Today is the last day of the 2026 legislative session. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (36) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Tragedy in Monroe over the weekend as two  female juveniles drowned in the Ouachita River.  West Monroe Police say they got the 911 call just before six last night.  Dive Teams from Monroe PD and the Ouachita Sheriff’s Office responded to assist in the search.  We’re told the bodies of both girls were recovered by less than two hours later.

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The start of June in Louisiana doesn’t just mean the beginning of summer; it’s also the start of hurricane season. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says this year’s season has been forecasted to be below average, with a predicted total of eight to 14 named storms, thanks to El Niño conditions.

Cut 4 (05) “…from really blossoming.”

Registration for a new round of fortified roof grants opens today in Louisiana . This round of funding will be for three-thousand roofs, and Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says history has shown that the number of people registering for the lottery will exceed that number several times over.

Cut 11 (09) “…we possibly can.”

Registration begins this morning at eight…and the three-thousand people who receive those grants will be selected at random on June 22nd.

Louisiana has a new congressional map.  After the Senate gave its final legislative passage of the new congressional map on Friday, the Public Affairs Research Council issued new commentary on the map that Governor Landry quickly signed into law. Research Director Melinda Deslatte says the new map essentially undoes the work of the legislature in 2024.

Cut 13 (11)  “…map in 2024.”

The 2026 legislative session comes to an end at six this evening, while this session will be remembered for the last minute congressional map redistricting lawmakers had to do, Barry Erwin, the chief policy officer of Leaders for a Better Louisiana, says it was a productive session, as lawmakers passed several bills aimed at strengthening Louisiana’s workforce.

Cut 7 (12) “…own legislation too.”

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It’s the first of June, which also means it is the first day of hurricane season. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

Registration for a new round of fortified roof grants opens today. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says it opens at eight this morning.

Cut 10 (09) “…a potential grantee.”

The grants will be for ten-thousand dollars each, and the three-thousand people who end up receiving those grants will be selected at random on June 22nd.

After the Senate gave its final legislative passage of the new congressional map, the Public Affairs Research Council issued new commentary on the map that Governor Landry quickly signed into law. Research Director Melinda Deslatte says the new map essentially undoes the work of the legislature in 2024, when Landry called them into a special session just after taking office to redraw the map to comply with a judge’s order to create a second majority-Black district.

Cut 13 (11)  “…map in 2024.”

Deslatte says now that the map has been signed into law, the next stop will very likely once again be the courts.

Cut 14 (08) “…this map stands.”

The 2026 legislative session comes to an end at six this evening, and lawmakers will be in an all-out game of Beat The Clock to get those last-minute bills onto Governor Landry’s desk. While this year’s session will forever be remembered for the congressional map redistricting that lawmakers suddenly became tasked with in the latter part of the session, Barry Erwin, the chief policy officer of Leaders for a Better Louisiana, says it was actually quite productive. He says lawmakers passed several bills aimed at strengthening Louisiana’s workforce.

Cut 7 (12) “…own legislation too.”

Erwin says most bills seeking to make changes to the TOPS program went nowhere this year, but he says this is likely not the last of the discussion.

Cut 8 (08) “…study it further.”

It’s the first of June, which also means it is the first day of hurricane season. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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Today is the last day of the 2026 legislative session. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (36) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Registration for a new round of fortified roof grants opens today. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

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The start of June in Louisiana doesn’t just mean the beginning of summer; it’s also the start of hurricane season. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says this year’s season has been forecasted to be below average, with a predicted total of eight to 14 named storms, thanks to El Niño conditions.

Cut 4 (05) “…from really blossoming.”

While there may be fewer named storms forecasted overall, models still predict the formation of one to three major hurricanes. Keim says to stay alert, because all it takes is one storm to ruin your year.

Cut 5 (09) “…relatively quiet season.”

Keim says the start of the season is a great time to make preparations in case of a storm. Test flashlights, batteries and generators, and make sure your family is on the same page in case of evacuation.

Cut 6 (07) “…just be prepared.”

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The 2026 legislative session comes to an end at six this evening, and lawmakers will be in an all-out game of Beat The Clock to get those last-minute bills onto Governor Landry’s desk. While this year’s session will forever be remembered for the congressional map redistricting that lawmakers suddenly became tasked with in the latter part of the session, Barry Erwin, the chief policy officer of Leaders for a Better Louisiana, says it was actually quite productive. He says lawmakers passed several bills aimed at strengthening Louisiana’s workforce.

Cut 7 (12) “…own legislation too.”

Erwin says most bills seeking to make changes to the TOPS program went nowhere this year, but he says this is likely not the last of the discussion.

Cut 8 (08) “…study it further.”

Erwin says one surprising bill that ultimately became law is one that gives colleges and universities a great deal of flexibility to raise tuition.

Cut 9 (11)  “…of the legislature.”

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Registration for a new round of fortified roof grants opens today. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says it opens at eight this morning.

Cut 10 (09) “…a potential grantee.”

This round of funding will be for three-thousand roofs, and Temple says history has shown that the number of people registering for the lottery will exceed that number several times over.

Cut 11 (09) “…we possibly can.”

Temple says this year, they’re focusing on areas within a 130-mile-an-hour wind zone. Therefore, the eligible area is expanded to include Acadia, Jefferson Davis and Lafayette parishes, as well as portions of eight other parishes previously excluded from the program.

