A bill expected to generate a lot of debate in the final weeks of the regular session is one seeking to restrict what kind of information can be released under the state’s public records law. Governor Jeff Landry wants to keep out of public view many emails or documents that result in public policy being formed…

Cut 13 (13)  “…we’re talking about.”

Bill author Turkey Creek Senator Heather Cloud…

Cut 15 (09)  “…mislead the public”

The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana strongly opposes Senate Bill 482. They say the legislation takes a hatchet to the state’s public records law and further damages trust in government and undermines the checks and balances of democracy.

Testimony for and against legislation to ban the use of touching your cell phone while driving in House Transportation was emotional this morning. Port Allen motorcyclist Anthony Summers supports the bill after being the victim of an accident caused by a distracted driver on their phone.

Cut 3 (12) “…safe manner.” 

Kenner resident Connie Zimmerman opposes the bill for several reasons and told committee members it violates one’s liberties.

Cut 4 (11) “…a police state. ”

Touching your cell phone while driving would be a secondary offense.

The bill, which already received Senate approval, passed in the House committee without objection.

A Hamond High School Student is in custody after a stabbing at the school this morning. Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Daniel Edwards says two female students were fighting in the bathroom when one stabbed the other with a foldable key-knife resulting in three non-life-threatening wounds to the upper extremities. That student is in stable condition. The student found to be in possession of the knife has been booked into Florida Juvenile Detention Center facing a charge of Aggravated Second Degree Battery.

The U-S House has sent to the Senate a 95-billion-dollar foreign aid package that includes aid for Ukraine. Speaker Mike Johnson of Benton needed help from Democrats to pass the aid bill for Ukraine and that puts his job as speaker in jeopardy.

Cut 6  (12) “..where they may.” 

A bill to ban touching your cell phone while driving advances from House Transportation. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (34)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

LSU will hold a parade for the newly crowned national champion gymnastics team at 6:30 on Wednesday night. Former LSU gymnastics Coach DD Breaux led the team for 43 years before retiring in 2020. She hired current head coach Jay Clark in 2012 to serve as Associate Head Coach.

Cut 11 (06) “…incredible feat.”

House Transportation advances a bill that will ban the use of touching your cell phone while driving. Chris Alexander with Louisiana Citizen Advocacy Group spoke against the bill saying in testimony from previous legislative attempts the bill’s author has said the ultimate goal is to get rid of phones in vehicles altogether.

Cut 5 (07)  “…will occur.”

The bill now goes to the House floor. It has already received Senate approval.

The U-S House has sent to the Senate a 95-billion dollar foreign aid package that includes aid for Ukraine. Georgia Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene leads a group of hard-right Republicans who believe Speaker Mike Johnson of Benton should be fired as Speaker because the House approved billions in foreign aid over new border security and immigration policies. Johnson believes the House did the right thing…

Cut 7 (03) “…judge it well”  

The Public Service Commission has approved Entergy’s 5-year grid resilience plan that including 2100 projects to fortify structures that will help avoid storm-related power outages or shorten their duration. The project is expected to cost 1.2 billion dollars but Entergy President and CEO Phillip May says benefits far outweigh the cost.

Cut 26

The LSU gymnastics team won its first championship in dramatic fashion Saturday rallying from behind to win during the final rotation. Before retiring in 2020, former head coach DD Breaux led the Tigers to 31 top-ten finishes in 43 seasons. The Donaldsonville native is so happy to see the program grow under head coach Jay Clark…

Cut 10 (16) “…on Saturday.”

A Hamond High School Student is in custody after a stabbing at the school this morning. Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Daniel Edwards says two female students were fighting in the bathroom when one stabbed the other with a foldable key-knife resulting in three non-life-threatening wounds to the upper extremities. That student is in stable condition. The student found to be in possession of the knife has been booked into Florida Juvenile Detention Center facing a charge of Aggravated Second Degree Battery.

The Public Service Commission has approved Entergy’s 5-year grid resilience plan that including 2100 projects to fortify structures that will help avoid storm-related power outages or shorten their duration. The project is expected to cost 1.2 billion dollars but Entergy President and CEO Phillip May says benefits far outweigh the cost.

Cut 26

House Transportation heard emotional Testimony for and against legislation to ban the use of touching your cell phone while driving this morning. Accident victims spoke in support of the bill and Kenner resident Connie Zimmerman in opposition the bill for several reasons and told committee members it violates one’s liberties.

Cut 4 (11) “…a police state. ” 

In it’s 50th year as a program, the LSU gymnastics team can finally call itself national champs. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (32)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo” 

The U-S House has sent to the Senate a 95-billion-dollar foreign aid package that includes aid for Ukraine. Speaker Mike Johnson of Benton needed help from Democrats to pass the aid bill for Ukraine and that puts his job as speaker in jeopardy…

Cut 6  (12) “..where they may.” 

Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields would like to see every school bus in Louisiana to have heating and air conditioning by August 1, 2025. Fields says it’s hard to learn in the classroom after sweating on the ride to school…

Cut 14 (12)  “… unconscionable.”

A bill to ban touching your cell phone while driving advances from House Transportation. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (34)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Former LSU gymnastics Coach DD Breaux is beaming with pride today as the program she built can finally say they are national champions. The LSU gymnastics team won its first championship in dramatic fashion rallying from behind to win during the final rotation. Breaux was watching from the stands in Fort Worth, Texas…

Cut 9 (05) “…the mountain” 

Breaux hired current head coach Jay Clark in 2012 as an Associate Head Coach.

Legislation is nearing final legislative passage that would repeal what is known as the three-year rule. Currently, insurance companies can not drop a policyholder after they’ve been a customer for three years. Consumer advocacy group, Real Reform Louisiana, opposes the bill.

