LSU Manship School Statehouse Bureau

Drew White

The Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill Thursday that could help Louisiana attract and host major events like the Super Bowl, the NBA All-Star Game, military gatherings, and national political conventions.

Currently, increases in state taxes generated as a result of certain events held in Louisiana are deposited into a fund to attract more events.

The bill, which passed the Senate 32-4, would streamline the process so Louisiana can provide proof that state funds exist to pay for portions of the projects.

“When it comes to tourism, we know that every dollar that we invest in the tourism industry generates at minimum a $19 return,” said Sen. Norby Chabert, R-Houma.

“We may not have the big bowl games unless we’re competing for them,” he added.

Read the full story in KALB.

Devon Sanders and Kaylee Poche

The House on Thursday voted 61-37 to pass the major changes that the Senate made to the state budget to fund health care services while slashing spending on state agencies and TOPS scholarships.

The budget bill now goes to Gov. John Bel Edwards, who has called a special session that starts Tuesday to try to persuade the Legislature to raise revenue and avoid the cuts.

As a result, some legislators called the bill a “pretend budget” since some of the cuts, which include a 30 percent reduction in TOPS funding, could still be averted.

Edwards has called on legislators to extend some temporary revenue measures to cover a projected $648 million shortfall in next year’s state budget.

Read the full story in The Donaldsonville Chief.

Joby Richard

Bills aimed at increasing student safety and supplementing TOPS funding have passed the Senate floor and seem close to becoming law.

One would require any K-12 student who makes threats against a classmate to undergo mental health evaluation before returning to school. It now goes back to the House for approval of amendments the Senate made.

Another would provide an additional dedicated source of funding for TOPS. The Senate passed this bill 31-2, with Sen. Jack Donahue, R-Mandeville, and Sen. Sharon Hewitt, R-Slidell, voting against it.

The House already had approved the bill. It now goes to Gov. John Bel Edwards for his signature.

Read the full story in The Louisiana Forestry Association.

Drew White

A “granny cam” bill to allow nursing home residents or their legal representatives to install monitoring devices in those residents’ rooms passed unanimously in the Senate on Wednesday.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Kirk Talbot, R-River Ridge, would enable family members or guardians to stay connected with their loved ones. The bill now returns to the House for final consideration.

Proponents of the bill say installing cameras would provide safer environments because family members could identify health problems quickly and protect older adults.

“You can observe your family member if you want at a distance and give great comfort,” Sen. Conrad Appel, R-Metairie, said.

“These cameras are generally a little box you plug into the wall, and they connect to the Internet,” he added.

Read the full story in KALB.

Paul Braun

A bill that would restore voting rights to felons on parole who have been out of prison for five years is on its way to the governor’s desk after it passed the Senate on Wednesday.

The bill passed the Senate 24-13. After failing twice in the House this session, the bill, written by Rep. Patricia Smith, D-Baton Rouge, passed the House in a 60-40 vote last week.

Louisiana is one of 21 states where felons lose the right to vote for their time in prison and for the duration of their parole. Thirteen other states generally have more restrictive laws than Louisiana, according to a study conducted by the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Sen. J.P. Morrell, D-New Orleans, presented the legislation, and Sen. Dan Claitor, R-Baton Rouge, spoke at length in favor of the change.

Read the full story in The Gonzales Weekly Citizen.

Joby Richard and Kaylee Poche

The Senate on Wednesday approved bills involving student safety, behavioral health options and school bus route priorities.

One outlines ways for students to anonymously report dangerous social media posts to school administrators.

The bill, authored by Rep. Barbara Norton, D-Shreveport, would require public high schools and colleges to instruct students on how to detect potential threats in social media posts. The schools would have to establish protocols for proving that the content was threatening.

The bill also would have school officials and campus security officers report online content to law enforcement agencies when it is deemed potentially dangerous.

Read the full story in The Daily Advertiser.

Kaylee Poche and Devon Sanders

A bill that originally allowed teachers to fully participate in student-initiated prayer underwent major changes limiting what teachers can do before passing unanimously in the House Wednesday.

An amendment offered by Rep. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge, limited teachers’ participation to only being allowed to bow their heads during prayer. The amendment, which passed 68-21, also eliminated a requirement for parents to provide permission slips.

“As long as there are geometry and algebra tests in schools, there will be prayer in schools,” said Rep. Robert Shadoin, R-Ruston, who presented the bill on behalf of Sen. Ryan Gatti, R-Bossier City. “You cannot take away prayer in schools.”

The House erupted in applause.

Read the full story in Fox 8.

Drew White

A day after the House voted overwhelmingly to ban abortions after 15 weeks of conception, two other abortion-restrictive measures advanced unanimously Wednesday on the House floor.

One bill aims to include the termination of pregnancy by illegal interference and feticide as “crimes of violence” under Louisiana state law.

The measure would prohibit the physical force or threats of violence with the intent to compel a pregnant woman to undergo an abortion against her will.

Under the proposed law, an individual could face up to five years of imprisonment and a $5,000 fine for coercing an abortion. The bill heads back to the Senate for consideration of changes made in the House.

Read full story in The Donaldsonville Chief.

Drew White and Paul Braun

State Rep. Stuart Bishop, R-Lafayette, issued an apology to his fellow lawmakers Wednesday morning for engaging in a fist fight with another state legislator after a report from The News Star surfaced about the incident.

Bishop said that he and State Sen. Norby Chabert, R-Houma, “had a disagreement and it got physical.” The fight reportedly took place in a downtown Baton Rouge bar Tuesday night because the two had a dispute over legislation. Bishop took to the House floor on personal privilege to comment on the altercation.

“I truly apologize if I did anything to upset y’all or make y’all look bad because the integrity of this body is one thing that I cherish and one thing I hold very dear,” Bishop said. “I feel like it was unbecoming of a gentleman and unbecoming for a member of this House,” Bishop added.

Read the full story in WRKF.

Drew White and Paul Braun

Louisiana children may begin wearing bulletproof backpacks to class soon.

The House voted 82-6 Tuesday to allow students to wear body armor on school grounds or buses. Current Louisiana law prohibits body armor on school property.

All local representatives – Beryl Amedee, R-Houma, Truck Gisclair, D-Larose, Tanner Magee, R-Houma, Dee Richard, a Thibodaux independent, and Jerome Zeringue, R-Houma – voted in favor of the bill.

The bill previously cleared the Senate with overwhelming support. Ballistic tests indicate that the backpacks could stop shots from handguns and shotguns but not bullets from AR-15s and other high-powered rifles.

Read the full story in Houma Today.