Cut 12 (08) “…hurricane-force winds.”

The grants will be for ten-thousand dollars each, and the three-thousand people who receive those grants will be selected at random on June 22nd.

____________________________________________________

After the Senate gave its final legislative passage of the new congressional map, the Public Affairs Research Council issued new commentary on the map that Governor Landry quickly signed into law. Research Director Melinda Deslatte says the new map essentially undoes the work of the legislature in 2024, when Landry called them into a special session just after taking office to redraw the map to comply with a judge’s order to create a second majority-Black district.

Cut 13 (11)  “…map in 2024.”

Deslatte says now that the map has been signed into law, the next stop will very likely once again be the courts.

Cut 14 (08) “…this map stands.”

Deslatte says a fair congressional map is something that precisely no one at the Capitol can agree on, and the battle has actually been going on for many years, even before the 2022 drawing of the map that started the chain of events that has led us to this point.

Cut 15 (10) “…up in court.”

The Senate gives the final okay to the new congressional map, Governor Landry signed it yesterday.  The new map effectively eliminates one majority Black district, likely resulting in Louisiana electing five Republicans and one Democrat in November. ULM Political Science professor Pearson Cross says this was as predictable an outcome as could ever be.

Cut 12 (10) “…in the majority.”

On the heels of a record-breaking Love The Boot Week will come another statewide cleanup initiative. In September, Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and Keep Louisiana Beautiful will launch Love Our Waterways. Nungesser says efforts to beautify the Bayou State and protect wildlife won’t stop now that Love the Boot Week is over.

Cut 5 (11) “…litter in Louisiana.”

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Is it possible that gasoline prices have peaked? Here’s Joe Gallinaro.

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

Louisiana has banned the planned, intentional outdoor release of twelve or more mylar or latex balloons. In order to protect wildlife, waterways, and power grids, the new law classifies mass balloon releases as intentional littering.  Penalty for a first offense is $500 and 8 hours of community service. The new law will go into effect August first Releases of balloons made of biodegradable or photodegradable materials are not penalized.

The State Senate gives final approval of a new congressional map that removes one of the state’s two majority Black districts. The new map will likely result in five Republicans and one Democrat being elected to Congress in November. Governor Landry signed the map into law late yesterday.

Louisiana volunteers removed 566 tons of litter during Love The Boot Week 2026. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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People in New Orleans are responding to a viral Tulane study that’s urging people to move out, with rising sea levels poised to consume the city by the end of the century. Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans Executive Director Jessica Dandridge-Smith argues researchers did not account for the existing flood mitigation infrastructure in the city or the ongoing innovation throughout the Louisiana coast.

Cut 10 (12) “…across the world.”

Gasoline prices have fallen 13 cents over the last week to a new statewide average of $3.89 a gallon for regular unleaded. Patrick De Haan, a petroleum analyst with Gas Buddy-dot-com, says diesel prices are also coming back down.

Cut 8 (11) “…five-dollar mark.”

Louisiana has a new congressional map. Governor Landry signed the map into law after the Senate gave its final legislative approval. ULM political science professor Pearson Cross says the plaintiffs in the case that led to this last-minute re-draw will likely file another legal challenge, but he does not expect it to go anywhere.

Cut 14 (13) “…one Democratic district.”

This year’s Love the Boot Week was the largest litter removal effort in Louisiana history. More than 28-thousand volunteers logged over 77-thousand hours cleaning up litter across the state. Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser says the program’s success is a sign of culture change in the Bayou State.

Cut 3 (09) “…here in Louisiana.”

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Is it possible that gasoline prices have peaked? Over the last week, the average price of regular unleaded in Louisiana has dropped 13 cents to $3.89 a gallon. Patrick De Haan, a petroleum analyst with GasBuddy-dot-com, says this is due to the optimism in talks between the U.S. and Iran.

Cut 6 (09) “…deal with Iran.”

Many New Orleans residents, including Mayor Helena Moreno, have vocally challenged the viral Tulane study that stated that people should move out before the city is submerged by the end of the century. Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans Executive Director Jessica Dandridge-Smith says the study was offensive and premature.

Cut 9 (11)  “…decision amongst community.”

The Senate gives the final okay to the new congressional map, and Governor Landry signed it yesterday. The new map effectively eliminates one majority Black district, likely resulting in Louisiana electing five Republicans and one Democrat in November. ULM Political Science professor Pearson Cross says this was as predictable an outcome as could ever be.

Cut 12 (10) “…in the majority.”

On the heels of a record-breaking Love The Boot Week will come another statewide cleanup initiative. In September, Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and Keep Louisiana Beautiful will launch Love Our Waterways. Nungesser says efforts to beautify the Bayou State and protect wildlife won’t stop now that Love the Boot Week is over.

Cut 5 (11) “…litter in Louisiana.”

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Is it possible that gasoline prices have peaked? Here’s Joe Gallinaro.

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

Louisiana has banned the planned, intentional outdoor release of twelve or more mylar or latex balloons. In order to protect wildlife, waterways, and power grids, the new law classifies mass balloon releases as intentional littering.  Penalty for a first offense is $500 and 8 hours of community service. The new law will go into effect August first Releases of balloons made of biodegradable or photodegradable materials are not penalized.