Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

Place Covered: Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1984-06-13

Duration: 00:24:39

Subjects: Politics | Government | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1984 | Capital Punishment | Labor | Unions | Education | School sports | CREATIONISM | HIGHER EDUCATION

Contributors:

• Johnson, Ken Host
• Ekings, Robyn Host
• Edwards, Edwin Speaker
• Kiefer, Nat Speaker
• Hainkel, John Speaker
• Fernandez, Manny Speaker
• Treen, Dave Speaker
• Guidry, Joe Speaker
• Keith, Bill Speaker
• Newman, Cliff Interviewee
• Spurney, Peter Speaker
• DeWitt, Charles Interviewee
• Jefferson, William Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from June 13, 1984, features Ken Johnson and Robyn Ekings hosting a daily legislative report on the 1984 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. Johnson first reports on the day’s headlines. These stories include: Governor Edwin Edwards addressing a joint legislative session on the need for an additional $15 million loan for the 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans; State Senator Nat Kiefer presenting his bill changing the method of capital punishment from the electric chair to lethal injection; State Representative John Hainkel speaking against the agency shop bill; State Representative Manny Fernandez deferring the agency shop bill; former Governor Dave Treen discussing his opposition to the agency shop bill; Governor Edwards testifying on a bill requiring public school students to maintain a “C” average in order to participate in extracurricular activities, including sports; Reverend Joe Guidry of the United Methodist Church and former State Senator Bill Keith testifying on the repeal of the scientific creationism law; an interview with State Senator Cliff Newman on the status of his bill requiring legislative approval for colleges or universities to change their names; and Peter Spurney, the president of the New Orleans World’s Fair, discussing the fair’s financial problems. Johnson and Ekings then conduct an in-studio interview with State Representative Charles DeWitt and State Senator William Jefferson. They discuss the proposed $15 million bail-out of the World’s Fair.