Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

Place Covered: Louisiana, New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1978-07-14

Duration: 00:28:21

Subjects: Filmed panel discussions | Journalists | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1978 | Louisiana. Legislature | State legislators | LEGISLATION | Dual office holding | Dual employment | Code of ethics | STATE BUDGET | Edwards, Edwin W. | LOBBYISTS | Financial disclosure | Community property | Head and Master Laws | Women's rights | Marriage | Coastal zone management | First use tax | NATURAL GAS | GAS INDUSTRY | Louisiana. Constitution (1974) | Constitutional amendments | Public official pay raises | Local transit | MASS TRANSIT SYSTEMS | New Orleans International Airport | Politics

Contributors:

• George, Beth Host
• Stephens, Catherine Photographer
• Jackson, Lyle Photographer
• Folmar, Bill Photographer
• Wilhelmi, Marcia Photographer
• George, Beth Producer
• Wolf, Thom Director
• Lynch, Bill Panelist
• Hill, John Panelist
• Courtney, Bob Panelist

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from July 14, 1978 features Beth George leading a panel discussion on the 1978 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature with three capitol reporters: Bill Lynch of the New Orleans States-Item; John Hill of the Shreveport Times and Monroe Morning World; and Bob Courtney of WBRZ-TV in Baton Rouge.  They discuss: the dull nature of the session; the defeat of “good government” bills, like dual office holding, dual employment, and a code of ethics; the handling of the Appropriations bill for the state budget; Governor Edwin Edwards maintaining his control over the Senate; the failure of the financial disclosure bill related to lobbyists and their dealings with the legislature; the passage of a bill for the equal management of community property, which replaced the “Head and Master” law; the federal government putting pressure on the state for the passage of a coastal zone management bill; the passage of the first use tax on offshore natural gas; the voters having the opportunity to vote on the first constitutional amendment to the 1974 State Constitution; voters being upset over the passage of pay raises for public officials; the aid program for mass transit, especially in New Orleans; and the failure of a bill that would give the state control over the airport in New Orleans.  Host: Beth George