A measure that would establish statewide regulations for ride sharing services like Uber and Lyft is approved by the full House. The bill would end local agreements like the one in The Big Easy where riders are charged a 50 cent fee. New Orleans Senator Troy Carter was upset this bill would supersede that arrangement…:
Cut 4 (08) “state level”
Other lawmakers suggested New Orleans is trying to get the most money possible out of the business which isn’t fair to consumers.

A measure that would prohibit public universities from having their name or images to market alcoholic beverages was voluntarily deferred in the House Education Committee. Some say this encourages college kids to drink, but Hammond Representative Chris Broadwater says given the massive cuts to higher education, schools need this opportunity to generate funds…:
Cut 10 (10) “our kids”
Local brewing companies also opposed the bill.

A measure that would make it illegal for adults to allow a children 12 and under from handling fully automatic guns heads to the House floor.

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

ULM Athletic Director Brian Wickstrom’s contract will not be extended. In a release, ULM President Dr. Nick Bruno said he knew it was Wickstrom’s eventual goal to move to a larger program, and he’s pleased with all that was accomplished with Warhawks athletics with him at the helm. Wickstrom has been with the Warhawks since July 2013, his his contract expires on June 30th.

A measure to prohibit adults from letting a child who is 12 years old or younger handle a fully automatic machine gun passed out of the House Criminal Justice Committee. Shreveport Representative Barbara Norton says she brought forth this bill after a nine year old girl accidentally shot and killed her instructor with an Uzi sub-machine gun in Arizona…:
Cut 6 (10) “United States”
The bill heads to the floor on a 7 to 6 vote.

US Senator John Kennedy spoke on the Senate floor about a Medicaid reform bill. It would require adults ages 18 to 55, that have no dependents and are not disabled, to work 20 hours a week, go to school or do community service to receive the health benefits…:
CUT 25 (08) “Medicaid”
He said the Medicaid work requirement is similar to the current work mandate for food stamps.

State regulations for Uber and Lyft are heading to the Senate. Halen Doughty has more…:
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

The House unanimously approves a bill that would slightly lower littering fines in Louisiana. Under the measure the fine for second offense simple littering would drop from $1000 to $900.

A bill to regulate Uber and Lyft statewide is heading to the Senate. Jackson Representative Kenny Havard says these ride sharing services keep people safe, offer an affordable ride, and provides thousands of employment opportunities. He says very rarely do lawmakers get a chance to do something that really affects people’s lives…:
Cut 3 (09) “fatal accidents”
The measure would establish a blanket set of statewide regulations.

Governor John Bel Edwards said on his monthly call-in radio show that lawmakers will likely have to come back for yet another special session following the current one. He says a meeting of the minds needs to take place again because lawmakers have to resolve the budget problems…:
Cut 10 (10) “just gone”
He says the budget passed by the House is irresponsible and will never become law.

U.S. Senator John Kennedy spoke on the Senate floor about his Medicaid reform bill. Emelie Gunn has more…:
Cut 2 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office says they’ll be holding a news conference this afternoon to give an update on the accidental shooting at Moss Bluff Elementary earlier this week. What we know now is that a first grader apparently brought a gun to school in his book sack, it fell and was picked up by another student when it discharged and hit the 7-year-old injuring him and sending him to the hospital for surgery.

U.S Senator John Kennedy files a bill to require able bodied adults who do not have children to work at least 20 hours a week or go to school or do community service to receive Medicaid. Kennedy says he’s not trying to take Medicaid away from individuals, but reduce the number of people who need it…
cut 8 (10) “…from government”

The Senate Labor committee approves legislation that extends workplace discrimination laws to cover LGBT individuals. Political activist Dylan Waguespack spoke in support. He says something has to be done to protect transgender individuals like himself in the workplace….
cut 5 (12) “…and disgust”
The measure heads to the Senate floor.

With three weeks left to go in the legislative session, Governor John Bel Edwards is demanding the senate make major changes to the proposed budget the House has approved. Edwards says the House passed an irresponsible spending plan that cuts 720-million from health care and did not specify what to cut…
cut 12 (09) “…lacks courage”
The Senate Finance committee is holding daily budget hearings as it’s anticipated they’ll re-write the House budget plan.

LSU and Mississippi State battle for the SEC West championship starting tonight with a three-game series in Starkville. The Tigers lead the Bulldogs by one game in the standings. To add a little spice, former LSU assistant coach Andy Cannizaro is in his first season as the head coach of Mississippi State. First pitch is at 6:05.

