Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

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

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1986-05-01

Duration: 00:27:38

Subjects: Politics | Government | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1986 | Louisiana. Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism | Prisons | Construction projects | Criminal justice, Administration of | TRIALS | Edwards, Edwin W.

Contributors:

• Johnson, Ken Host
• Nachman, Karen Reporter
• Myers, Laura Reporter
• Picard, Cecil Interviewee
• Gilibert, Dale Interviewee
• Freeman, Bobby Interviewee
• Nicholson, Elwyn Interviewee
• Lauricella, Hank Speaker
• Bruneau, Peppi Interviewee
• Taylor, Sibal Speaker
• Kimball, Clyde Speaker
• Singleton, James Speaker
• Bella, V.J. Speaker
• Lynn, Bruce Interviewee
• Adams, Pete Interviewee
• Boitman, Robert Speaker
• Edwards, Edwin Speaker

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from May 1, 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. These stories include: an interview with State Senator Cecil Picard on the status of a bill abolishing the state’s four higher education management boards; a rally at the State Capitol against budget cuts to the state’s vo-tech system; and an interview with Dale Gilibert of the Louisiana National Guard on their tuition exemption. Next, Karen Nachman reports on the Senate Natural Resources Committee approving a bill moving the Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism into the Lieutenant Governor’s Office. Her report includes interviews with Lieutenant Governor Bobby Freeman and State Senator Elwyn Nicholson, as well as comments by State Senator Hank Lauricella on the importance of the state’s tourism industry. Johnson then presents an interview with State Representative Peppi Bruneau on campaign finance reform bills. Next, Laura Myers reports on prison reform bills, including a bill allowing the use of inmate labor for prison construction projects. Her report includes: testimony by Sibal Taylor of the Louisiana AFL-CIO, State Representative Clyde Kimball, and State Representative V.J. Bella; State Representative James Singleton questioning the bill; and an interview with State Representative Bruce Lynn. Johnson then conducts an in-studio interview with Pete Adams of the Louisiana District Attorneys Association. He discusses the criminal justice bills under consideration at the session. Lastly, Myers reports on the latest news from the sixth 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. Her report focuses on the defense’s motion for dismissal of all charges. It includes highlights of the press conferences on the courthouse steps with prosecutor Robert Boitman and Governor Edwin Edwards.