A bill to allow cameras in special education classrooms, advances from Senate Education. Parents like Tonya Williams shared the story of finding bruises on her son Tyler and how she received conflicting responses from administrators. She says cameras in the classroom could have saved her son from ongoing abuse.

Cut 5  (09)  “…tell me.”

Cameras will only be installed if a parents or guardian requests and could cost up to $8-million if installed in every special ed classroom.

A Senate-approved bill aimed at ending employer discrimination against Black natural hairstyles is headed to the House floor after a contentious debate in committee. New Orleans Senator Troy Carter says his legislation protects against racial discrimination on the basis of natural hairstyles but Denham Springs Representative Valarie Hodges voted against the bill.

Cut 7 (08) “…hairstyle.”

The bill passed 7-4.

The Defenders of Liberty Air and Space Show returns to Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier Parish this weekend with shows Saturday and Sunday from 11 to 4.  Air Show director Major Daniel Drier says you need a ticket for your vehicle to attend and then just drive up to the base…

Cut 10 (12) “..square” 

Visit BarskdaleAirShow.com for free tickets.

Governor John Bel Edwards says because his entire family is fully vaccinated, they’ll be able to enjoy a safe and normal Mother’s Day celebration this Sunday. Edwards says the faster everyone in the state gets vaccinated the safer we will all be, and fewer holiday restrictions will be needed.

Cut 15 (08) “…today.” 

Legislation inspired by cases where children in special education classes were physically and mentally abused by teachers is headed to the Senate. The bill would allow cameras to be set up in special ed classrooms should parents make that request. Baton Rouge physician and mother of a nonverbal special needs daughter, Dr. Mary Elizabeth Christian says she will never forget the day when she sat in an Individualized Education Program for her daughter and learned of ongoing abuse.

Cut 4 (12) “… every day.” 

Governor John Bel Edwards says because he and his family are fully vaccinated they’ll be able to enjoy a safe, normal Mother’s Day celebration Sunday.

Cut 13, 12 seconds, vaccinated

Legislation that protects employees from being discriminated against due to their natural hairstyle is headed to the House for final passage after a tense debate in committee. Jeff Palermo has more.

Cut 2 (31) …I’m Jeff Palermo”  

A Senate-approved bill aimed at ending employer discrimination against Black natural hairstyles is headed to the House floor after a contentious debate in committee. New Orleans Senator Troy Carter says his bill was inspired by the experiences of African Americans who were suspended from school or fired from jobs just for wearing their hair naturally…

Cut 6 (12) “…shouldn’t be”

Opponents argue employers should have the right to dictate what employees hair looks like.

A bill to allow cameras in special education classrooms, if requested by the parents, advances from Senate Education. Baton Rouge Senator Franklin Foil author the bill on behalf of the Louisiana Development Disabilities Council and concerned parents whose special needs children experienced mental and/or physical abuse in the classroom.

Cut 3 (03)  “…safeguard.” 

University of South Carolina Provost William Tate the fourth will take over as LSU System President in July. The 65-year-old will be the first Black president in SEC history. Tate says he’s ready to tackle the school’s Title Nine scandal and advance the program’s academic reputation…

Cut 12 (12) “…in the future.”

Tate was unanimously approved by the Board.

The House approved next fiscal year’s 36.4 billion dollar spending plan and found agreement on how to spend 800 million of the 1.6 billion in American Rescue Act funds Louisiana receives this year. House Appropriations Chairman Jerome Zeringue highlighted the increased investment they were able to put into higher education.

Cut 13 (10) “…institutions.”

LSU is the first school in the SEC to appoint a Black president. University of South Carolina Provost William Tate IV has been tapped by the LSU Board of Supervisors to lead the system.

Cut 10 (11) “…very special.”

Tate was unanimously approved by the board.

Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter met briefly with President Joe Biden yesterday during his visit to Louisiana to promote his jobs and infrastructure plan. Biden vowed that if his plan is passed a new I-10 bridge over the Calcasieu River would be built. Hunter says that’s great if it comes to fruition, but this isn’t the first time they’ve heard that promise…
Cut 4 (12)“…bridge.”

Biden also visited the water and sewer system in New Orleans Thursday.

