The Edwards Administration proposed a spending plan for the next fiscal year to legislators that contains $792 million in cuts to Louisiana’s budget, including deep cuts to education. Michelle Southern has more…
CUT 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”
================
The “Pastor Protection Act” passed out of the House Civil Law Committee with a 7-3 vote. Halen Doughty has the story…
CUT 2 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”
===================
Governor John Bel Edwards presented his proposed budget for the next fiscal year to lawmakers today. The proposal contains 792-million dollars in cuts to state spending. Under the proposed spending plan, health care and the TOPS scholarship program would see big reductions in state funding. Edwards says this is not the budget he wanted to present to lawmakers and it’s why another special session is needed.
The governor says a second special session could begin as early as June 7th Edwards says many state services are now severely underfunded, such as TOPS, which under this plan would receive a 183-million dollar cut. He says only having a third of the money needed to pay for TOPS is another reason why they need a second special session.
The governor is proposing a 46-million dollar cut to higher education. Edwards says not only is higher ed receiving looking at another cut in funding, but so are public schools.
Edwards is calling for a new task force to help develop long term budget solutions.
============================
A Senate committee approves legislation that would increase the age to 18 for a suspect to be prosecuted as an adult. Currently, individuals 17 and over are put into the adult criminal system once charged with a crime. Criminal justice expert Ed Mulvey says a 17 year-old offender is better off in the juvenile justice system…
An 18-year-old high school student went before the committee supporting the legislation. He says this bill is close to his heart because his friend was arrested at 17. He says the adult prison system is not a place for juveniles because his friend lost his pride and it couldn’t be restored.
The legislation will now move to the full Senate. 17-year-olds who commit serious offenses could still be tried as an adult. A 15-year-old high school student also spoke in favor of the bill. She said her brother was arrested at the age of 17 and spent a week in jail without receiving any educational hours.
=========================================================
Many people are remembering the great life of former LSU and Saints running back Hokie Gajan, who passed away from cancer at the age 56 last night. LSU’s all-time leading rusher Charles Alexander played with Hokie for two years in college and says Gajan was the ultimate teammate.
Alexander says Hokie would do whatever the coaches asked and even with a bad knee, he never once complained. He says Gajan was always eager to be on the football field.
Alexander says back in the day, Hokie was quite off the field but as he got a little bit older he couldn’t stop talking. He says Gajan always put the team first and never worried about being in the headlines.
===================================================
The House Civil Law Committee has passed the “Pastor Protection Act” today on a 7-3 vote. The bill would allow ministers and clergy members to refuse to conduct a same sex marriage. Lester Perryman, with the Human Rights campaign, questions why Louisiana needs this legislation.
Perryman also raises concern about the potential for backlash as other religious freedom bills approved in Georgia, North Carolina and Mississippi have received.
Bruce Springsteen and Bryan Adams have cancelled concerts in North Carolina and Mississippi in protest of religious laws passed in those states. Over a dozen convention organizers have also decided against holding their events in North Carolina. But Bossier City Representative Mike Johnson says those bills are much broader than his proposal, which is strictly limited to churches and religious leaders.
The bill now heads to the House floor, with the support of Governor John Bel Edwards. But he says pastors are already protected under Louisiana law.