Thousands of Louisiana college students receive their degree today and they are now set to enter the workforce. Recruiting consultant with the Eastman Group, Tom Hanson, says hiring for entry level positions has increased since last year.
cut 14 (08) “three months”
Today, LSU will hand out a record number of degrees, with over four-thousand students participating in commencement ceremonies.

Debate continues at the State Capitol today over the 26-billion dollar budget for next fiscal year. On a 49-43 vote, the Louisiana House has decided to shift 72-million dollars from the TOPS scholarship program and put it towards hospitals that provide care for the poor and needy. Also, the House has restored money to fund the Inspector General’s office. More amendments to change funding within the budget are expected today.

The Coast Guard says nearly 90-thousand gallons of crude oil has been released into the Gulf of Mexico from a Shell pipeline about 90-miles south of Timbalier Island. Authorities say the wellhead is now secure.

Health professionals have recommended for some time to wear sun protection while outdoors and now they say it’s also smart to do so while riding in a vehicle. Chair of Ophthalmology at LSU Health New Orleans, Dr. Jayne Weiss, says side windows in cars only block about 65% of the UV rays.
cut 11 (11) “side windows”
She cites a study demonstrating that left-sided skin cancer was more common in those who spent a lot of time driving.

Legislation to allow sex surveys to be given to public school students fails in a Senate committee. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 2 (28)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

The House failed to pass a measure that would have eliminated the Inspector General’s Office, which inspects fraud and waste in government. Some legislators suggested the IG office’s duties overlapped with jobs done by other agencies, but others were concerned about the public’s perception if lawmakers eliminated that office.

Legislation to allow victims of domestic violence with a protective order to carry a concealed handgun for 45 days without training will be heard in the Senate after getting approval from the House. Denham Springs Rep. Valarie Hodges, says her bill provides an expedited process for a victim to seek concealed carry training. She says victims often times feel like they’re in imminent danger from their abusers.

CUT 6 (08) “a class”

Lawmakers did not get the good news about the budget they were hoping for today The Revenue Estimating Conference met did not change next fiscal year’s revenue forecast. Senate President John Alario says legislators may need to take another look at raising revenues when they meet for a second special session next month, which means another revenue estimating conference could be called.

Cut 11 (08) “June time”

State lawmakers did not receive good news in terms of higher than expected revenues to help reduce the 600-million dollar budget deficit for next fiscal year. Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says they will have to stick with the revenue estimate they have….:
cut 10 (07) “going forward”
An economist for the legislature says the state remains in an in-state recession which has led to weak employment and state revenues that have not surpassed projections.

The bill that would expand the number of diseases that could be treated by medical marijuana is moving closer to final legislative passage. It passed the House on a 62-32 vote. Those in opposition say cannabis oil is not FDA approved, but New Orleans Representative Helena Moreno says federally legal drugs are not always the best option. The measure is back in the Senate for concurrence on House changes.

The Senate Education Committee rejected a bill that would allow public schools to survey high school students about sexual health. Shreveport Rep. Thomas Carmody told the panel, the survey can help determine which schools are most effective getting the message across about sex education and allow other schools to follow their example.
cut 12 (07) “local levels”
St. Tammany Parish resident Sarah Woods says this survey will not do anything to stop the sex and drugs by students..
cut 14 (10) “intimate questions”
The panel agreed with Woods and the vote was four to two to kill the bill.

One other item from the Capitol, the House has backed a proposal to allow Attorney General Jeff Landry have his own budget, but Governor John Bel Edwards says he’ll veto the measure, because it’s unconstitutional.

The Senate Education committee rejected a House-approved bill this afternoon that would have paved the way for public high school students to take part in a national survey on sexual risks and behavior. West Monroe Senator Mike Walsworth opposed it. He says this test would not help reduce teen pregancy or the rates of S-T-Ds…
cut 13 (09) “….not ture”
The vote was 4-to-2 to kill the bill for the session.

State police are looking for two vehicles involved in a fatal hit and run that took the life of a skateboarder in Hammond near SLU. Trooper Dustin Dwight says 26-year-old Erin Gerhard was hit twice by two vehicles that fled the scene. He says they are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the motorists responsible for Gerhard’s death…:
CUT 4 (09) “the case”
Troopers believe the vehicles involved are a pickup truck and a dark colored sedan.

Legislation has been approved in the House that would allow certain victims of domestic violence with a protective order to carry a concealed handgun for 45 days without training. Baton Rouge Representative Patricia Smith expressed concerns that someone who has not received the training, will be lacadaisical with a gun…
cut 7 (10) “….happened a lot”
Despite those concerns the bill heads to the Senate.

New information came out today about the two-year-old whose body was found in Beauregard Parish last week. Vernon Parish Sheriff Sam Craft says based on the result of the autopsy they believe the child was murdered in Vernon and they also believe Willow Rain Renteria-Molina died a day before she was reported missing by her mother. Sheriff Craft says the child’s babysitter remains a person of interest, but it’s possible someone else could be involved in the child’s death.

Baton Rouge Representative Patricia Smith’s bill that would allow high school students to participate in a national survey on sexual risks failed to get approval in the Senate Education committee. Smith explained the survey could help Louisiana reduce teen pregnancy and rates of sexually transmitted diseases among teens…
cut 15 (09) “…run rampant”
But opponents say these invasive questions would not help in anway and the measure was voted down on a four to two vote.

The Revenue Estimating Conference met this morning and did not change next fiscal year’s revenue forecast, which lawmakers were hoping for to reduce the budget deficit. Economist Manfred Dix says low tax collections impacted the estimates…:
CUT 9 (07) “relatively low”
Leaders says legislators may need to take another look at raising revenues when they meet for a second special session next month.

State police are looking for two vehicles involved in a fatal hit and run that took the life of a skateboarder in Hammond. Trooper Dustin Dwight says 26-year-old Erin Gerhard was skateboarding down the right side of University Avenue near S-L-U’s campus around 10pm last night…:
CUT 3 (09) “the scene”
Dwight says troopers believe the vehicles involved are a pickup truck and a dark colored sedan.

Vernon Parish Sheriff Sam Craft said today that an autopsy has determined two-year-old Willow Rain Renteria-Molina died a day before she was reported missing by her mother. Her body was found last Friday in Beauregard Parish, but they believe the little girl was killed in Vernon. Sheriff Craft says the babysitter, 33-year-old Rodney “Donny” Bailey Junior remains a person of interest, but investigators are not ruling out the possibility someone else could be involved.

State lawmakers did not get good news from the Revenue Estimating Conference when it comes to reducing the size of next year’s budget deficit, which stands at 600-million dollars. Economists say the state’s economy is still struggling, so higher than anticipated revenues is not expected. Senate President John Alario says a June special session is likely…
cut 11 (08) “…June time”

State Police is searching for two vehicles who were involved in a fatal and and hit run crash that claimed the life of a skateboarder near the Southeastern Louisiana campus in Hammond last night. Trooper Dustin Dwight says they are seeking a truck and a dark colored sedan…
cut 5 (07) “….they can”
The crash claimed the life of 26-year-old Erin Gerhard of Independence.

Legislation to allow sex surveys to be given to public school students fails in a Senate committee. Emelie Gunn has more…
CUT 2 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

The Fruit of the Loom distribution center that’s been in Vidalia for over 20 years will close, meaning 167 people will be out of work. The company, Martin Mills, a subsidiary of Union Underwear Company, said it would offer various employment services with the help of the state’s dislocated worker unit. They said the first jobs will be terminated no sooner than July 10th.