Flowers are in bloom, crawfish are boilin, the weather is just right, and Louisianans know, that means festival season. Michael Farrar has more.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Michael Farrar”

Cuban tree frogs have moved into New Orleans, and are now threatening to muscle out the locals according to the US Geological Survey. The frogs are invasive, and are suspected to have hopped a ride to the Crescent City on palm trees imported from Florida. Ecologist Brad Glorioso says it’s a threat to the state amphibian, the green tree frog.

Cut 7 (08)  “other frogs”

The House Education Committee passed a proposal that would require schools provide a 30 minute recess break to students. Currently schools must have 30 minutes of physical activity, which is covered in many districts by PE class. Houma Representative and sponsor Beryl Amedee says recess is crucial to a child’s educational development.

Cut 10 (06) “unstructured play”

Louisiana ranks second in the nation with the highest rate of fatal hit-and-run crashes per capita, according to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. The national study found that one hit-and-run crash occurs every minute on U.S. roads, andresulted in 2,049 deaths in 2016 – the highest number on record and a 60 percent increase since 2009.

Tonight is the first round of the NFL draft. New Orleans enters the three-day draft process with a total of eight picks and most of them coming in the later rounds. Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis on what goes into their evaluation of a potential prospect

Cut 17 (17)  “we draft”

Loomis also said the Saints don’t have anything against LSU, even though the NFL franchise has selected just two former Tigers since 2004. They have the 27^th pick overall tonight, it’s unlikely they will select running back Derius Guice, who is expected to be the only LSU player taken in the first round. Cornerback, tight end and pass rusher are the major priorities for the Saints.

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The Pelicans second round Western Conference playoff series versus Golden State will begin on Sunday night in Oakland. The Warriors are expected to provide an update tomorrow on two-time MVP Stephen Curry, who has not played since March 23^rd because of a sprained M-C-L injury. Friday, marks exactly five weeks since the injury, so he is expected to return sometime during the series.

According to Tiger Rag-dot-com, junior college forward Marlon Taylor has committed to LSU. He’s a six-foot-six athletic wing from Panola College in Florida. He averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds last season, while shooting 44-percent from three-point territory.

In college baseball…Northwestern State, who beat Mississippi Valley State 21-0 on Tuesday night, did even more damage against the Delta Devils on Wednesday as they beat them 34-0 on Wednesday.

The Rain Cajuns defeated UNO eight to six. Gavin Bouregois drove in four runs.

The LSU Tigers begin an SEC series tonight versus Ole Miss. The Bayou Bengals trail the Rebels and Arkansas by one game for the division lead in the SEC West.

The House Criminal Justice Committee approves a constitutional amendment that calls for all 12 members of a criminal jury to agree on the guilt or innocence of an accused person. Current law only requires 10. The debate digressed to a racial issue when an opponent, Calcasieu D.A. John Derosier, brushed off the notion that unanimous juries were racially driven.

Cut 6 (:12)  “what it is.”

The comment ignited a fiery back and forth with committee member Ted James.

But the bill’s author, New Orleans Senator J.P. Morrell, cited 180 year old documents to make his point why convictions in felony should be unanimous…

Cut 8 (:13) “official journal”

Louisiana and Oregon are the only two states without Unanimous jury requirements. The Senate has already approved the proposal and it will need a two-thirds vote on the House floor.

A Senate-approved bestiality bill that’s been grabbing headlines passed unanimously through a House committee. The bill would update bestiality laws, and codify them as only applying to acts between man and animal. Some opponents argue the bill is an attempt to protect homosexual behavior. The bill’s sponsor, New Orleans Senator JP Morrell.

Cut 9 (10) “about bestiality”

The state legislature is not willing to give voters in Tangipahoa Parish the opportunity to vote on whether they want a riverboat casino at a location near I-12.  Ponchatoula Representative Steve Pugh moved to table the bill, because there’s opposition from local senators…

Cut 5  (11) “as well”

An anti-bestiality law received approval from a House committee, but it’s receiving pushback from Chrisitan conservative groups like the Louisiana Family Forum. President Gene Mills says the proposed legislation would remove human on human acts from criminality….
cut 10 (09) “….prohibition”
But the measure heads to the House floor for final legislative passage.

