Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

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

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1985-05-14

Duration: 00:26:39

Subjects: Politics | Government | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1985 | DRINKING AGE

Contributors:

• Johnson, Ken Host
• Myers, Laura Reporter
• Screen, Pat Speaker
• McCowman, Charles Speaker
• Bolin, Bruce Interviewee
• Jenkins, Woody Interviewee
• Baker, Richard Interviewee
• Kennard, Donald Interviewee
• McArdle, P.J. Speaker
• McCorquodale, Robert Speaker
• Lowenthal, Margaret Speaker
• Guarisco, Anthony Speaker
• Turnley, Richard Speaker
• Ward, Ken Interviewee
• Hurley, Chuck Interviewee
• Nelson, Sydney Interviewee
• Windhorst, Fritz Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from May 14, 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: Baton Rouge Mayor Pat Screen and Charles McCowman of the Louisiana Municipal Association testifying in favor of a package of bills limiting strict liability judgments; Superintendent of Education Tom Clausen releasing the results from the basic skills test; an interview with State Representative Bruce Bolin on his bill requiring first-year students to be fingerprinted; an interview with State Representative Woody Jenkins on his opposition to a bill requiring the mandatory licensing of day care centers; an interview with State Representative Richard Baker on the defeat of his bill requiring the disclosure of the flood plain status of land before a real estate transaction; and an interview with State Representative Donald Kennard on his bill making it illegal to drive three-wheeled vehicles on state roads and highways. Next, Laura Myers reports on a Senate committee’s decision to defer a bill raising the minimum legal drinking age from 18 to 21. Myers reports that Congress is threatening to withhold federal highway funds from states that do not raise their minimum drinking age to 21 by October 1986. Her report includes: testimony by Mrs. P.J. McArdle of Baton Rouge, Robert McCorquodale of McNeese State University, and State Representative Margaret Lowenthal; comments by State Senators Anthony Guarisco and Richard Turnley; and interviews with Ken Ward of the Louisiana Moral Foundation and Chuck Hurley of the National Safety Council. Lastly, Johnson conducts an in-studio interview with State Senators Sydney Nelson and Fritz Windhorst. They discuss: their position on the minimum drinking age bill; enforcing the drinking age; states’ rights; and the committee’s decision to defer the bill.