Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

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

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1985-07-02

Duration: 00:28:02

Subjects: STATE BUDGET | Electronic surveillance | Politics | Government | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1985

Contributors:

• Johnson, Ken Host
• Myers, Laura Reporter
• Vines, Dwight Interviewee
• Kelly, Eamon Interviewee
• Windhorst, Fritz Speaker
• McLeod, William Speaker
• Newman, Cliff Speaker
• Baker, Richard Speaker
• Diez, Juba Speaker
• Scogin, Ed Speaker
• Downer, Hunt Speaker
• Donelon, Jim Speaker
• Rayburn, B.B. "Sixty" Speaker
• Jefferson, William Speaker
• Bowler, Emily Speaker
• McCormick, Wiley Speaker
• Kemp, Duncan Interviewee
• Bowler, Emily Interviewee
• Adams, Pete Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from July 2, 1985, features Ken Johnson hosting a daily legislative report on the 1985 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. Johnson first reports on the Senate approving a bill requiring mandatory kindergarten. Laura Myers then reports on the Senate Finance Committee approving $100 million in state budget cuts, including a $20 million cut to higher education. Her report includes: an interview with Dwight Vines, the president of Northeast Louisiana University; an interview with Eamon Kelly, the president of Tulane University; and State Senator Fritz Windhorst insisting that the committee vote on his amendments to the state budget. Next, Johnson reports on the day’s other headlines. These stories include: State Senators William McLeod and Cliff Newman thanking their colleagues for their support of Lake Charles’ proposal to host U.S. Navy support vessels; State Representatives Richard Baker, Juba Diez, and Ed Scogin debating a bill creating the Darlington Reservoir for flood mitigation along the Comite River and Amite River; State Representatives Hunt Downer and Jim Donelon debating a bill requiring the police to keep records of all domestic violence complaints; State Senators B.B. “Sixty” Rayburn and William Jefferson debating a bill related to bingo and cable television; Emily Bowler, an attorney for the ACLU, and State Senator Fritz Windhorst debating a bill allowing defendants to be absent during a part of their trial; Colonel Wiley McCormick of the Louisiana State Police testifying on a bill allowing law enforcement agencies to use electronic surveillance for certain cases; and an interview with District Attorney Duncan Kemp on the defeat of a bill funding twenty-nine additional assistant district attorneys. Lastly, Johnson conducts an in-studio interview with Emily Bowler, an attorney for the ACLU, and Pete Adams, the executive director of the Louisiana District Attorneys Association. They discuss: the electronic surveillance bill; a bill prohibiting businesses from requiring polygraph tests as a condition of employment; and a bill establishing a bill of rights for law enforcement officers during administrative hearings.