Legislation to protect clergy from sanctions if they refuse to perform a same-sex marriage ceremony passes out of a House committee….
voicer 2 (31) “…..I’m Halen Doughty”

The governor’s proposed budget for next fiscal year calls for cuts to the TOPS scholarship program, public-private hospitals for the poor, colleges and public schools. Edwards says the spending plan looks like this way because of a 750-million dollar shortfall…
cut 3 (07) “…revenue needs”

A senate committee has advanced to the Senate floor a bill that raises the adult prosecution age from 17 to 18-years-old. A 15-year-old high school student spoke in favor of the bill. She says her brother was arrested at 17 and spent a week in jail without any school…
cut 8 (10) “….my brother”
Louisiana is just one of nine states that has 17-year-olds in their criminal justice system.

Sad day for LSU and Saints fans. That’s because the former running back and analyst on Saints radio broadcasts Hokie Gajan passed away at the age of 56 after a battle with cancer. Gajan blocked for former LSU running back Charles Alexander, who says Gajan loved being on the football field…
cut 10 (10) “….football”
Saints play-by-play man Jim Henderson called Gajan a man’s man.

Governor John Bel Edwards proposed budget for next fiscal year calls for cuts to education funding, including the TOPS program, as a result of a 750-million dollar revenue shortfall. Michelle Southern has the story…
voicer 1 (30) “…reporting”

Many are taking time today to remember the life of former LSU and Saints running back Hokie Gajan. The Saints color commentator since 2000 passed away last night at the age of 56 after a battle with a rare form of cancer.

A proposal that raises the age a person in Louisiana should be prosecuted received approval from a Senate committee. The proposed law sends 17-year-old non-violent offenders into the juvenile justice system, instead of the adult. An 18-year-old student told the panel about his 17-year-old friend who lost his pride in the adult system…
cut 7 (09) “….is today”
The measure heads to the full Senate.

Heading to the full House is a bill that provides protections for clergy who refuse to marry gay couples. Lester Perryman, with the Human Rights Campaign, questions why Louisiana needs this legislation…
cut 12 (07) “…to do so”
But the bill passed out of committee on a seven to three and Governor Edwards says he’s okay with the bill.

Governor John Bel Edwards today told lawmakers that deep cuts would be spread over several state services under the latest budget proposal for the fiscal year that begins July 1st. The plan says DHH would be reduced by $408 million, TOPS by $183 million, higher ed $46.1 million and 55 million slashed from K-12 public education. Edwards says another special session could come as soon as June 7th.

Many people are remembering the great life of former LSU and Saints running back Hokie Gajan, who passed away from cancer at the age 56 last night. LSU’s all-time leading rusher Charles Alexander played with Hokie for two years in college and says Gajan was the ultimate teammate…:
CUT 9 (07) “football with”
Gajan announced he’d been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer near the end of 2015. Funeral arrangements are pending.

The House Civil Law Committee advances the “Pastor Protection Act” today on a 7-3 vote. The bill would allow ministers and clergy members to refuse to conduct a same sex marriage. Lester Perryman, with the Human Rights campaign, raises concern about the potential for backlash — as other religious freedom bills approved in Georgia, North Carolina and Mississippi have received…:
Cut 13 (08) “other states”
Bossier City Representative Mike Johnson says those bills are much broader than his proposal, which is strictly limited to churches and religious leaders..:
cut 14 (08) “protection left”
The measure heads to the House Floor.

The Governor’s Office says a more than $1.7 million dollar disaster grant has been given to the state to help provide temporary jobs in the Louisiana parishes devastated by the recent storms and flooding.

Governor John Bel Edwards tells lawmakers the administration’s spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1st contains $792 million dollars in cuts to state spending. He says health care, TOPS and — in terms of education, higher ed is not the only service looking at cuts. Public schools are included…:
CUT 5 (06) “education”
He says they need another special session and it could begin as early as June 7th.

A Senate committee approves legislation that would increase the age to 18 for a suspect to be prosecuted as an adult. Currently, individuals 17 and over are put into the adult criminal system once charged with a crime. Criminal justice expert Ed Mulvey says a 17 year-old offender is better off in the juvenile justice system…:
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The legislation will now move to the full Senate.

More information keeps coming out about the fatal shooting of former Saints defensive end Will Smith. Surveillance video has surfaced that appears to show Smith was involved in a hit-and-run incident with a vehicle driven by the man that is accused of killing him. Cardell Hayes is facing a second-degree murder charge and his attorney has said Hayes was not the aggressor in this incident.

A Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s deputy has been fired following his arrest for allegedly touching a woman in a sexually inappropriate manner while he was on duty. In a release, the sheriff’s office says they received a complaint that Deputy Cody Onxley, while at work, went to the home of the victim under false pretenses and touched her during the encounter. Onxley was charged with sexual battery and malfeasance in office and was terminated from his job.

Governor John Bel Edwards presented his proposed budget for the next fiscal year to lawmakers today, and it contains 792-million dollars in cuts to state spending. Under the administration’s plan, health care and the TOPS scholarship program would see big reductions in state funding. Edwards says only having a third of the money needed to pay for TOPS is another reason why they need a second special session…:
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The governor says a second special session could begin as early as June 7th.