The House approved next fiscal year’s 36.4 billion dollar spending plan and found an agreement on how to spend 800 million of the 1.6 billion in American Rescue Act funds Louisiana receives this year. House Appropriations Chairman Jerome Zeringue says a majority of the funds will assist education and there were a number of smaller increases and new programs financed for next year’s budget, including a boost to foster family assistance.

Cut 14 (08) “… populations.”

The LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center has found that mothers who have pre-school-age children struggled during the pandemic with increased stress levels and a loss of sleep. Doctor Chelsea Kracht says in some cases this resulted in moms suffering from depression and absenteeism from work…

Cut 8 (09) “…usually do.” 
The study’s findings support the necessity of providing mothers with reliable, affordable childcare options.

LSU has a new president and chancellor of its flagship school as William Tate the 4th was a unanimous pick by the LSU Board of Supervisors. He becomes LSU’s first Black president and the first African American university president in the SEC. Governor Edwards says Tate, who is a provost at the University of South Carolina, is the right person to lead LSU.

The Louisiana House has approved a 36-billion dollar budget for the next fiscal year and they also agreed on how the state should spend 925-million dollars in federal coronavirus aid…
cut 3 (28) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

During the President’s visit to Lake Charles, Mayor Nic Hunter had a chance to meet with Mr. Joe Biden to discuss funding for a new I-10 bridge and hurricane relief dollars. Hunter says the long wait for federal aid has been unacceptable…
cut 5 (08) “…package”
The President also went to New Orleans and toured the Carrollton water plant. Officials with the Sewerage and Water Board say the facility desperately needs to be modernized.

An LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center study indicates the pandemic was responsible for almost doubling the loss of sleep for mothers of pre-school-aged children. Researcher Dr. Chelsea Kracht says they surveyed close to two thousand mothers who on average sleep less anyway, but the epidemic only worsened the situation.
Cut 7 (10) “…physical health.”

The LSU Board of Supervisors has chosen William Tate the Fourth as the school system’s new president and chancellor of the flagship. He becomes the first black man to lead an SEC college. He’ll also be in charge of leading LSU out of a Title nine scandal that has reflected poorly on the university…
cut 11 (12) “….the case”
Tate will start his new job on July 2nd.

The LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center has found that mothers who have pre-school-age children struggled during the pandemic with increased stress levels and a loss of sleep. Doctor Chelsea Kracht says in some cases this resulted in moms suffering from depression and absenteeism from work…
cut 8 (09) “….usually do”
The study’s findings support the necessity of providing mothers with reliable, affordable childcare options

Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter and President Joe Biden spoke Thursday during the President’s visit about the city’s most pressing needs. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

Today Governor John Bel Edwards will be in Shreveport to make an economic development announcement. KSLA-TV is reporting the governor will provide details of a new Amazon distribution center that would be built in north Shreveport. The governor is set to speak at 2:30 PM.

President Joe Biden was in Lake Charles and New Orleans yesterday as he pushes for his two-trillion dollar American Jobs Plan that seeks to rebuild roads, bridges, and water systems like the Carrollton Plant in New Orleans that has century-old turbines. In Lake Charles, officials say a new I-10 bridge is needed. Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter on his meeting with the President…
cut 6 (08) “…an honor”

Meanwhile, the Louisiana House approved spending 300-million dollars in federal coronavirus aid on water infrastructure projects around the state…
cut 15 (11) “….sewer systems”
That’s House Appropriations Chairman Jerome Zeringue who also says another 90-million will be used to expand broadband.

The LSU Board of Supervisors has named William Tate the Fourth as the new LSU system president and chancellor. He becomes the first black person to lead LSU after spending the last 10 months as the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at the University of South Carolina. Tate is expected to start his new job on July 2nd…
cut 12 (11) “….in the future”

Moms with preschool-age children saw their stress levels during the pandemic rise and twice as many of the mothers reported they lost sleep during the COVID-19 outbreak than before it. That’s according to a study conducted by LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center. Doctor Chelsea Kracht (Krok) says having fathers or other family members take on some of the childcare and housework would help moms balance the demands of their career and personal lives…
cut 9 (07) “….responsbility’