The Senate Labor Committee has approved a bill to increase the state’s minimum wage to $8.50 by 2018. Halen Doughty has more…
voicer 2 (30) “…I’m Halen Doughty”

Before lawmakers went home for the weekend, the State House approved a measure that would allow hunters to also wear blaze pink, instead of the traditional orange. The bill is by Bogalusa Representative Malinda White…
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The measure heads to the Senate for more discussion.

Even though Republican US Senator David Vitter is leaving office at the end of this year, he’s still holding town hall meetings across the state getting feedback from voters. In Ascension parish this morning, Vitter said he’s hearing primarily about jobs and highway improvements…:
Cut 13 (09) “is important”
The senator still maintains that he intends to leave politics once his term ends.

We’ll find out soon if Louisiana native MacKenzie Bourg will advance to the Top 3 on the final season of American Idol. Voting results from last week will be announced tonight and the contestant with the lowest total will be eliminated. MacKenzie’s dad, Rudy Bourg, says his 23-year-old son is already a winner…:
CUT 6 (08) “last second shot”
Tonight’s show will feature footage taken at Bourg’s homecoming parade last Saturday in Lafayette.

The Senate Labor Committee approved bill to increase the state’s minimum wage to $8.00 an hour beginning next year, and then to $8.50 in 2018. Governor John Bel Edwards says Louisiana households are unable to afford their basic necessities. He says it’s not just high school and college students who are working for minimum wage.

CUT 9 (06) “monthly expenses”

Baton Rouge business owner Mark Johnson opposes the increase. Johnson says this would leave business owners with difficult decisions about absorbing the new costs.

cut 12 (06) “your choices”

The bill now heads to the Senate floor for debate.

Several tax increases will go into effect tomorrow in Louisiana, including a one-cent increase on the state sales tax. The tax on a pack of cigarettes will increase by 22-cents, and taxes on all types of alcohol will also go up.

Even though Republican US Senator David Vitter is leaving office at the end of this year, he’s still got things to accomplish in his final year. Vitter says he will be focusing on chemical safety reform and improving infrastructure access. He says he plans on getting out of politics once his term ends in January.

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Vitter doesn’t plan on making any endorsements for the US Senate race until after the primaries.

Lafayette’s own local celebrity, 23-year-old MacKenzie Bourg, will find out tonight if he’ll advance to the Top 3 on the final season of American Idol. MacKenzie’s dad, Rudy Bourg, says it’s incredible that five years ago his son was fighting for his life due to a sudden illness, and now he’s where he’s at today…:

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The bill to increase the state’s minimum wage to $8.00 an hour beginning next year, and then to $8.50 in 2018 passed out of the Senate Labor Committee with a 4-3 vote. Governor John Bel Edwards testified in support of increasing the minimum wage today. Edwards says this is an investment in Louisiana families, which is an investment in our state as a whole. He says this slight increase in minimum wage would help solve the problem of childhood poverty in the state.

cut 10 (08)  “and raising”

Baton Rouge business owner Mark Johnson opposes the increase because he says it would impact small businesses production costs.

Cut 11 (09) “bottom line”

The bill, along with a measure seeking equal pay for men and women, now head to the Senate floor.

Lafayette’s own local celebrity, 23-year-old MacKenzie Bourg, will find out tonight if he’ll advance to the Top 3 on the final season of American Idol. Michelle Southern reports…:

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Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal entered a plea of not guilty to charges he violated federal civil rights laws. Prosecutors accuse Ackal of ordering the beatings of at least three pre-trial inmates in 2011. Nine of Ackal’s former deputies have already pleaded guilty in the case.

The Senate Labor Committee approves the bill that would increase the state’s minimum wage to $8.00 an hour in 2017 and then to $8.50 in 2018. Halen Doughty has more:
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A bill that would add blaze pink as an acceptable color hunters can wear advances out of the House. Bogalusa Representative Malinda White says this just gives sportsmen and sportswomen an additional option to hunter orange…:
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The measure heads to the Senate.

A bill that would have made it illegal for a business to fire a victim of domestic violence for missing work to take care of court proceedings or seek treatment, stalls in the House Labor Committee. Opponents said this is too over reaching into a businesses own practices. The vote was 6-6.

Even though US Senator David Vitter says he’s leaving politics at the end of his term this year, he’s still touring the state to hear from Louisiana citizens. He held a town hall in Ascension and Rapides today. We asked Senator Vitter if he planned on endorsing anyone for his seat…:
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Vitter says during his final year in office he will be focusing on chemical safety reform and improving infrastructure access.

A woman is accused of taking human remains from a historic New Orleans cemetery and trying to sell them on-line. It’s reported that 24 year old Ender Darling who is described as a witch, has apparently skipped town. She is accused of plucking human bones from graves and trying to get money for them.

Lawmakers advance a bill that would raise the minimum wage in Louisiana to $8 an hour, then $8.50 in 2018. Governor John Bel Edwards spoke in support of the measure in the Senate Labor Committee…:
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The vote was a close 4-3 and the bill now heads to the Senate Floor. Business groups spoke in opposition saying it would create job losses especially in the service sector.