Ben Riggs says the bill would allow carriers to cancel up to five percent of their three-year protected policies without cause and the option to cancel more with permission from the insurance commissioner and those requests would not be subject to public disclosure.
Cut 10 (07) “…at risk.”
But Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says the three-year rule is not enticing new insurers to come to the state, it’s merely a deterrent.
Cut 9 (09) “…the same.”
Final legislative passage to end the three-year rule could come this week.

The House Transportation Committee approves a bill that would prohibit drivers from touching their cell phones while driving. The proposed law would be a secondary offense, but would be a primary offense in school and construction zones. Port Allen motorcyclist Anthony Summers was involved in a wreck involving a driver who was distracted by their phone…
cut 3 (12) “…safe manner”
The Senate-approved legislation heads to the House floor.

In Washington D-C, the House has sent the Senate a 95-billion dollar foreign aid package that includes 60-billion dollars for Ukraine. House Speaker Mike Johnson of Benton…
cut 8 (07) “…our troops”
Hard right Republicans oppose sending money to Ukraine before approving new border security and immigration policies and they are calling for Johnson to resign.

Two bills are going through the legislature to repeal the three-year rule where insurers can’t drop policyholders after three years of coverage.
Cut 2 (33) “I’m Brooke Thorington.”

House Transportation approved legislation today that would prohibit handheld cellphone use while driving. The proposal would make it a secondary offense, except in school and construction zones, where it would be a primary offense. The bill has already received Senate approval.

The U-S House has sent to the Senate a 95-billion dollar foreign aid package that includes aid for Ukraine. Speaker Mike Johnson of Benton needed help from Democrats to pass the aid bill for Ukraine and that puts his job as speaker in jeopardy…
cut 6 (12) “….chips fall where they may’
Georgia Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene leads a group of hard-right Republicans who believe Johnson should be fired as Speaker because the House approved billions in foreign aid over new border security and immigration policies.

Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields would like to see every school bus in Louisiana have heating and air conditioning by August 1, 2025. David Claxton, who is also the president of the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents, says many school districts are already transitioning to climate-controlled buses, but getting it all done by the 2025-26 school year might be difficult…
Cut 15 (08) “…own ours”
The bill is awaiting a vote in Senate Finance.

Louisiana is showing some gains in attracting and keeping teachers. Colleen Crain has more on the latest numbers from the Educator Workforce Snapshot…

Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Colleen Crain” 

The second rotation of three from the Louisiana National Guard to assist with the Texas border is mobilizing. Each rotation is 30 days for a total of 90 days. Guardsmen have assisted with patrols along the border to prevent, detect and deter illegal crossings.

The goal of two bills making their way through the legislature is to repeal the three-year rule. The rule ensures property policyholders that their carrier cannot drop their coverage after three years. But Ben Riggs at Real Reform Louisiana says loss of the consumer protection will only exacerbate the insurance crisis.

Cut 8 (11) “…surcharge.” 

Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields has legislation to require all school buses to have air conditioning and heating by July 1st, 2025. As it awaits a vote in Senate Finance, school systems have expressed concerns over funding the mandate. Fields says he may change the wording of his bill to give school systems more time…

Cut 16 (13)  “…our intent”  

Louisiana is making some progress in both attracting and holding on to teachers but there are still shortages. Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, Jenna Chaisson, says the Bayou State added nearly 18-hundred additional educators during the 2022-23 school year…
cut 12 (08) “.,..as teachers”
Chaisson says the number of teachers of color also grew by two percent.

The Baker School System has approved a unique policy to reward juniors and seniors at Baker High School who are going to school, performing well in the classroom and have no discipline issues. Starting next school year, these students can have Friday off. Baker Superintendent J-T Stroder says since the pandemic, it’s been a challenge to get students to focus…
cut 6 (10) “….little deeper”
The new incentive will got into effect this fall.

Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields would like to see every school bus in Louisiana have heating and air conditioning by August 1, 2025. Fields says it’s hard to learn after sweating on the ride to school…
Cut 14 (12) “… unconscionable.”
Jackson Parish Superintendent David Claxton, who is also the president of the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents, says many school districts are already transitioning to climate-controlled buses, but getting it all done by the 2025-26 school year might be difficult…
Cut 15 (08) “…own ours”
The bill is awaiting a vote in Senate Finance.

Today the House Transportation Committee is expected to vote on a Senate approved bill that would prohibit the use of a hand-held cell phone while driving.

Legislation to end the three-year rule is closing in on final legislative passage. The proposal would repeal the prohibition against the dropping of homeowners insurance policyholders if they’ve been with an insurer for three or more years. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple wants to reduce regulations on insurance companies which he says will lead to more insurers writing policies in Louisiana
cut 7 (08) “…which is choice”
Opponents of the legislation say the state is doing away with a great consumer protection policy.

Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields has a bill that would require all school buses to have air conditioning and heating by July 1st, 2025. The legislation is awaiting a vote in Senate Finance as school systems have expressed concerns over how to fund such a mandate. Fields says he may change the wording of his bill to give school systems more time…
cut 16 (13) “….our intent”

Baker High School juniors and seniors who keep their grades up and have acceptable conduct in school will be rewarded with a four-day school week. Superintendent J.T. Stroder says instead of negative reinforcement for students he suggested one with a positive twist.
Cut 4 (12) “…an option.”
For students who don’t make the grade, Stroder says Fridays will be dedicated to helping them work on subjects where they are struggling.

A new report shows Louisiana added 18-hundred additional educators during the 2022-23 school year and the retention rate was 85-percent. Jenna Chaisson, deputy superintendent of teaching and learning with the Department of Education, says it’s a positive sign. Chaisson says school systems have used COVID relief funding to hire more support staff, but that money has run out…
cut 13 (10) “…support staff”