There’s one more week left in the legislative session. The two biggest pieces of legislation that have yet to receive final legislative approval are a new congressional map and the budget. LaPolitics-dot-com publisher Jeremy Alford says the Senate has had to make changes to the state’s spending plan.

Cut 4 (06) “…was supposed to.”

The full Senate is expected to vote on a budget proposal today, and the upper chamber will likely not go along with the governor’s request to double the funding for the state’s voucher program, known as LA GATOR.

Alford says besides the budget and redistricting, there are several other pieces of legislation that lawmakers would like to send to the governor’s desk before the legislative session must end on June 1st.

Cut 5 (07) “…and tort reform.”

Teacher pay is also a big issue in the final days of the session. Educators could see their salary reduced by two-thousand dollars because Constitutional Amendment 3 did not pass on May 16th. D’Shay Oaks, the president of the Louisiana Federation of Educators, says taking away that stipend could have devastating effects for those teachers.

Cut 15 (10) “…from their family.”

There may be hope. Governor Landry, Senate President Cameron Henry and House Speaker Phillip DeVillier will be holding a news conference about a potential teacher pay raise plan this morning.

A bill that would make prostate cancer screening free for high-risk men is now awaiting Governor Landry’s signature. Alice Kline, the Louisiana government relations director at the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, says this will make it a lot easier for those men to get those life-saving screenings.

Cut 10 (11) “…with that screening.”

A bill to give the Republican and Democratic parties in Louisiana the option to exclude “no party” voters from their closed party primary elections is one Senate vote from landing on Governor Landry’s desk. Secretary of State Nancy Landry says while she does not have a position on this bill, she understands the logic behind it.

Cut 14 (12) “…party.”

Also one Senate vote from the governor’s desk – a bill that would designate Shreveport as the Stuffed Shrimp Capital of Louisiana. The bill’s author, Shreveport Representative Joy Walters, says the history of stuffed shrimp in Shreveport dates back to the 1950s and 60s…

Cut 8 (09) “…dish.”

Today is Memorial Day, a day when we pause to pay tribute to the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our freedom. Louisiana Veterans Affairs Secretary Charlton Meginley says he recently spent time with Gold Star families in Louisiana at an event, in which three of them shared their heartbreaking stories.

Cut 4 (10) “…course their recovery.”

Willis Knighton Health in Shreveport is the first health organization in the region to offer a new non-invasive liver cancer treatment. Dr. Gazi Zibari, the director of the Willis Knighton Advanced Surgery Center, says this technology is currently approved for treatment of liver cancer, but it might not be too far in the future that it could be used to treat other forms of cancer.

Cut 11 (11) “…here to stay.”

“No Party” voters are allowed to vote in either the Republican or Democratic party primaries, but that might not be the case in the future. There’s a bill that’s close to final legislative passage that will allow each party to decide whether registered “No Party” voters can vote in their primaries. Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow opposes the idea…

Cut 12 (13) “…paying taxes.”

…but New Iberia Senator Blake Miguez does not.

Cut 13 (07)  “…primary system.”

According to Ballotpedia, the Republican Party in 23 states and the Democratic Party in 17 states shut “no party” voters out of their primaries. The current system caused a great deal of confusion at some polling places in the primaries earlier this month.

A bill that would designate Shreveport as the Stuffed Shrimp Capital of Louisiana is one Senate vote away from heading to Governor Landry’s desk. Houma Senator Mike Fesi supports the legislation as long as shrimp from the Gulf is used by restaurants in Shreveport.

Cut 7 (11) “…their menus”

Shreveport is also home to the first health organization in north Louisiana to offer a breakthrough liver cancer treatment. It was performed by Dr. Gazi Zibari, the director of the Willis Knighton Advanced Surgery Center. He says it’s a robotic histotripsy (HISS-to-trip-sy), which is a non-thermal, non-invasive ultrasound-based ablative therapy that destroys tissue through focused cavitation.

Cut 9 (09)  “…the tumor microenvironment.”

Today is Memorial Day, and Louisiana Veterans Affairs Secretary Charlton Meginley says it’s a day which people often get confused with other holidays geared towards the military.

Cut 3 (10) “…has cost us.”

Several events throughout the state marked the occasion, paying tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in protecting our freedoms.

Willis Knighton Health in Shreveport is the first health organization in the region to offer a breakthrough liver cancer treatment. It was performed by Dr. Gazi Zibari, the director of the Willis Knighton Advanced Surgery Center. He says  this new technology allows for this treatment to be done on an outpatient basis – no need for the patient to be admitted for days.

Cut 10 (06) “…it’s ultrasound-focused.”

Dr. Zibari says trials are underway to use this technology for treatment of other forms of cancer.

Legislation is nearing final passage that would allow political parties to decide if they want “No Party” voters to vote in their primaries. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

The Ragin Cajuns are the lone representative from Louisiana to make the 64-team NCAA baseball tournament. U-L Lafayette is headed to the Starkville Regional. The Cajuns are the three-seed in the Regional and will play Cincinnati on Friday night at 6 p-m. The Cajuns are one of five Sun Belt teams in the NCAA baseball tournament.

