask always or often when leaving the house, up from just 48 percent in April. Edwards thanked residents for being responsible and masking up…

Cut 11 (07) “…as well.”

The poll indicated that 76 percent of people agree that wearing a mask is the responsible thing to do.

An East Feliciana Parish judge has voided the first-degree murder charge of accused serial killer Ryan Sharpe as the result of a recent US Supreme Court decision that bans non-unanimous convictions. Sharpe’s Attorney Tommy Damico says his client was convicted by jurors 11 to 1 last December…

Cut 12 (12) “motion”