Three weeks are left in the fiscal session and Governor John Bel Edwards says a special session maybe needed, because the legislature is not showing any signs of passing legislation to address the loss of one-point-three billion dollars in temporary taxes that are set to expire next year….
cut 11 (08) “…next year”
The majority Republican House has not supported any large revenue-raising tax bill to offset a potential billion dollar shortfall.

The state Senate approved a bill that makes changes to the state’s film tax credit program. New Orleans Senator JP Morrell explained why the legislature should pass it….
cut 13 (08) “…sunset it”
The legislation places a front-end cap of 180-million dollars, which is reduced to 150-million after three years and the program also has the potential of going away after eight years.

On a three-to-one vote, the Senate Labor committee advances a bill that would protect the LGBT community from workplace discrimination. Don Molino has more….
voicer 1 (27) “….I’m Don Molino”

Also, advancing to the Senate floor is a bill that would increase the minimum wage in Louisiana from $7.25 to $8.50 in 2019. The federal wage was last raised in 2009 and the bill’s author, New Orleans Senator Troy Carter, says the cost-of-living has gone up 35-percent since then. Business groups oppose the measure.

Governor John Bel Edwards says every day it looks more and more likely we’ll need a special session after this fiscal session ends. Halen Doughty has more…
Voicer 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

Governor Edwards and a bipartisan group of legislators will take a tour of LSU’s Middleton Library this afternoon. The governor wants to show how buildings on college campuses are falling part, because of neglect. The 59-year-old building is set for destruction under the university’s master plan.

Louisiana’s LGBT community would be protected from workplace discrimination under a proposal heading to the Senate floor. New Orleans Senator Troy Carter says as an African American man, he hasn’t always been protected from discrimination under the law.
Cut 4 (11) “allow it”
The measure was approved on a 3-1 vote in Senate Labor.

U.S. Senator John Kennedy spoke on the Senate floor touting a Medicaid reform bill that he has filed. Kennedy says it requires adults between 18 to 55, that have no dependents and are not disabled, to work 20 hours a week, go to school or do community service to receive Medicaid.
Cut 7 (11) “private sector”
It’s unclear how much support this legislation has in Congress.

It appears the death penalty will remain in Louisiana after the House Criminal Justice Committee voted against a bill that sought to end the use of lethal injection. Supporters argued it’s costly to prosecute such cases and the state has only executed one person since 2002. But supporters of the death penalty say it’s a fitting punishment for cold-blooded killers.

The Senate Labor committee approves legislation that extends workplace discrimination laws to cover LGBT individuals. Political activist Dylan Waguespack spoke in support. He says something has to be done to protect transgender individuals like himself in the workplace….
cut 5 (12) “…and disgust”
The measure heads to the Senate floor. The upper chamber rejected the proposal last year.

A bill that makes changes to the state’s film tax credit program passes out of the senate on a 33-3 vote. Some lawmakers do not support tax breaks for the film industry, but the bill’s author New Orleans Senator J-P Morrell says his legislation calls for the program to go away after eight years, if legislators do not renew it….
cut 15 (08) “….no longer exist”
Morrell’s measure has the support of the film industry.

U.S. Senator John Kennedy spoke on the Senate floor about his Medicaid reform bill. Emelie Gunn has more…
Voicer 2 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

Governor John Bel Edwards says the possibility of another special session is increasing, because legislators have failed to advance proposals to address a billion dollar shortfall next year…
Cut 10 (10) “just gone”
There’s three weeks left in the session and the majority-Republican House has approved just one tax bill that would address that looming deficit.

The senate passed a bill that revamps the state’s film tax credit program. It has the support of the movie industry. The legislation calls for a 180-million dollar cap over the next three years and then down to 150-million dollars. Metairie Senator Conrad Appel doesn’t like the proposal.
cut 14 (07) “….that dollar”
The measure will be discussed more in House Ways and Means.

A measure that prohibits workplace disrcimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals heads to the Senate floor after passing Senate Labor on a three to one vote. Doctor Will Hall, editor of the Louisiana Baptist Message, testifed against the measure, because he says this bill would go against a U.S. Supreme Court ruling…
cut 6 (12) “….as immutable”
The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry did not take a stand after helping to kill the bill on the Senate floor last year.