Collection:LPB

Genre: Public Affairs, News, Panel

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

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 2009-06-26

Duration: 00:18:03

Subjects: Erwin, Barry | COUNCIL FOR A BETTER LOUISIANA | Filmed panel discussions | Louisiana Legislative Session, 2009 | Louisiana. Legislature | State legislators | Politics | Government | Jindal, Bobby, 1971- | STATE BUDGET | State Budget Cuts | HIGHER EDUCATION | Health Care | Education | High school diplomas | ROADS | Transportation | Louisiana Community and Technical College System

Contributors:

• Sanford, Shauna Host
• Erwin, Barry Host
• Smith, Pat Panelist
• Broome, Sharon Weston Panelist
• Greene, Hunter Panelist
• Smiley, Mert Panelist
• Chandler, Billy Panelist
• Jackson, Michael Panelist
• Barrow, Regina Panelist
• LaFleur, Eric Panelist
• Thibaut, Major Panelist

This segment from the June 26, 2009, episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” features Shauna Sanford and Barry Erwin of the Council for a Better Louisiana (CABL) leading a round table discussion with state legislators from the Baton Rouge and Alexandria areas about the recently completed 2009 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. The panelists are State Representative Pat Smith, State Senator Sharon Weston-Broome, State Representative Hunter Greene, State Representative Mert Smiley, State Representative Billy Chandler, State Representative Michael Jackson, State Representative Regina Barrow, State Senator Eric LaFleur, and State Representative Major Thibaut. They discuss: the challenges faced during the legislative session, including the contention between the House and Senate, the growing pains in the House because of the large number of new members due to term limits, and the time spent on procedural matters in the House; the involvement of Governor Bobby Jindal and the Governor’s Office during the session; trying to minimize budget cuts in higher education and health care; and issues of local importance, including the establishment of a career option program and diploma for high school students not interested in pursuing higher education, funding for roads to try to alleviate traffic, allowing children in foster care who move to stay in their current school, the transferring of school credits from out-of-state for children in military families, and the importance of community colleges and technical colleges.