There are three bills slated to be taken up on the Senate floor today that deal with criminal justice reform. Jeff Palermo reports…:

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There’s been talk about increasing the state’s gasoline tax to pay for better roads. The proposal is expected to finally be heard in House Ways and Means today. Don Molino has more…

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The full House approves a controversial measure to protect Louisiana’s confederate monuments after two hours of heated debates. Halen Doughty has more…

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There are three bills slated to be taken up on the Senate floor today that deal with criminal justice reform. State Senator Danny Martiny has a measure that would allow consideration of parole for some offenders who meet specific requirements. He says this is about reducing the state’s prison population, not letting violent criminals out of jail…:

Cut 4  (10) “recidivism rate”

Martiny says the goal of the Louisiana Justice Reinvestment Task Force is to realize savings that will be reinvested into the community for programs that would help keep people from going back to prison. He says they are looking to change the laws to where they make more sense when it comes to the way crime is tried….:

Cut 5  (14)  “out on parole”

Martiny says when you put someone that has a drug problem in jail, and take away programs to help them and train them to get back into the community, chances are when they complete their sentence they will go right back to their addiction. He says when you put a bad person in jail, and give him no incentive to be good, chances are they will return to a life of crime…:

Cut 6 (10) “turn those people around”

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A proposal to increase the state gasoline tax by 17-cents is expected to finally receive a hearing in the House Ways and Means Committee today. Baton Rouge Representative Steve Carter says admits the legislation faces an uphill climb, but he says Louisiana has poor and congested roads, because the tax on a gallon of gasoline hasn’t increase in 20 years…

Cut 7 (08)  “area”

Some lawmakers are hesitant to raise the state’s gasoline tax over concerns the money will not go towards improving highways. But Carter promises money from the gas tax hike will only be used on road and bridge construction

Cut 8 (06) “the public”

If a 17-cent gasoline tax increase was approved by the legislature, it would generate over 500-million dollars. But the state Director of Americans for Prosperity John Kay needs to find other ways to fund roadwork. He says legislators raised taxes on Louisiana residents last year and this is not a good time for for another tax..

Cut 9 (06)  “few years”

Kay says he’s also concerned that this gas tax hike proposal will be even higher than 17-cents, because he says it’s tied to the consumer price index. Representative Carter’s bill has the ability to increase the tax over the next several years.

Cut 10 (07) “nine years”

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The Lafayette Police Department says they’ve solved a 10-year-old cold case murder by arresting three people. Cpl. Karl Ratcliff says last December they re-opened the investigation into the brutal death of 39-year-old Malcolm Davis, who was beaten to death at a gas station on August 10, 2007.

Cut 11 (11) “physical altercation”

Ratcliff says after the murder, the individuals involved fled the area. He says two of the suspects were eventually identified through video evidence obtained in 2007 and the third suspect was identified through interviews. He says last week arrest warrants were obtained to charge 29-year-old Marcus Smith, 32-year-old Kendall Smith, and 33-year-old Edward Woods. He says they had to go to Alexandria and Shreveport to make the arrests.

Cut 12 (11) “separate charge”

All three suspects are charged with second degree murder. Ratcliff says finally giving the family justice is huge for the department and the investigative team. He says these arrests are a result of the hard work of the cold case team at Lafayette PD.

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After two hours of passionate debate, the full House approves a measure that would protect Louisiana’s military monuments. Black lawmakers vehemently opposed the measure, as it would prevent local municipalities from removing or altering any confederate monuments without a public vote. New Orleans Representative Gary Carter called that offensive.

Cut 14 (08) “my enslavement”

Supporters of the bill argue it protects Louisiana’s history, but black opponents say it ignores their history. Carter says there are some things in history that shouldn’t be celebrated. He notes that Germans don’t have statues of Hitler, and other places in the world tear down monuments to hate.

Cut 15 (09) “of Sadaam”

Democrats tried to impede the process by proposing a series of amendments to do everything from guarantee equal pay to allow for medical marijuana dispensaries, but they were all shot down. The bill’s author, Shreveport Representative Thomas Carmody, says public art is meant to facilitate conversations about what the memorial is about.

Cut 16 (08) “their country”

Carmody says we need to protect monuments to those that served our country in any war. But he notes that a vote from the public would be the deciding factor. He says it’s only fair to let the people who live in those cities decide what they want to commemorate.

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Members of the Black Caucus walked out of the House chamber when the bill passed on a 65 to 31 vote.

