A Southern Media and Opinion Research poll finds that voters approve of what the state House has done when it comes to dealing with Louisiana’s one-point-six billion dollar budget deficit. The House has approved a package of bills that raises revenue from several different sources, and Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says 67-percent of the respondents agree with that approach…
cut 4 (06) “….to this poll”
The poll also indicates that only 17-percent of voters would be okay with the budget balanced through deep cuts in funding.

Retired Army Lieutentant General Russel Honore says he’s still considering a run for governor this year. Honore, who gained a lot of fans for his no nonsense approach following Hurricane Katrina, says even though it’s late in the game, raising money for a campaign would be no problem…
cut 15 (07) “….if we needed to”
Honore says if decides to run, he would do so under “No Party” and announce befor the fourth of July.

The state House approves a bill that would allow some motorists to receive a brake tag every five years, instead of current law, which is ever year or every two years. The measure passed on a 58-33 vote, Lafayette Representative Nancy Landy voted in favor…
cut 10 (06) “….car inspected”
The measure, which heads to the senate, would only apply to vehicles seven years old or less, and a five-year sticker would also not be allowed in the Baton Rouge and New Orleans areas, because of air pollution problems.

On the House floor today, lawmakers are scheduled to vote on whether sex selection abortions should be banned in Louisiana. Supporters say it’s a big social problem in Asian countries and that don’t want to see that practice brought to this state. But Pro-choice activist Shivana Jorawar says it’s not happening in any widespread fashion in the United States…
cut 9 (08) “….abortion restriction”
The bill passed out of a House committee unanimously.

A bill that would ban someone from getting an abortion based on sex selection is scheduled for debate on the House floor today. Louisiana Right to Life says the use of abortion as a means of sex selection is a major social problem in a number of Asian countries where male children are widely preferred over females. Shivana Jorawar is a pro-choice and gender equality activist and she calls this measure a rouse to confuse people into passing something that is bad for women.;…

cut 8 (12) “…..next”

The House convenes at 9 AM

The full House has approved legislation that will reduce the maximum penalty for those who are convicted multiple times for simple marijuana possession. Under the bill, a person convicted three times for having a small amount of pot, faces a maximum sentence of eight years, instead of 20 which is current law. The senate will debate the measure next.

Retired Army Lieutenent General Russel Honore, who became nationally known for his efforts following Hurricane Katrina, says he’s seriously considering a run for governor. Honore doesn’t think the current front-runner in the race, Republican Senator David Vitter, is the right man to lead Louisiana. He says the state is in bad shape and needs the right person…

cut 14 (10) “….we’re broke”

Honore made the comments on the Jim Engster Show.

Have you gotten your state income taxes done yet. Tomorrow is the deadline for filing 2014 Louisiana individual income tax returns. The state department of revenue recommends that you electronicly file.

Supporters and opponents of Common Core have come together on legislation that puts a process in place that could lead to new public school education standards. Lake Charles Representative Brett Geymann, an outspoken critic of Common Core, says the compromise legislation, which was approved by the House Education committee Wednesday, allows for more public input in developing academic standards…:
cut 10 (08) “embrace”
The plan calls for BESE to approve new education standards in March 2016, but the next governor could reject them. Some members of the public expressed issues with the plan…:
cut 12 (08) “initiative”
The Governor’s office says they don’t like the veto mechanism and also have concerns that BESE would set up a standard’s commission filled with Common Core Supporters.

In a narrow vote, the state Senate advances an equal pay bill to the House. According to recent Census data, Louisiana has the largest gender pay gap in the nation. The bill also lays out a course of legal action if a worker is not paid the some as another doing the same job. Opponents say this would set businesses up for hoards of litigation but New Orleans Senator Karen Carter Peterson says this bill is about shrinking the gender pay gap, not promoting lawsuits…:
CUT 4 (07) “all it does”
The bill passed the Senate on a 21-16 vote.

The state house approves a bill that would let some motorists get an inspection sticker every five years. Currently the brake tags are $10 a year and drivers can get either a one or two year sticker. Stonewall Rep. Richard Burford says his bill would only apply to vehicles 7 years old or less. Lafayette Representative Nancy Landry voted in favor…:
CUT 1 (06) “car inspected”
Opponents say this would hurt brake tag business. The vote was 58-33 and the measure now heads to the Senate.

