LSU president F. King Alexander says the LSU Greek system is much more helpful than hurtful. But he believes a zero tolerance hazing policy is necessary. Jim Shannon has more.
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Lawmakers return to Baton Rouge for the start of the regular session. Kelley Ray spoke with LAPolitics.com publisher Jeremy Alford…
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LSU president F. King Alexander is standing behind his decision to institute a zero tolerance policy on hazing in the Greek system. In the wake of the death of Maxwell Gruver the school commissioned a group to come up with a plan. Alexander says the restrictions on alcohol are to protect students. He says the Greek system is a valuable asset for the university…
Alexander says the culture of tradition runs deep in the Greek system and he says there is no reason for them to be hazing…
Alexander says they have tried other types of rules and regulations but at the end of the day the administration has to have a single purpose edict…
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Lawmakers are back at the capital today to begin the regular session, a week after the special session failed to find a resolution for a one-billion-dollar budget shortfall. LAPolitics.com publisher Jeremy Alford says the backbiting and harsh words that were slung around between legislators will have an impact. They need to work together to consider over 1,000 non revenue related bills…
A task force recommended to allow riverboat casinos to come on shore. Alford that led to several other gambling operators asking for changes in legislation that affects them…
The elephant in the room is the budget shortfall. There can’t be any finance bills considered, but there are hints there will be a special session. Alford feels the regular session could end before the June 4th deadline, which puts lawmakers under a tight schedule…
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Time is running out for the Saints and Drew Brees to come to an agreement before free agency opens Wednesday and suitors from across the NFL are allowed to bid for the Black and Gold superstar’s services. As of this morning, teams are now allowed to begin contacting Brees’ agent and begin the negotiating process. Saints analyst Mike Detillier says it’ll be a nail bitter…
Brees turned 39 in January, and Detillier says that adds to the complication. He says Brees will want to max out his paycheck, while the team keeps an eye to the future…
Detillier says if history holds true, the Saints will bend and pay up, because Brees holds all the leverage, and superstar quarterbacks just don’t come around very often…
Saints fans are hoping to keep Brees around for a run at this year’s Super Bowl in Atlanta.
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Governor John Bel Edwards kicked off the regular session today by laying out his legislative agenda, and tearing into lawmakers who failed to fix the fiscal cliff. The governor highlighted the plight of Louisiana’s highest performing students, who could begin to be poached by universities in other states with TOPS still up in the air. Edwards says right now Bama is beating us academically, and athletically.
Cut 12 (09) “on both.” (audience clapping)
If lawmakers fail to find a solution to the billion dollar budget gap, TOPS will be in line for a 80 percent cut.
The governor proposed an economic agenda that he says would cut back on unnecessary regulations hampering the state’s economy. He says Louisiana has some of the most burdensome occupational licensing restrictions in the nation.
The governor also touched on minimum wage, equal pay, and sportsman’s licenses.
One area where Edwards did not provide specifics was in gun control and school safety. Instead, he called for the beginning of nonpolitical dialog about the topic that’s dominating state houses across the country.
The governor also called for mandatory anti hazing education in universities.
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