23-year-old MacKenzie Bourg of Lafayette will find out tonight if he advances to the Top 3 on the final season of American Idol. Acadiana will be on tonight’s show from footage taken at MacKenzie’s homecoming parade last Saturday in Lafayette. Thousands of fans gathered for the celebration his dad Rudy Bourg says it was absolutely surreal…:
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Tonight’s elimination show begins at 7pm. If MaKenzie advances, you can vote for him again online at american-idol-dot-com-slash-vote.

Even though Republican US Senator David Vitter is leaving office at the end of this year, he’s still holding town hall meetings across the state getting feedback from voters. In Ascension parish this morning, Vitter said he’s hearing primarily about jobs and highway improvements…:
Cut 13 (09) “is important”
He’ll hold another town hall today in Rapides Parish. He still maintains that he intends to leave politics once his term ends.

Attorney General Jeff Landry says IRS phone scams are once again becoming a big problem in the state. He’s reminding residents that the IRS does not initiate contact requesting information electronically, nor demand payment without first sending a notification by mail.

Governor John Bel Edwards spoke today before the Senate Labor committee in support of a bill that would raise the minimum wage to $8.00 an hour, then $8.50 in 2018. The governor says the current minimum wage of $7.25 is not enough to money to make ends meet…:
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Those who oppose the increase argue that the higher pay rate would negatively impact small businesses. The Committee approved a bill today that would establish the Louisiana Equal Pay Act.

A bill is heading to the House floor that calls for legislative approval to waive work requirements for food stamp recipients. Monroe Representative Jay Morris says unemployed able-bodied adults should be required to take steps towards getting a job before they receive government assistance…:
Cut 15 (07) “for society”
The state recently estimated 31-thousand able bodies adults would lose their benefits, if they they were required to find work.

Lafayette’s own local celebrity, 23-year-old MacKenzie Bourg, will find out tonight if he’ll advance to the Top 3 on the final season of American Idol. The Fox signing competition show resumes at 7pm where the voting results from last week will be announced, at the contestant with the lowest total will be eliminated. MacKenzie’s dad, Rudy Bourg, says his son is already a winner…:
CUT 6 (08) “last second shot”
Lots of folks from Acadiana will be on tonight’s show from footage taken at Bourg’s homecoming parade last Saturday in Lafayette.

The state sales tax increases by a penny starting tomorrow, and new taxes on cigarettes and alcohol also go into effect. LSU Marketing Professor Dr. Dan Rice says shoppers making big purchases, like vehicles or furniture, will likely see a difference after the sales tax goes up…:
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He says most people won’t even notice a difference.

Starting tomorrow, the state sales tax goes up from four to five cents. LSU marketing professor Dan Rice says this increase will likely not change consumer’s purchasing habits…
cut 8 (10) “…quite frankly”
The state tax on cigarettes and alcohol also goes up tomorrow.

A bill is heading to the House floor that calls for legislative approval to waive work requirements for food stamp recipients. The governor’s attorney, Matthew Block, says they want to make sure there’s enough job training and job placement services, before re-instating the work requirements…
cut 16 (13) “….SNAP benefits”
The state recently estimated 31-thousand able bodies adults would lose their benefits, if they they were required to find work.

At this hour, the Senate Labor committee debates a bill that would raise the mininum wage to 8-dollars an hour next year and then $8.50 in 2018. Halen Doughty has more…
voicer 1 (30) “…I’m Halen Doughty”

Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal entered a plea of not guilty to charges he violated federal civil rights laws. Prosecutors accuse Ackal of ordering the beatings of at least three pre-trial inmates in 2011. Nine of Ackal’s former deputies have already pleaded guilty in the case.

The House Health and Welfare Committee advances a measure that would require legislative approval to waive work requirements for food stamps. Jeff Palermo has more..:
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In House Criminal Justice, a bill moved unanimously that would make it against the law to spy on someone with a drone. But Baton Rouge Representative Denise Marcelle says she wants to make sure that kids playing with these devices can’t get arrested under this new proposal…:
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The measure now heads to the House floor for debate.

The full House approved the hunters “blaze pink” bill which would allow ladies another option from hunter orange. Supporters say the measure might encourage more women to hunt, and it heads to the Senate after a 95-5 vote.

Tomorrow the state sales tax will increase from four cents to five cents until June 30, 2018. LSU Marketing Professor Dr. Dan Rice says most consumers are aware of this, but he doesn’t see many stores reducing their prices to offset the higher tax…:
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Also, state taxes on cigarettes and alcohol will increase on Friday.

Governor John Bel Edwards is slated to appear today before the Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations in order to testify in support of a bill which increases the minimum wage in Louisiana to $8.00, then $8.50 in 2018. The Governor is also expected to give testimony supporting legislation which establishes the Louisiana Equal Pay Act.