The House Education Committee approves legislation that could put an end to the controversy over the Common Core education standards. Jeff Palermo has more…:
CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

The Grant Parish Sheriff’s office has arrested a man accused of leaving his truck in the middle of the road then breaking into someone’s home and dancing naked under a water hose at another house. They say 27-year-old Tristan Yenzer of Alexandria was booked with unauthorized entry, aggravated obstruction of a roadway, theft of utilities and 2 counts of criminal trespassing.

The Senate advances an equal pay bill to the House. New Orleans Senator Ed Murray’s legislation would ensure that all employees receive the same pay for the same work. It also lays out a course of legal action if a worker is underpaid. Mandeville Senator Jack Donahue says this bill puts another nail in the coffin of business…:
CUT 3 (07) “pay fair wages”
But supporters say this is about shrinking the gender pay gap, not lawsuits. The favorable vote was 21-16.

A Louisiana based oil company is set to drill near the site of the BP well blowout that killed 11 workers and caused the nation’s largest offshore oil spill. LLOG (log) Exploration Offshore has been approved to drill into the Macondo reservoir. Associate Director of the Tulane Energy Institute, Professor Eric Smith says this shouldn’t mean people should worry about another blowout…:
CUT 8 (10) “company like LLOG”

A process that could lead to new public school education standards has been approved by both supporters and opponents of Common Core. Lake Charles Representative Brett Geymann, an opponent of Common Core, says under the proposed compromise, BESE will begin a comprehensive review of English and Math standards this summer and the process will also involve public meetings across the state…:
CUT 11 (10) “ended up”
A spokesman for Governor Bobby Jindal, who opposes Common Core, says they support this process moving forward but do not endorse the bill.

The latest Southern Media and Opinion Research poll finds that more Louisiana voters disapprove of Jindal’s job performance than they do the president’s…:
CUT 14 (05) “square that”
Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says in the poll 42% rate the president’s job performance as positive while Jindal is at 32%.

In a 21-16 vote, the state Senate advances New Orleans Senator Ed Murray’s equal pay bill to the House. Eric Gill reports…:
CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

The Attorney General’s office says two former St. John the Baptist Parish Water Works employees were convicted Tuesday for covering up their failure to properly collect water samples from testing sites. The Department of Health and Hospitals later found a brain eating amoeba at those sites. 55-year-old Kevin Branch of LaPlace and 43-year-old Danielle Roussel of Paulina, both pleaded guilty to false swearing.

It was a narrow vote in the state Senate, but the equal pay bill is on its way to the House. New Orleans Senator Ed Murray’s legislation would help close the Louisiana gender pay gap, which according to recent Census data, is the largest in the nation. But not everyone is buying into that…
CUT 5 (08) Q: ‘a real problem’
That’s Metarie Senator Conrad Appel.

A compromise bill about Common Core has passed the House Education Committee. The plan authored by Lake Charles Representative Brett Geymann (guy-muhn) calls for BESE to approve new education standards in March, but the next governor will have the authority to reject them. Some members of the community were there to testify about their concerns about the plan…
CUT 12 (08) Q: ‘initiative”
—————————–
A new permit has been issued to drill near the site of the BP well blowout disaster. LLOG (Log) Exploration Offshore’ permit was approved by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, and Tulane Energy Institute Professor Eric Smith says he believes the company will do a good job…
CUT 9 (09) Q: ‘except for BP”

Governor Bobby Jindal’s approval rating in Louisiana is at an all time low according to a new survey. Bernie Pinsonat conducts the Southern Media and Opinion Resarch Poll. He says they found Jindal got a 31.8% positive job performance rating from likely Louisiana voters…:
cut 13 (08) “more Republican”
Pinsonat says that rating is lower that President Barack Obama.