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LSU hosts Northwestern State tonight in the final non-conference game of the season for both teams. The Tigers will start freshman right-hander Todd Peterson to the hill. The Florida native will make his third start of the season and Coach Paul Mainieri says Peterson will audition to be the team’s fourth starter in the postseason….

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LSU has won eight of its last ten and they now lead the SEC West by one game over Mississippi State, who they’ll face for a three-game series starting on Thursday. Mainieri believes his team’s recent play has put them in position to be a national seed in the Super Regionals…

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LSU is 7-and-6 in midweek games this year. Mainieri says it’s been disappointing they’ve lost to many of their in state foes, but overall it’s been a good season….

Cut 20 (18)   “good showing”

Baton Rouge Police are seeking a gunman who fatally shot the McKinley High School quarterback just days before graduation. Don Molino has more…

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A 7-year-old “innocent bystander” was accidentally shot and wounded this morning at Moss Bluff Elementary School in Lake Charles. Michelle Southern reports…:

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A home invasion in Ouachita Parish ends badly for the suspect. Glen Springfield with the Sheriff’s Office says around 5 p.m. on Sunday deputies responded to a report of an intruder in Swartz.

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Springfield says the suspect was fatally wounded and pronounced dead at the scene. The identities of the suspect and the elderly couple have not been released. He says the investigation is ongoing.

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The St. Helena Parish Sheriff’s Office has launched an investigation after a body was discovered. Chief of Detectives Joe Chaney says someone came in to report what appeared to be a shallow grave in a wooded area.

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Chaney says the Sheriff’s Office and State Police Crime Lab are conducting an investigation to determine the identity of the woman. He says they’re asking citizens to come forward with any information they have that could help with this investigation.

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Just days before graduation, a McKinley High School senior was fatally shot and authorities are looking for the gunman. Cpl. L’Jean McKneely with the Baton Rouge Police Department says they received a call of shots fired around 2 a.m. Friday. He says officers found 18-year-old Bryant Lee when they arrived.

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The McKinley High School quarterback was reportedly one of three people shot in the incident, and police are still trying to piece together what happened. This is the second time this school year Lee has been shot, after a drive by shooting in November. McKneely says Lee had a bright future ahead of him.

Cut 8 (09) “taken from him”

McKneely says at this point they do not have a suspect or a motive. He says there were at least 100 people at what they believe was a high school graduation party. He says BRPD is asking anyone who saw what happened to come forward.

Cut 9 (08)  “yet to call” 

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A 7-year-old “innocent bystander” was accidentally shot and wounded this morning at Moss Bluff Elementary School in Lake Charles. Kim Myers with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office says the child is being treated for injuries at a local hospital.

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The child had surgery and is reportedly in stable condition. Myers says they know that another child brought the gun to school…:

Cut 11 (10) “a third child”

Investigators are working to determine if charges will be brought on the parents of the child who brought the gun.

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LSU’s head football coach Ed Orgeron is helping spread the word about how flood victims can get federal assistance. The governor’s spokesperson Richard Carbo says Coach O said he wants to be as helpful as possible during the recovery process. The newly-minted head coach will be the voice of PSAs about the ongoing recovery efforts.

Cut 12 (10) “to Louisiana”

The survey can be found online at restore.la.gov, and beginning Tuesday will be a series of events around the state to help flood victims fill out the survey. Carbo says a lot of folks have a great deal of respect for the head coach of the Fighting Tigers. He hopes this will help spread the message about the survey.

Cut 13 (08) “our survey”

Carbo says about 20,000 flood victims have already completed the survey. He says while that’s a great start, they need more people to complete the form. He’s hoping they can get those signup numbers up with a little help from Coach O.

Cut 14 (08) “billion years”

To find the survey or learn more about places to get help completing the survey, visit restore.la.gov.

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A Senate bill would give financial assistance to police and firefighters who are catastrophically injured during a targeted attack in the line of duty. The proposal comes as East Baton Rouge Deputy Nick Tullier continues to recover from the ambush on Baton Rouge police last July. His mother, Mary Tullier, spoke before the Senate Finance committee.

Cut 15 (07) “day to day”

Mary says Nick is worried about his medical bills, and with his father being retired, it’s unclear how the bills will get paid. Some agencies require officers to have health insurance, but after a year of being off work for an injury, that coverage ceases. She says police officers don’t make enough money to cover this kind of unexpected expense, and this is the least we can do for those who protect and serve us.

Cut 16  (11)  “to protect us”

Senate Finance is expected to vote on the bill this week, and then it will head to the Senate floor. It will need House approval as well.

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