It’s Memorial Day. Louisiana Veterans Affairs Secretary Charlton Meginley says it’s a day to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice…

Cut 5 (08) “…live in America”

More than 11-thousand flags are planted on the Capitol grounds, with each flag representing a life lost in the line of duty.

State lawmakers have one more week left before the regular session must come to close. A bill nearing final legislative passage would give the Republican and Democratic parties the option of allowing “no party” voters to vote in their primaries. In Senate Governmental Affairs, New Iberia Senator Blake Miguez asked Secretary of State Nancy Landry if the parties closed their primaries to just their voters, can the state effectively educate voters…

Cut 15 (11) “…resources.”

The full Senate still has to vote on this bill.

A bill that would designate Shreveport as the Stuffed Shrimp Capital of Louisiana is nearing final legislative passage. The bill’s, author Shreveport Representative Joy Walters, was asked in Senate Governmental Affairs, how do you cook stuffed shrimp…

Cut 6 (12) “…deep fried.”

The legislation is awaiting a vote by the full Senate before it heads to the governor’s desk.

Willis Knighton Health in Shreveport is the first hospital in the region that’s performing a new liver cancer treatment that uses high-frequency waves to selectively destroy liver tumors. Director of Willis Knighton Advanced Surgery Center, Doctor Gazi Zibari, says he’s hopeful this kind of technology can one day be used to treat other forms of cancer…

Cut 11 (11) “…here to stay”

“No Party” voters are allowed to vote in either the Republican or Democratic party primaries, but that might not be the case in the future. There is a bill that is close to final legislative passage that will allow each party to decide if registered “No Party” voters can vote in their primary. Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow opposes the idea…

Cut 12 (13) “…paying taxes.”

Secretary of State Nancy Landry understands the logic behind allowing a political party to decide who can vote in the primary…

Cut 14 (12) “…party”

Landry says her office needs some type of resolution on this issue before the 2028 Presidential primary, because the state does not want different types of primaries on a single ballot.

More than 11-thousand flags are planted in front of the state capitol in remembrance of the more than 11-thousand Louisiana military personnel who gave the ultimate sacrifice and lost their lives fighting for our country. There’s an organization where families can bond over immediate relatives of U-S military service members who died in the line of the duty and they are called Gold Star families. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Charlton Meginley recently spent time with them…

Cut 4 (10) “…course their recover”

The Ragin Cajuns will be the only team from Louisiana in the NCAA Baseball Tournament when the bracket is unveiled at 11 AM this morning. Coach Matt Deggs team solidified its spot by winning five games in six days at the Sun Belt Tournament…

Cut 19 (10) “…all about”

The Cajuns are expected to be a three seed in a Regional.

There are several ceremonies commemorating Memorial Day today. Jeanne Burns reports.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Jeanne Burns.”

It’s also selection Monday for college baseball. For the first time since 2011, LSU will not be in the NCAA Tournament, but the Ragin Cajuns should be headed to the Regional after a great run in the Sun Belt Tournament, where they went 5-and-2 and made it to the Tournament championship game where they lost to Southern Miss.

Willis Knighton Health in Shreveport is the first health organization in the region to offer a breakthrough liver cancer treatment. It was performed by Dr. Gazi Zibari, the director of the Willis Knighton Advanced Surgery Center. He says it’s a robotic histotripsy (HISS-to-trip-sy), which is a non-thermal, non-invasive ultrasound-based ablative therapy that destroys tissue through focused cavitation.

Cut 9 (09)  “…the tumor microenvironment.”

Dr. Zibari says this new technology allows for this treatment to be done on an outpatient basis – no need for the patient to be admitted for days.

Shreveport wants to be known as the stuff shrimp Catpital of Louisiana and there’s legislation close to final legislative passage that would give Shreveport that designation. State Representative Joy Walters says the history of stuffed shrimp in Shreveport dates back to the 1950s and 60s…

Cut 8 (09) “…dish”

The legislation is awaiting a vote by the full Senate before it heads to the governor’s desk.

“No Party” voters are allowed to vote in either the Republican or Democratic party primaries, but that might not be the case in the future. There’s a bill that’s close to final legislative passage that will allow each party to decide whether registered “No Party” voters can vote in their primaries. Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow opposes the idea…

Cut 12 (13) “…paying taxes.”

…but New Iberia Senator Blake Miguez does not.

Cut 13 (07)  “…primary system.”

According to Ballotpedia, the Republican Party in 23 states and the Democratic Party in 17 states shut “no party” voters out of their primaries. Secretary of State Nancy Landry says while she does not have a position on this bill, she understands the logic behind it.

Cut 14 (12) “…party”

Landry says her office needs some type of resolution before the 2028 Presidential primary, because the state does not want different types of primaries on a single ballot.

A bill that would designate Shreveport as the Stuffed Shrimp Capital of Louisiana is one Senate vote away from landing on Governor Landry’s desk. The bill’s author, Shreveport Representative Joy Walters, was asked in Senate Governmental Affairs how you cook stuffed shrimp.

Cut 6 (12) “…deep fried.”

Walters says two popular restaurants in Shreveport are known for their stuffed shrimp – Eddie’s Seafood and Soulfood, and Orlandeaux’s Café.