A K-12 online public charter schools is now offering high school students the chance to receive a free two year associate’s degree when they graduate. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

Couples with minor children will not be able to get an expedited divorce, as the House rejects a proposal by Homer Representative Patrick Jefferson. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

After the governor’s proposed commercial activity tax was tabled for the session, Governor John Bel Edwards says it’s time for GOP leaders to propose their own plan. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

__________________________________

University View, a public online charter K-12 school, is expanding to offer high school students the chance to receive a free two year Associate’s Degree when they graduate from high school. UView Superintendent Dr. Lonnie Luce says most college courses will be available online but some classes in the technical field are face to face at a community college campus.

Cut 4  (10) “online”

Luce says the Early College Program allows graduates to save two years of costs towards a college degree or be prepared to enter a technical field at a higher pay rate. He says now that UView is a K-14 public school, the number of students increased to 2,300.

Cut 5  (09)  “college program”

The program will start during the fall semester of 2017. Luce says families interested in the early college program can attend an information session online or in person by visiting University-view-dot-academy (universityview.academy). He says enrollment for the program is now open.

Cut 6 (09) “signed up”

______________________________________

A measure that would prohibit the use of tobacco products anywhere on a public or private school campus is scheduled to be heard in the House Education Committee today. West Monroe Representative Frank Hoffman says in the 90’s, Louisiana made it illegal to smoke in schools, but this legislation will expand on that law.

Cut 7 (05)  “allow smoking”

Hoffman says there will be some exceptions to the bill, like churches or other non-educational buildings. But the West Monroe legislator says measure also includes e-cigarettes and similar devices…

Cut 8 (06) “other vehicles”

Hoffman says the proposed law allows you to bring cigarettes or tobacco on a school campus, but you would not able to smoke or chew tobacco. He says the use of smoking cessation products on the property would be allowed under the measure.

Cut 9 (09)  “be allowed”

_________________________________________________________

The House rejects a bill to shorten the waiting period for a divorce for parents with minor children. The proposal by Homer Representative Patrick Jefferson would reduce the waiting period from one year to six months. But Livingston Representative Sherman Mack says families need ample time to make sure they’re making the right decision.

Cut 10 (10) “worth saving”

The bill sought to undo an extended waiting period that was put on the books for couples with children, as lawmakers believed given ample time, couples could resolve their problems. Baton Rouge Representative Rick Edmonds also opposed the bill. He says he stands against divorce, period.

Cut 11 (10) “ought to do that”

But Jefferson is disappointed his legislation failed on a 52-44 vote. He says the longer waiting period isn’t fair to couples who just want the stress of the divorce to be finalized in a speedy fashion.

Cut 12 (10) “best household”

__________________________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards remains hopeful lawmakers can pass a budget plan to address the loss of one-point-three billion dollars in temporary taxes that expire next year. Edwards spoke with reporters shortly after his proposed Commercial Activity Tax on businesses was tabled for the legislative session. Edwards says there are still multiple tax bills waiting to be discussed.

Cut 13 (08) “task force report”

But Edwards says since the GOP dominated House Ways and Means committee didn’t like his plan, House Republican leaders should unveil their own proposal.

Cut 14 (06) “to say no”

But Chairman of the House Republican Legislative Delegation Lance Harris of Alexandria says the legislative process is their plan and that starts with the proposed budget for next fiscal year.

Cut 15 (07) “legislative process”

Harris says legislators will continue to look at various bills. Other ideas on the table include changing how sales taxes are collected and altering income tax brackets. He anticipates the GOP can support some of those ideas.

