Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

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

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1986-05-02

Duration: 00:27:39

Subjects: Politics | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1986 | UNEMPLOYMENT | Economy | TRIALS | Edwards, Edwin W. | Government

Contributors:

• Johnson, Ken Host
• Myers, Laura Reporter
• Nachman, Karen Reporter
• Thompson, Francis Interviewee
• Moore, Henson Interviewee
• Forster, Garey Interviewee
• Risinger, Bill Interviewee
• Bourgeois, Peggy Interviewee
• Crowe, Carl Speaker
• Hunt, Darrell Speaker
• Tate, Mel Speaker
• Delpit, Joe Speaker
• Scott, Loren Interviewee
• Steimel, Ed Interviewee
• Jetson, Raymond Interviewee
• Cusimano, Charles Interviewee
• Dimos, Jimmy Interviewee
• Dastugue, Quentin Interviewee
• Fawer, Mike Speaker
• Edwards, Edwin Speaker
• Volz, John Speaker
• Joseph, Cheney Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from May 2, 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 Representative Francis Thompson on his bill establishing the framework for the state to accept $30 million in federal aid to farmers; an interview with Congressman Henson Moore, a candidate in the 1986 United States Senate election, on his support for an oil import tax; and an interview with State Representative Garey Forster on his concerns about the bills aiming to repeal the state’s mandatory seat belt law. Next, Laura Myers reports on the bills under consideration in the House Health and Welfare Committee, including a bill allowing optometrists to prescribe drugs and a bill asking the Commissioner of Insurance to urge insurance companies to pay for diabetes self-management programs. Her report includes interviews with Bill Risinger, optometrist, and Peggy Bourgeois, diabetes instructor. Johnson then presents highlights of Carl Crowe of the Louisiana AFL-CIO testifying against a bill moving $8.5 million from the Special Employment Administration Fund to pay back the federal government for unemployment benefits. Next, Karen Nachman reports on the House Labor and Industrial Relations Committee deferring a bill that would allow the state to extend the time period for the payment of wages if there are massive state employee lay-offs. Her report includes highlights of the testimony by Darrell Hunt of the Division of Administration, Mel Tate of AFSCME, and State Representative Joe Delpit. Johnson then presents an interview with Dr. Loren Scott, an economics professor at LSU, who discusses Louisiana’s 13% unemployment rate. Next, Johnson conducts an in-studio interview with Ed Steimel, the president of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI). He discusses the state’s economic problems, the high cost of doing business in Louisiana, and the future of the oil and gas industries. Lastly, Laura Myers reports on the latest news from the sixth week of the retrial of Governor Edwin 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 resting its case without calling any witnesses. Her report includes: the reaction of state legislators to the news, including interviews with State Representatives Raymond Jetson, Charles Cusimano, Jimmy Dimos, and Quentin Dastugue; highlights from the press conferences on the courthouse steps with defense attorney Mike Fawer, Governor Edwin Edwards, and United States Attorney John Volz; and an interview with Cheney Joseph, LSU law professor.