Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

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

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1986-06-18

Duration: 00:26:39

Subjects: Politics | Government | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1986 | Campaign Finance | Transparency in government

Contributors:

• Myers, Laura Host
• Nachman, Karen Host
• Ackal, Bo Interviewee
• Leach, Buddy Interviewee
• Brady, Bud Speaker
• Nicholson, Elwyn Speaker
• Ward, Ken Speaker
• Doucet, Eddie Interviewee
• Dimos, Jimmy Interviewee
• Edwards, Marion Interviewee
• Bradley, Allen Interviewee
• Freeman, Bobby Speaker
• Sibille, Winfred Speaker
• Williams, Shirley Speaker
• O'Neal, B.F. Speaker
• Caldwell, Buddy Interviewee
• Accardo, Joseph Speaker
• Pasqua, Charlie Speaker
• Picard, Cecil Speaker
• Jefferson, William Speaker
• Chabert, Leonard Speaker
• Madden, Roberta Interviewee
• Hardin, Ed Interviewee
• Campbell, Foster Speaker
• Jumonville, J.E. Speaker
• Lauricella, Hank Speaker
• Windhorst, Fritz Speaker
• DeGravelles, John Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from June 18, 1986, features Laura Myers and Karen Nachman hosting a daily legislative report on the 1986 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. They first report on the day’s headlines. These stories include: an interview with State Representative Bo Ackal on the passage of a bill allowing the Department of Health and Human Services to hire a private hospital management firm to run one of the Charity Hospitals for three years; an interview with State Representative Buddy Leach, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee; State Representative Bud Brady testifying on his bill allowing the state to sell the Superdome in New Orleans; State Senator Elywn Nicholson and Ken Ward of the Louisiana Moral and Civic Foundation testifying on a resolution suspending the Sunday closing laws, or blue laws, until the repeal of the law goes into effect in December; an interview with State Representative Eddie Doucet on his separate resolution suspending the blue laws; interviews with State Representative Jimmy Dimos, Marion Edwards, and State Representative Allen Bradley on a bill requiring the consent of both parties before recording a conversation; Lieutenant Governor Bobby Freeman and Winfred Sibille of the Louisiana School Boards Association testifying on a bill establishing a statewide first day of school for all public schools; Shirley Williams, the president of the Louisiana Association of Educators (LAE) testifying on a bill requiring a full day of kindergarten; State Representative B.F. O’Neal discussing the kindergarten bill; an interview with District Attorney Buddy Caldwell on a bill requiring attorneys to be present during grand jury hearings; State Representative Joseph Accardo and Charles Pasqua of the Louisiana Municipal Association testifying on a bill requiring local governments to share in the cost of state elections if local issues are on the ballot; and State Senators Cecil Picard, William Jefferson, and Leonard Chabert questioning State Representative Accardo on his bill limiting campaign contributions. Next, Myers conducts an in-studio interview with Roberta Madden and Ed Hardin of Common Cause. They discuss: their campaign finance reform efforts; their views on the bills creating exemptions to the public records law; and their work in ensuring that the state budget process follows the open meetings laws. Lastly, Myers and Nachman continue reporting on the day’s headlines. These stories include: State Senators Foster Campbell, J.E. Jumonville, William Jefferson, and Hank Lauricella debating Campbell’s bill consolidating the higher education management boards; State Senator Fritz Windhorst debating a bill changing the public nuisance laws to allow Al Copeland’s Christmas display to continue; and an interview with John DeGravelles of the Louisiana Environmental Action Network on his concerns about the proposed budget cuts to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.