The House Appropriations Committee has voted to fully fund the TOPS scholarship program for the next fiscal year. Baton Rouge Representative Franklin Foil amended the state’s proposed budget to take 82-million dollars from the Department of Health’s budget to fund it.
Cut 14 (11) “percent”
New Orleans Representative Walt Leger raised concerns about how these cuts would impact LDH. He says the only areas of the health budget that can be cut are optional Medicaid programs that will greatly impact Louisiana residents.
Cut 16 (12) “on the streets”
The budget plan heads to the House floor.

An 83-year-old LaRose man will be sentenced next month for a sex crime he committed over 30 years ago. Lafourche Assistant District Attorney Kristine Russell says the victim was seven years old at the time and this is a huge victory for her…
cut 12 (11) “…years ago”
Warren Danos was convicted of sexual battery and faces at least 25 years behind bars.

Two out of state residents are dead after a private plane crashed in a field in Morehouse Parish. Sheriff Mike Tubbs says the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration will conduct an investigation into what caused the crash….
cut 4 (06) “….on the scene”

Funeral services will take place Thursday for Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s deputy Justin Beard. He was killed in a single vehicle wreck on Sunday while responding to a burglar alarm.

The Appropriations Committee, which is dominated by Republicans, approves a spending plan for next fiscal year that fully funds the TOPS scholarship program. The House GOP plan calls for an 82-million dollar cut in state funding to the Department of Health, so that the state can fully cover tuition payments for TOPS students.
cut 23 (02) “…our state”
That’s Baton Rouge Representative Franklin Foil who authored the amendment that passed on a on a 19-5 vote. Democrats on the panel voted against it. New Orleans Representative Gary carter….
cut 29 (17) “…100,000 dollars a year”
More debate will take place on the House floor when the full 28-billion dollar budget will be discussed.

LSU and a news organization create a website which would let the public give an opinion on how Louisiana’s budget woes could be repaired. Jeff Palermo reports…:
Voicer 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Legislation that would regulate car-sharing services like Uber and Lyft received approval from the House Commerce committee. Uber and Lyft support having standard rules across the state, so they don’t have to negotiate agreeements with local jurisdictions. They say it could help expand their service into smaller communities. The measure heads to the House floor for more discussion.

The House Appropriations Committee approves a spending plan for next fiscal year and it provides the necessary dollars to fully fund the TOPS scholarship program. Baton Rouge Representative Franklin Foil moved to 81-million dollars from the Louisiana Department of Health, so that TOPS students have their tuition costs completely covered….
cut 15 (09) “….a priority”
The state’s spending plan moves to the full House as the budget bill still has several steps before it gets through the legislative process.

The Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s office is mourning the death of deputy Justin Beard, who was killed in a single vehicle wreck while responding to a burglar alarm. O-P-S-O spokesperson Glenn Springfield…
cut 7 (10) “…Deputy Beard”
Beard was a deputy at OPSO for over three years and leaves behind a wife and three young children.

A child sex abuse victim finally gets justice 30 years later. Halen Doughty has the story…:
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

The Diocese of Lafayette says the Reverend Felix David Broussard is expected to enter a guilty plea tomorrow in court on charges of accessing and possessing child pornography. Louisiana State Police arrested the Acadia Parish native last July after investigators allegedly found over 500 images of child porn his personal computer. Broussard served as a priest for the Diocese of Lafayette for over 20 years.

The House Appropriations Committee has voted to fully fund the TOPS scholarship program for the next fiscal year. Baton Rouge Representative Franklin Foil amended the state’s spending plan to take 82-million dollars from the Department of Health’s budget to fund it.

Cut 14 (11) “percent”

New Orleans Representative Walt Leger raised concerns about how these cuts would impact LDH. He says the only areas of the health budget that can be cut are optional Medicaid programs that will greatly impact Louisiana residents.

Cut 16 (12) “on the streets”

The budget plan heads to the House floor.

The Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office is mourning the loss of 26-year-old Deputy Justin Beard, who was killed in a crash Sunday morning. State Trooper Michael Reichardt says Beard was responding to a call on Highway 34 when he veered off the roadway.

Cut 5 (08) “this crash”

Beard leaves behind a wife and three young children.

Evangeline Parish is battling flooding that’s occurring as a result of a severe weather system. Office of Emergency Preparedness Director Liz Hill says although the water wasn’t as high as it was in the August flood, some people had to be rescued from their flooded homes.

Cut 10 (07) “higher ground”

Flooding impacted about 60 homes in Mamou, along with the schools, hospital, and city hall.

TOPS is fully funded under the budget proposal that’s been approved by the House Appropriations Committee. Michelle Southern has more…
Voicer 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

Congress is working on a spending bill that contains 400-million dollars in additional flood recovery dollars for Louisiana and other states, but that’s well short of the two-billion Governor Edwards requested. The state has alreadly received one-point-six-billion, but Edwards says there’s over one-billion dollars in unmet needs for homeowners alone.

An 83-year-old man in LaFourche Parish has been found guility of sexual battery for assaults against a seven-year-old girl more than three decades ago. Prosecutor Kristine Russell is pleased the victim is finally getting justice and she encourages any victim of sexual assault to come forward and report it to police, no matter how much time has passed…
cut 13 (08) “…have justice now”
Warren Danos faces a minimum of 25 years behind bars. He’ll be sentenced next month.

Two people are dead after a private plane went down in Morehouse Parish. Sheriff Mike Tubbs says his deputies received a call yesterday afternoon in reference to a plane that went down in Collinston near the Morehouse Detention Center.
Cut 3 (07) “we arrived”
Authorities have yet to release the identities of the victims.

A rape victim finally gets justice 30 years later. Halen Doughty has the story…:
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

The House appropriations committee advanced the state’s re-worked operating budget bill today by a vote of 17-5. Among the amendments included in the plan was one that would take $82 million dollars from the state Department of Health in order to fully fund the TOPS scholarship program. Republicans voted yes, Democrats voted no. The measure now heads to the full House.

Rising waters are a concern today in Evangeline Parish, as flooding from that weekend storm system hit at least two towns hard. Director of the Evangeline Office of Emergency Preparedness, Liz Hill says Mamou was hit hard, but the town of Basille on the Acadia Parish line was also affected:
Cut 9 (08) “right now”
She says parts of the hospital in Mamou were flooded, as well as the Elementary and High School.

A wet roadway following rain Sunday may have been a factor in a crash that claimed the life of an on-duty Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s deputy. State Police believe 26-year-old Deputy Justin Beard lost control of his patrol car and slammed into an embankment. Trooper Michael Reichardt says Beard was a deputy at OPSO for over three years and leaves behind a wife and three young children…:
Cut 6 (08) “to anybody”
They say Beard was not wearing a seat belt and was pronounced dead at the scene.

An 83-year-old Larose man has been found guilty of sexual battery of a 7-year-old that occurred over 30 years ago. Lafourche Assistant District Attorney Kristine Russell says a victim came forward to report the incidents with Warren Danos that occurred between 1984 and 1986…:
Cut 11 (09) “he raped her”
Russell says Danos is set to be sentenced in June on a count of sexual battery.

It’s a sad day in Ouachita Parish, as the community mourns the loss of 26-year-old Sheriff’s Deputy Justin Beard. State Trooper Michael Reichardt says Beard was responding to a burglar alarm early Sunday morning on Highway 34 when he was involved in a crash…:
Cut 5 (08) “this crash”
Reichardt says the roads were wet from rain, and Beard was not wearing his seatbelt.

Civil rights activists say protests can be expected if the DOJ chooses not to file charges against the Baton Rouge cops involved in the fatal shooting of Alton Sterling…:
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

The text of the spending bill to fund the federal government was unveiled by Congress this morning, and the proposal only includes $400 million dollars in disaster funding. That’s far short of the $2 billion request by Governor John Bel Edwards for Louisiana’s recovery.

