Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

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

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1986-04-24

Duration: 00:26:14

Subjects: Politics | Government | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1986 | Campaign Finance | Elections | HIGHER EDUCATION | TRIALS | Edwards, Edwin W.

Contributors:

• Johnson, Ken Host
• Myers, Laura Reporter
• Nachman, Karen Reporter
• Norton, Pat Interviewee
• Groat, Chip Interviewee
• Bruneau, Peppi Interviewee
• Jones, Charles Speaker
• Dastugue, Quentin Speaker
• Hebert, Dennis Speaker
• Brown, Jim Interviewee
• Percy, Jim Interviewee
• Baker, Richard Speaker
• Narcisse, Lawrence Interviewee
• Campbell, Foster Speaker
• Thorn, Dale Speaker
• Picard, Cecil Speaker
• Silvia, Bill Speaker
• Campbell, Foster Interviewee
• Picard, Cecil Interviewee
• Edwards, Edwin Speaker
• Fawer, Mike Speaker

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from April 24, 1986, features Ken Johnson hosting a daily legislative report on the 1986 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. Johnson first reports on the day’s headlines, including an interview with Secretary Pat Norton of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) on bills related to hazardous waste and an interview with Chip Groat of the State Geological Survey on a bill reducing the number of members of the Coastal Advisory Council. Next, Laura Myers reports on the campaign finance reform and election reform bills under consideration in the House and Governmental Affairs committee. Her report includes: an interview with State Representative Peppi Bruneau; State Representatives Charles Jones, Quentin Dastugue, and Dennis Hebert debating the bills; and interviews with Louisiana Secretary of State Jim Brown and Jim Percy of the Louisiana Municipal Association. Then, Johnson continues reporting on the day’s headlines, including State Representative Richard Baker testifying on his bill limiting the number of the state’s unclassified positions and an interview with Lawrence Narcisse, a lobbyist for the Louisiana Association of Educators (LAE), on a bill allowing the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) more time to decide on K-12 school budget cuts. Next, Karen Nachman reports on the Senate Education Committee voting in favor of a bill eliminating the state’s four higher education governance boards. Her report includes: State Senator Foster Campbell discussing his bill; Dale Thorn of the Board of Regents and Bill Silvia of LSU testifying against the bill; and State Senator Cecil Picard debating the bill. Next, Johnson conducts an in-studio interview with State Senator Foster Campbell and State Senator Cecil Picard. They discuss: the problems with the four higher education boards; Campbell’s view that more money should be spent in the classroom instead of on building new facilities; Picard’s view that the members of the single higher education board should be appointed and not elected; whether Louisiana has too many colleges and universities; and the level of higher education spending. Lastly, Myers reports on the latest news from the fifth week of the retrial of Governor Edwards and four other defendants in New Orleans on fraud and racketeering charges related to the permitting process for building new hospitals and nursing homes. It includes highlights of the press conferences on the courthouse steps with Governor Edwin Edwards and defense attorney Mike Fawer.