Southern University will hold a candlelight vigil tonight for the two students that were shot and killed outside of a party near the LSU campus. Interim Athletic Director Roman Banks says the 19 year old girls, Annette January and Lashuntae Benton, were student athletes and good kids doing nothing wrong:
CUT 15 (04) “take place”
An arrest has been made in connection with the shooting, but nobody has been charged for the murders at this time.

The House Civil Law Committee is hearing testimony at this hour on the “Pastor Protection Act,” which would allow a clergy member or religious organization to deny participation in a same sex marriage. Matthew Patterson with Equality Louisiana believes this bill would expand to any organization with religious affiliations…:
Cut 13 (07) “to people”
But supporters say all this bill does is protects a person’s religious beliefs.

The defense attorney in the Will Smith case believes once all of the evidence comes out, his client will be innocent. Cardell Hayes has been charged with second degree murder in the fatal shooting of the former New Orleans Saints player, who was killed after a three-car fender bender turned violent in New Orleans. Hayes’ lawyer is John Fuller…:
CUT 1 (09) “on that night”
He hopes more details of the incident will come out in a preliminary hearing.

Governor John Bel Edwards presented a proposed budget for next fiscal year that calls for a 792-million dollar reduction in state funding. Under the proposed spending plan, DHH would receive a 409-million dollar cut and higher education’s cut would be 46-million dollars. Edwards says this is not the budget he wanted to present to lawmakers and it’s why another special session is needed…
cut 3 (07) “…revenue needs”
The proposed budget also calls for a 183-million dollar cut in TOPS, which could mean recipients will only have part of their tuition paid for.

In the House Civil Law committee this morning, they’ll discuss the “Pastor Protection Act.” Bossier City Representative Mike Johnson says it will allow a clergy member or religious organiziation to deny participation in a same sex marriage….
cut 11 (07) “….against”

This afternoon, the Senate is expected to vote on a bill to require employers to pay men and women equally for similar work. Governor John Bel Edwards supports the measure. He says it’s a carefully crafted piece of legislation that would not be too onerous on businesses…
cut 5 (10) “…rectify it”
Business groups are opposed to the legislation.

Southern University will hold a memorial tonight for the two students fatally shot while attending an off-campus party in Baton Rouge. Lashuntae Benton and Annette January were killed. Interim athletic director Roman Banks says Benton, who was from Lake Charles, volunteered her time as an athletic trainer.
cut 16 (09) “…eventually”
One person has been arrested in connection with the shooting and police are expecting to make another arrest.

The defense attorney in the murder case of former New Orleans Saints player Will Smith believes once all of the evidence comes out, his client will be innocent. Cardell Hayes has been charged with second degree murder in the fatal shooting, stemming from what cops call a road rage incident. Hayes’ lawyer John Fuller hopes more details of the incident will come out in a preliminary hearing…:
CUT 7 (11) “knowledge of”
Fuller has filed a motion to preserve all ballistic evidence.

Beloved former Saints and LSU player Hokie Gajan lost his battle with cancer on Monday. He was 56. The longtime Saints color analyst and Baker High alum first announced he had a rare form of cancer in November. Gajan was drafted by the Saints in 1981, and injuries forced him to retire in 1987. But he spent 13 years as a scout for New Orleans and another 16 in the broadcast booth. Funeral arrangements are pending.

The equal pay bill will be heard on the Senate floor this afternoon. It has the support of Governor John Bel Edwards and the matter was a big part of his gubernatorial campaign. Edwards says women in the state earn only 65 cents for every dollar a man makes and that has to change…:
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Business interests strong oppose saying the measure would open up floodgates of litigation.

The Southern University community is mourning after the death of two students. Jeff Palermo has more…:
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

A television station in New Orleans has obtained surveillance video which they say shows a vehicle matching the description of the one driven by Will Smith possibly hitting the back of the suspect in his murder’s Hummer before the shooting incident. Cardell Hayes’ lawyer stands by his claims that there was another gun at the scene and Hayes was not the aggressor.

A bill that would allow clergy members and religious organizations to decline to participate in a same sex marriage will be heard in the House Civil Law Committee today. Halen Doughty has more..:
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

Longtime Saints radio analyst and a man who had been involved with sports in Louisiana for more than 40 years, Hokie Gajan, died at the age of 56 Monday. Gajan was diagnosed with cancer last year, and his daughter, Kristin Gajan Sell told WWL he’d been moved to ICU over the weekend. She says the outpouring of affection from everyone has been a true blessing…:
Cut 19 (10) “for him”
Arrangements are pending.

A bill will be heard on the Senate floor today to address equal pay. Governor John Bel Edwards supports the legislation and says Louisiana comes in dead last in the country when it comes to the wage gap between men and women. He says women in the state earn only 65 cents for every dollar a man makes…:
cut 4 (10) “top of”
A recent study finds Louisiana’s pay gap is costing women close to 11 billion dollars a year.