Secretary of State Tom Schedler told a Senate committee his office is looking at improving its anti-harassment policies. Schedler, who was accused of sexually harassing an employee in a recent lawsuit, was forced to discuss his agency’s policies during harsh questioning …
Cut 15 (09) “the way”
The House Criminal Justice Committee approves a constitutional amendment to require unanimous verdicts in serious felony cases. Jim Shannon reports testimony got a little heated after a comment by a district attorney.
Cut 1 (:28) “I’m Jim Shannon”
The proposal now heads to the full House.

Tangipahoa voters will not get a chance to decide if they want a riverboat casino in their parish. A bill that called for a local referendum in November did not pass the Senate on a 15-18 vote. A House bill that would have done the same thing, also failed to get out of a House Committee.

A bill to strengthen laws against bestiality is facing oppositon from Christian Conservatives, because of a concern it will go against a the state’s ban on sodomy, which is unconstitutional. Doctor Will Hall with the Louisiana Baptist Convention doesn’t like the wording of Senator JP Morrell’s legislation…
cut 11 (08) “…four words”
Despite the objection, the measure is heading to the House floor for final passage.

Religous leaders have helped defeat a bill that called for referendum in Tangipahoa on whether they want a riverboat casino in their parish. Pastor Louis Husser at Crossgate church says such a vote would be unfair…
cut 4 (10) “…casino is”
A casino operator in Bossier City has looked at moving their license to Tangipahoa.

Supporters seeking to end Louisiana’s requirement that only 10 of 12 jurors are needed in order to secure a conviction in felony cases won a legislative battle today as the measure received approval from a House committee. The constitutional amendment would require all 12 jurists to agree on guilty or not guilty. The author of the legislation, New Orleans Senator, J-P Morrell says Louisiana is one of the two states using a Jim Crow era law in felony trials….
cut 8 (13) “…official journal”
The uanimous jury proposal has already been approved by the Senate, it now heads to the House and will need voter approval as well.

Baton Rouge police say a two-year accidentally shot his eight-year-old brorther inside a vehicle. Detectives say the boys’ father left the loaded handgun unattended when he got out of the car. The child was shot in the arm, but the injury is not considered life-threatening.

Secretary of State Tom Schedler, who is acussed of sexual harassment by a state worker, said before a Senate panel that sexual harassment policies should be uniform across state agencies. Schedler made the comments after he was asked if his agency plans to revise its policies, which have been the same since 2013….
cut 16 (08) “…that process”
Lawmakers are working on anti-harassment legislation in this session.

An anti-bestiality law received approval from a House committee, but it’s receiving pushback from Chrisitan conservative groups like the Louisiana Family Forum. President Gene Mills says the proposed legislation would remove human on human acts from criminality….
cut 10 (09) “….prohibition”
But the measure heads to the House floor for final legislative passage.

The state legislature is not willing to give voters in Tangipahoa the opportunity to vote on whether they want a riverboat casino in their parish. DiamondJacks Casino and Resort in Bossier City is interested in moving its license to a site near Hammond But religious leaders object. First Baptist Church of Hammond Pastor Jeff Robertson
Cut 3 (:10) “of it”
The Senate and a House committee have killed bills that would call for a local option referendum.

Smoothie King is moving its corporate headquarters from New Orleans to Dallas. It means the loss of 60 jobs for the Crescent City. Greater New Orleans Inc C-E-O Michael Hecht says the city has had its share of economic wins lately, but this is a bit of a blow…
cut 14 (08) “…make progress”
The Smoothie King Center, home of the Pelicans, will retain its name.

Tangipahoa residents will not get the opportunity to vote on whether they approve of a riverboat casinos in their parish. Two bills that calls for the referendum vote have been killed over the last two days. Ponchatoula Representative Steve Pugh moved to table his bill in a House committee, because of opposition from local senators….
cut 5 (11) “….as well”
DiamondJacks Casino and Resort in Bossier City is looking at moving its license from Bossier to a site near Hammond.

