Today NOAA unveils its initial outlook for the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. Brooke Thorington has a preview of what to expect.
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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The budget for the next fiscal year is up for debate today in House Appropriations. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”
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Governor Edwards applauds citizens for crossing milestones in COVID-19 fight.
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”
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Today NOAA announces its initial outlook for the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season that starts June 1. State climatologist Barry Keim anticipates a forecast that leans towards an above normal season with the primary factor being the sea surface temps in the Atlantic.
Cut 4 (08)_ “…for the storms.”
Keim says sea surface temps will be main factor because of the expectations of ENSO-neutral conditions, where it is expected there is neither an El Nino nor La Nina.
Cut 5 (11) “…does the opposite.”
A normal season is twelve named storms. Keim anticipates NOAA will call for a wide range of 10 to 16 named storms.
2020 has already seen the formation of Tropical Storm Arthur that has stayed offshore.
Cut 6 (09) “…already had one.”
Colorado State University’s most recent forecast calls for 16 named storms with eight hurricanes and four major hurricanes.
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House Appropriations is set to take its first crack at the budget for the fiscal year starting July 1st this morning.
There are less than two weeks left in the regular session and political analyst Bernie Pinsonat believes it is a safe bet that a special session will need to be called.
Cut 7 (10) “…budget.
The regular session ends June 1st and a budget must be passed before July 1st.
Pinsonat says many Republicans are quietly supportive of a special session. He says it would give them a chance to override potential vetoes on tort reform and coastal lawsuits.
Cut 8 (09) “…apple”
Tort reform aimed at lowering auto insurance rates and legislation ending local government lawsuits against the oil and gas companies are likely targets for a potential veto override in the special session.
Pinsonat says the newly inaugurated, more fiscally conservative legislature is also likely to want more time to put their fingerprints on the budget.
Cut 9 (05) “…cut.”
Between federal funding and the use of rainy day funds, the budget deficit for the next fiscal year has shrunk to only 80 million dollars. That number could rise or fall after the fall Revenue Estimating Conference forecast.
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Governor John Bel Edwards highlights a milestone in the state’s fight against COVID-19 as hospitalizations have dropped below 1000 for the first time since March 28th. Edwards says this is a significant improvement from a time when the state faced the possibility of running out of ventilators and hospital bed space.
Cut 10 (11) “…to go down.”
As of Wednesday’s Department of Health report, there are 931 COVID-19 hospitalizations. 110 patients are on ventilators, down from a peak of 571 on April 4th.
Edwards credits citizens for their handling of spread mitigation efforts for being the reason behind the progress made over the last two months.
Cut 11 (10) “…turned that around.”
The state has been in phase one of the economic reopening for less than a week and Edwards says more time is needed to gather data on how spread mitigation efforts are going before entering the conversation about moving into phase two.
Cut 12 (13) “…get the data.”
Edwards anticipates being able to make an announcement about moving into the next phase on June 1.
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A bill significantly expanding medical marijuana access is nearing final passage.
Under the legislation any condition a doctor considers “debilitating to an individual patient” would be eligible to receive medical marijuana. New Iberia Senator Fred Mills says the current limitations are too strict.
Cut 13 (06) “…not me”
Mills authored the first medical marijuana bill.
The legislation lifts the requirement that a doctor is specifically licensed to prescribe medical marijuana. Mills says that has severely limited access.
Cut 14 (12) “…issue”
The doctor must be in good standing to authorize the treatment.
Bill author Stonewall Representative Larry Bagley says the legislation was brought due to popular demand.
Cut 15 (08)“…access”
The bill easily passed the full House 77-15, and cleared a Senate committee 5-1. It moves to the full Senate for final passage.
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