Two people are dead after a private plane crashed in a field in Morehouse Parish. Sheriff Mike Tubbs says the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration will conduct an investigation into what caused the crash….
cut 4 (06) “….on the scene”
Tubbs says the identities of the victims have not been released.

The House Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to hear a bill today that would place a flat corporate income tax of 2-percent on the profits of businesses. Emelie Gunn has more…
Voicer 1 (26) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

President Donald Trump has now been in office for over 100 days, so has his time in the oval office impacted Louisiana? ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says not many policy changes have been made, but the President is finding that the federal process is slow:
CUT 13 (10) “to take time”
A poll released about a month ago, found that a majority of Lousiaina residents still support Mr. Trump. He received 58-percent of the vote last November.

Rising waters are a concern today in Evangeline Parish, as flooding from that weekend storm system hit at least two towns hard. Director of the Evangeline Office of Emergency Preparedness, Liz Hill says the city of Mamou sustained extensive damage.
Cut 8 (10) “that were affected”
The city of Mamou is enforcing a curfew from dusk till dawn.

The House Appropriations Committee is discussing a proposed budget for next fiscal year. Chairman Cameron Henry is proposing to reduce state funding to the department of health by 150-million dollars….
cut 16 (09) “….billion dollars”
Henry is seeking to pass a budget that reduces state spending by 237-million dollars than what the governor proposed as a way to avoid midyear budget cuts.

Two people are dead after a private plane went down in Morehouse Parish. Sheriff Mike Tubbs says his deputies received a call yesterday afternoon in reference to a plane that went down in Collinston near the Morehouse Detention Center.
Cut 3 (07) “we arrived”
Authorities have yet to release the identities of the victims.

The Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s office is mourning the death of deputy Justin Beard, who was killed in a single vehicle wreck while responding to a burglar alarm. O-P-S-O spokesperson Glenn Springfield…
cut 7 (10) “…Deputy Beard”
Beard was a deputy at OPSO for over three years and leaves behind a wife and three young children.

President Donald Trump has reached 100 days in office, but what does that mean for Louisiana? ULM political science professor Dr. Joshua Stockley says there’s been very little direct policy change at the federal level under the new administration…:
Cut 11 (07) “100 days”
Stockley calls Mr. Trump’s first 100 days turbulent and unorthodox.

Meeting now is the House Appropriations Committee where lawmakers are expected to advance a spending plan for the next fiscal year today. Chairman Cameron Henry of Metairie says it’s his intention to fully fund the TOPS scholarship program…:
Cut 15 (11) “the process”
One of the amendments is a proposal to cut the Department of Health by $155 million dollars to help fund TOPS.

It’s been 100 days for President Donald Trump in office, and he still has the support of Louisiana’s congressional delegation, business leaders, and officials from the oil and gas industry. But ULM Political Science Professor Dr. Joshua Stockley says Mr. Trump hasn’t done much yet:
Cut 12 (11) “reason not to”
He says it’s not surprising that policy changes haven’t been made yet as the federal process is a slow one.

Baton Rouge Mayor President Sharon Weston-Broome says speculation that a decision could be made this week from the Department of Justice on the Alton Sterling shooting by cops is just that. No matter what happens, they are urging the public to react in a peaceful manner.

The number of high school seniors in Louisiana who have applied for federal aid to go towards college tuition is the highest in the state’s history, and with two months before the deadline, is on pace to top the the final FAFSA counts of previous completed cycles. According to the state Department of Education.

A measure is being heard in the House Way and Means Committee that would place a flat corporate income tax from 1 to 2 percent on the profits a business makes. Jackson Representative Kenny Havard says he has received positive feedback on his measure…:
Cut 5 (10) “fiscal note”
Business groups like LABI are not supportive, because corporate loopholes will be closed. But Havard says companies or businesses will not have to pay this tax, if they don’t make a profit.