Cut 16 (10) “no question about it”

The bill that would do away with capital punishment sentences in Louisiana advanced out of a Senate Committee by a vote of 6-1. Michelle Southern reports..:

Cut 1 (29) “I’m Michelle Southern”

______________________________________

Even after New Orleans begins removing confederate statues, a state lawmaker plans to move forward with a bill to make it harder for local governments to take down monuments. Halen Doughty has more… ­­­

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

On a 6 to 1 vote, a Senate Judiciary committee approves a proposal to abolish the death penalty in Louisiana. The bill by Baton Rouge Senator Dan Claitor would eliminate the death penalty for capital murder and aggravated rape cases after July 31. Bishop Shelton Fabre of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux says taking a life should be left to a higher power.

Cut 3 (10) “gift from God”

New Orleans Attorney Nick Trenticosta testifies 82 percent of death penalty sentences in Louisiana have been reversed, a rate he says is the highest in the country. He adds the death penalty doesn’t provide closure for the victims in these cases. Rev. Leo Cyrus of New Hope Baptist Church in Baton Rouge agrees.

Cut 4  (08) “seek healing”

The head of the Louisiana Public Defender Board says the state spent $91 million defending death penalty cases since 2008.

Speaking in opposition to the bill is Christie Battaglia [bat-tà-glia] whose father is on death row in Texas for shooting and killing his two other daughters when they were age 6 and 9. Battaglia says if her father ever happened to get out of jail, she would live in fear…:

Cut 5  (10)  “wouldn’t be here”

Battaglia says she knows that some people are wrongly on death row, but that means there is a problem with the system and not that others don’t need to be executed. She says her father is an angry killer who will never change…:

Cut 6 (10) “living in fear”

(The lone nay vote was from Baton Rouge Senator Bodi White.)

_______________________________________________________

Two individuals from Orange, Texas have been arrested and one is still on the loose after allegedly tying up an elderly Starks man for hours and stealing his guns, cell phone and wallet. Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso says the victim was discovered when a food delivery showed up at his home.

Cut 7 (11)  “seven hours”

Mancuso says 32-year-old Thomas Henson and 33-year-old Lea Pence were arrested and authorities are still searching for 43-year-old Michael Helmer, known as Mikey Irish. He says the three individuals face multiple charges including, cruelty to the infirmed and false imprisonment while armed with a dangerous weapon.

Cut 8 (10) “before”

All three suspects have previous criminal records. Mancuso says in his opinion, these individuals stalked and took advantage of the elderly gentleman.

Cut 9 (09)  “as that”

_______________________________________________________

A state lawmaker plans to move forward with her legislation designed to protect Confederate monuments, even though the process of removing them has begun in New Orleans. The Liberty Place monument was taken down early Monday morning, and the city also plans to remove three more confederate-era statues. Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell opposes what Mayor Mitch Landrieu is doing.

Cut 10 (10) “where we are today”

That’s why Mizell will still seek passage of her bill, which requires the legislative approval before local government can remove any monument.

Cut 11 (11) “or not”

Mizell says the bill would not only protect confederate monuments. She says it includes memorials that have been in place over 25 years and any landmark on the National Register of Historical Places.

Cut 12 (10) “find objectionable”

Mizell says it’s unclear when her bill will get a hearing in the Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs, but it could be too late to save the monuments that the city of New Orleans plans to remove.

_________________________________________________________

The centerpiece to Governor John Bel Edwards’ tax plan fails to receive support from the House Ways and Means Committee and the legislative sponsor has decided to pull the legislation from further consideration. Franklin Representative Sam Jones says the Commercial Activity Tax proposal would provide a stable revenue stream for the state but the legislature doesn’t support it.

Cut 13 (09) “do it”

The CAT Tax as it was known, would’ve imposed a tax on transactions that businesses make and would’ve generated nearly 300 million dollars in state revenues. But the measure received stiff opposition from business groups, who says this tax would hurt the state’s business climate. President of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association Chris John…

Cut 14 (11) “we have”

Head of the anti-tax organization Gator PAC, Col. Rob Maness, says this tax policy encourages and allows Louisiana to spend more than the economy can sustain.

Cut 15 (09) “gas business”

_________________________________________________________