By Sarah Gamard
Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser says he will be forced to cut several areas under his responsibility next year — including cultural events, state parks and museums — because of Louisiana’s revenue shortfall.
Read the story in bestofneworleans.com/Gambit
By Katie Gagliano and Caitie Burkes
The Senate Finance Committee braced against testimony from executive agency heads Friday as the potential effects of reductions under House Bill 1, the House GOP’s answer to Gov. John Bel Edwards’ proposed budget, were again brought to light.
Read the story in The Daily Advertiser
By Caitie Burkes
No kids in Louisiana may be given — let alone shoot — a fully automatic gun, a state House committee has decided. House Bill 67, which made it to the full House for debate on a 7-6 committee vote Thursday (May 18), criminalizes “giving, selling, donating, providing, lending, delivering or otherwise transferring” a fully automatic gun to a child 12 or younger.
Read in NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune
By Sarah Gamard
The House passed 86-1 Thursday House Concurrent Resolution 15 by Rep. Kenny Cox, D-Natchitoches, officially recognizing the Natchitoches Tribe of Louisiana as a state Indian tribe. It now goes to the Senate.
Read the story in USA Today
By Katie Gagliano
A bill proposing improved water quality standards for the state left the House Health and Welfare Committee to the full House Wednesday, somewhat hobbled after contentious debate led to a face-off between representatives.
Read the story in The Opelousas Daily World
By Sarah Gamard
The Senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday evening that aims to prevent young drivers from contentious interactions with traffic cops. The House did something similar earlier in the week.
Read the story in The Shreveport Times
By Caitie Burkes
The Louisiana Senate has approved, 33-3, a bill that would end the Motion Picture Production Tax Credit program after eight years unless the Legislature votes to renew it and reined in the generous tax break for movie companies using the state as shoot locations
Read the story in The Shreveport Times
By Caitie Burkes
The Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations favorably moved two bills by Sen. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans — one to increase the state’s minimum wage to $8.50 an hour by 2019 and the other to enact a non-discrimination policy for Louisiana employees who identify as LGBT.
Read the story in bestofneworleans.com/Gambit
By Sarah Gmard
Compared to the average male, a male firefighter is 102 percent more likely to develop testicular cancer and 28 percent more likely to develop prostate cancer.
Sen. Ryan Gatti, R-Bossier City, told his Senate colleagues Wednesday that such statistics inspired him to file Senate Bill 63, which adds those two cancers and, through an amendment, any cancer deemed having work-related origins, to the occupational diseases covered by workers’ compensation for firefighters during their service or in post-retirement.
Read the story in The Shreveport Times
By Christian Boutwell
House Bill 20, a constitutional amendment by Rep. Ed Price, D-Gonzales, that would give schools adversely affected by a natural disaster some potential leeway with state requirements unanimously passed the House and moved to the Senate.
Read the story in The Donaldsonville Chief
LSU Manship School Statehouse Bureau 