Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

Place Covered: Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1985-05-24

Duration: 00:26:04

Subjects: Politics | Government | Construction industry | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1985 | Louisiana World Exposition (1984: New Orleans, La.) | PREVAILING WAGES

Contributors:

• Johnson, Ken Host
• Myers, Laura Reporter
• Guste, William Speaker
• Thompson, Francis Interviewee
• Sheridan, Buster Interviewee
• Jackson, Alphonse Interviewee
• Edwards, Edwin Speaker
• Smith, Charles Speaker
• Reilly, Kevin, Sr. Speaker
• Flory, Gordon Speaker
• Ryan, Earl Interviewee
• Steimel, Ed Interviewee
• Faucheux, Ron Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from May 24, 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: a press conference with Attorney General William Guste discussing his investigation into possible financial mismanagement at the 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans; an interview with State Representative Francis Thompson on the House Agriculture Committee approving a bill providing tax breaks to gasohol producers; an interview with State Representative Buster Sheridan on the House Retirement Committee approving a compromise bill to keep the Louisiana State Police retirement system from going bankrupt; and an interview with State Representative Alphonse Jackson on the House Health and Welfare Committee approving a bill related to improving the process for prescription drug payments for senior citizens. Next, Laura Myers reports on the House Labor and Industrial Relations Committee’s decision to defer a bill repealing the prevailing wage law. It includes testimony by: Governor Edwin Edwards; Charlie Smith, lobbyist; State Representative Kevin Reilly; and Gordon Flory of the Louisiana AFL-CIO. She also interviews Earl Ryan, the president of the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR), and Ed Steimel, the president of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI). Myers then conducts an in-studio interview with Secretary Ron Faucheux of the Louisiana Department of Commerce. He discusses his department’s efforts to improve Louisiana’s image, including their new “Progress Starts with Pride” ad campaign.