Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

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

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1985-05-07

Duration: 00:25:39

Subjects: Politics | Government | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1985 | Automobiles -- Seat belts | State employee pay raises | RIGHT TO WORK | Employment

Contributors:

• Johnson, Ken Host
• Myers, Laura Reporter
• Gomez, Ron Speaker
• McCormick, Wiley Speaker
• Windhorst, Fritz Interviewee
• Long, Jimmy Interviewee
• Baiamonte, John, Jr. Speaker
• Forster, Garey Interviewee
• Webb, Garland Speaker
• Bussie, Victor Interviewee
• Bares, Allen Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from May 7, 1985, features Ken Johnson hosting a daily legislative report on the 1985 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. Johnson first reports on the day’s headlines. These stories include: State Representative Ron Gomez and Colonel Wiley McCormick of the Louisiana State Police testifying in favor of a bill requiring the mandatory use of seat belts; an interview with State Senator Fritz Windhorst on his bill preventing law enforcement officials from allowing people convicted of certain crimes to go outside of prison walls unescorted; an interview with State Representative Jimmy Long, the chairman of the House Education Committee, on his two bills related to teacher pay raises and teacher evaluations; and John Baiamonte, Jr., the chairman of the Task Force on Prison Overcrowding, speaking to the Baton Rouge Press Club. Next, Laura Myers reports on legislation impacting state employees. Her report includes an interview with State Representative Garey Forster on his bill capping the number of state employees, as well as Garland Webb, the director of the Louisiana chapter of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), speaking at a press conference about their campaign to get state employees a 10% pay raise. Lastly, Johnson conducts an in-studio interview with Victor Bussie, the president of the Louisiana AFL-CIO, and State Senator Allen Bares. They discuss Bares’ bill aiming to put right to work into the state constitution and the impact of the 1976 right to work law on employment in Louisiana.