Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

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

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1988-06-10

Duration: 00:26:14

Subjects: Education | Campaign Finance | Politics | Government | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1988 | Roemer, Buddy

Contributors:

• Lormand, Ken Host
• Sockman, Roger Reporter
• Adley, Robert Speaker
• Long, Jimmy Speaker
• Roemer, Buddy Speaker
• Aysenne, Lynn Speaker
• Broussard, John Speaker
• Killen, Carson Speaker
• Perkins, Huel Speaker
• Bagert, Ben Speaker
• Brinkhaus, Armand Speaker
• McCrory, Maris Interviewee
• Jetson, Raymond Interviewee
• Bares, Allen Interviewee
• Alario, John Interviewee
• St. Raymond, James Speaker
• Thompson, Francis Speaker
• Frost, Greg Speaker
• Bankston, Larry Speaker

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from June 10, 1988, features Ken Lormand and Roger Sockman reporting on the eighth week of the 1988 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. Sockman first reports on the status of Governor Buddy Roemer’s education reform package, including the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) voting to accept Governor Roemer’s plan shifting the funding responsibility for school support personnel from the state to the local school boards, the House Education Committee rejecting the plan, and the attempts to override the committee’s decision on the House floor. His report includes: State Representatives Robert Adley and Jimmy Long discussing the bill on the House floor; Governor Buddy Roemer discussing the bill at an impromptu press conference; highlights from the BESE Board meeting, including comments by Lynn Aysenne, the president of the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents, John Broussard, the president of the Louisiana School Bus Operators Association, and Carson Killen and Dr. Huel Perkins, BESE members; and interviews with school bus drivers. Next, Lormand reports on the Senate approving a campaign finance reform bill. It includes: State Senator Ben Bagert discussing his amendment to the bill; State Senator Armand Brinkhaus asking for his name to be removed from the amendment; an interview with Maris McCrory, an attorney with the Campaign Finance Office; and an interview with Governor Roemer. Lormand then reflects on Governor Roemer’s job performance half-way through his first regular session. He interviews State Representative Raymond Jetson, Senate President Allen Bares, Governor Roemer, and State Representative John Alario. Next, Lormand reports on the recent national media reports on Governor Roemer. Lastly, Sockman recaps the week’s other activity at the session. These stories include: State Representatives James St. Raymond and Francis Thompson debating a bill reducing weekly unemployment compensation benefits; Greg Frost of the Louisiana Hospital Association testifying in favor of a bill repealing a law requiring AIDS tests for marriage licenses; and State Senator Larry Bankston testifying in favor of a bill raising the minimum age for a drivers’ license to sixteen.