Smoothie King is moving its corporate headquarters from New Orleans to Dallas. It means the loss of 60 jobs for the Crescent City. Greater New Orleans Inc President Michael Hecht says the direct economic impact may be small, but….
cut 13 (06) “…issue here”

The House Criminal Justice Committee approves a constitutional amendment to require unanimous verdicts in serious felony cases. Jim Shannon reports testimony got a little heated after a comment by a district attorney.
Cut 1 (:28) “I’m Jim Shannon”

Secretary of State Tom Schedler told a Senate committee his office is looking at improving its anti-harassment policies. Schedler, who was accused of sexually harassing an employee in a recent lawsuit, was forced to discuss his agency’s policies during harsh questioning …
Cut 15 (09) “the way”

A beastiality bill that’s drawn some surprising opposition passed through a House committee unanimously. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 2 (28) “I’m Matt Doyle”

Smoothie King is moving its corporate headquarters out of New Orleans, and taking most of it’s 80 jobs to a new location in Dallas. Greater New Orleans Inc. President Michael Hect says Smoothie King’s owner is Korean wanted better access to his overseas holding.
Cut 12 (08) “to asia”
The Smoothie King Center will retain its name.

Voters could soon have the opportunity to decide if serious felony convictions should require an unanimous jury verdict. A constitutional amendment requiring unanimous jury verdicts was approved by a House committee today. Several district attorneys oppose the constitutional amendment because they say it will be tougher to get convictions. Calcasieu D-A John DeRosier said “it is what is” when discussing the current standard of 10 of 12 jurors for a guilty verdict as a vestigate of slavery. Baton Rouge Representative Ted James was not happy with statement…
cut 7 (10) “…offended”
When the Senate-approved legislation passed, it drew a round of applause. It just needs House approval and then it heads to the voters.

And legislation that would allow a family to install a surveillance camera inside a nursing home room so it can keep tabs on their loved one is moving closer to final passage. The House approved member received backing from the Senate Health and Welfare Committee today. Senators say they will work on tightening the language of the bill.

A Senate-approved bestiality bill that’s been grabbing headlines passed unanimously through a House committee. The bill would update bestiality laws, and codify them as only applying to acts between man and animal. Some opponents argue the bill is an attempt to protect homosexual behavior. The bill’s sponsor, New Orleans Senator JP Morrell…
cut 9 (10) “…about beastiality”
The measure now heads to the House floor.

Religous leaders have helped defeat a bill that called for referendum in Tangipahoa on whether they want a riverboat casino in their parish. Pastor Louis Husser at Crossgate church says such a vote would be unfair…
cut 4 (10) “…casino is”
A casino operator in Bossier City has looked at moving their license to Tangipahoa.

The Louisiana Federation of Teachers say the average teacher salary has fallen two-thousand dollars below what teachers make in Southern states. L-F-T spokesperson Les Landon says they are polling members to find out what actions they should take to help improve pay and other issues impacting teachers….
cut 12 (11) “….strike”
Landon says they will release a report next month with the results.

State Police has arrested a Morehouse Parish Deputy for alleged inappropriate sexual contact with an inmate at the detention center in Bastrop. 50-year-old Terry Davis is facing a charge of malfeasance in office.

The state legislature is not willing to give voters in Tangipahoa Parish the opportunity to vote on whether they want a riverboat casino at a location near I-12. DiamondJacks Casino and Resort in Bossier City is interested in moving its license to Tangipahoa. But religious leaders object. First Baptist Church of Hammond Pastor Jeff Robertson

Cut 3 (:10) “of it”

The House Criminal Justice Committee moved the unanimous jury bill out of committee and on to the house floor without objection. The bill calls for all 12 members of a criminal jury to agree on the guilt or innocence of an accused person. Current law only requires 10. The debate digressed to a racial issue when an opponent, Calcasieu D.A. John Derosier, brushed off the notion that unanimous jury’s were racially driven.

Cut 6 (:12)  “what it is.”

A 15 week abortion ban passes the Senate on a 31-3 vote. The bill mirrors a Mississippi law recently passed that has been halted by a federal judge. Shreveport Senator and Democrat John Milkovich:

Cut 14 (10) “frowning”

A teachers strike in Kentucky that led to increased funding for schools and higher pay is inspiring educator walkouts and work stoppages across the south. Louisiana Federation of Teachers is now polling its members to see what actions they would favor to address quality of life for teachers and students. LFT spokesperson Les Landon says it’s not just about winning a bigger paycheck.

Cut 10 (09) “to be”

Landon says they’ve already polled around 3,000 members, and will release a report in mid to late may with the results.