There’s some compromise legislation has passed the House Education Committe today that deals with the Common Core testing….
CUT 2 (30) Q: “reporting”

An equal pay bill to help close the gender pay gap has passed the Senate, and now it’s headed to the House. Some lawmakers say it will be bad for business growth, while others, like State Senator Dan Claitor says it’s needed…
CUT 6 (06) Q: ‘pay for everyone’
Many at the capitol are saying the measure could run into problems in the house Labor Committee.
—————————-
A Louisiana based oil company is set to drill near the site of the BP well blowout that killed 11 and caused the nation’s largest offshore oil spill. LLOG (log) Exploration Offshore has been approved to drill into the Macondo reservoir. Associate Director of the Tulane Energy Institute, Professor Eric Smith, says it’s a good choice…
CUT 7 (08) “up with LLOG”

New numbers from a Southern Media and Opinion Research poll shows Governor Bobby Jindal has the lowest job performance approval rating since he became governor. In fact, the numbers are lower than President Obama here in a fairly conservative state. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says if Jindal does decide to run for president, low approval numbers like 31.8 percent, won’t be very helpful…:
cut 15 (07) “popular you are”

Supporters and opponents of Common Core have come together on legislation that puts a process in place that could lead to new academic standards in state public schools. Lake Charles Representative Brett Geymann (guy-muhn), an outspoken critic of Common Core, says the compromise legislation allows for more public input…
CUT 10 (08) Q: ’embrace”
The proposed compromise was approved by House Education Committee today.

Governor Bobby Jindal’s job approval rating is at an all-time low. According to a the Southern Media Research and Opinion Poll, his rating is at 31. 8 percent; and that’s actually lower that President Obama who has a 42.1 percent number…
CUT 14 (05) Q: ‘square that’
That’s pollster Bernie Pinsonat
————————————
In a 21-16 vote, the state Senate advances New Orleans Senator Ed Murray’s equal pay bill to the House….
CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

Now here’s a look at the latest commodity prices….
CUT (Mini-pig)

Governor Bobby Jindal’s approval rating in Louisiana is at an all time low according to a new survey. Bernie Pinsonat conducts the Southern Media and Opinion Resarch Poll. He says they found Jindal got a 31.8% positive job performance rating from likely Louisiana voters…:
CUT 13 (08) “more Republican”
Pinsonat says President Barack Obama remains unpopular in Louisiana, but not as unpopular as Governor Jindal. He says in the poll 42.1% rate the president’s job performance as positive.

The House Education Committee has approved a Common Core compromise bill that crafts out a plan to develop new education standards in Louisiana. The proposal by Lake Charles Representative Brett Geymann would require BESE to hold public hearings and recommend changes to Common Core. The legislation will allow the next Governor to veto any approved changes.

In a narrow vote, the state Senate advances an equal pay bill to the House. New Orleans Senator Ed Murray’s legislation would ensure that all employees receive the same pay for the same kind and quality of work. It also lays out a course of legal action if a worker is underpaid. Mandeville Senator Jack Donahue says this bill puts another nail in the coffin of business…:
CUT 3 (07) “pay fair wages”
New Orleans Senator Karen Carter Peterson says this bill is about shrinking the gender pay gap, not promoting lawsuits…:
CUT 4 (07) “all it does”
The bill passed the Senate on a 21-16 vote.

The LSU baseball team will play the South Carolina series starting tomorrow with Jared Foster. The second baseman had been declared academically ineligible for the rest of the season, but his eligibility was restored after an appeal.

A new statewide poll shows Republican Senator David Vitter’s lead in the governor’s race is growing. Scott Carwile has the story…:
CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

Common Core is getting its first hearing today of the current legislative session. There was a bill that would scrap the standards but lawmakers have come up with a compromise plan aimed at winning support of both proponents and opponents of Common Core. The House Education Committee began meeting at 9am to discuss the issue.

A pill is being developed locally that could help cure addition some day. Researchers at LSU Health Science Shreveport say “EMB-001” aims directly at people’s cravings for things like cocaine, meth and possibly even nicotine.
CUT 13 (07) “in the first place”
Dr. Nick Goeders (geh-derz) leads the study and says they’ve so far had a lot of success with the product on lab rats and also in people addicted to crack cocaine. He says they hope they can get EMB-001 on the market in 2-3 years.

New Orleans Pelicans GM Dell Demps says it was ownership and management that decided to release Monty Williams as head coach. It’s been reported that the GM and Williams did not see eye to eye on many personnel moves, but Demps says he didn’t see it that way…:
CUT 15 (11) “talked a lot”
He says the search for a new coach is underway.