Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

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

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1984-05-15

Duration: 00:25:09

Subjects: Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1984 | Politics | Government | University of Southwestern Louisiana | Traffic safety | Child restraint systems in automobiles

Contributors:

• Johnson, Ken Host
• Laborde, Raymond Interviewee
• McKellar, F.D. Interviewee
• Hebert, Lea Interviewee
• Kaufman, Phil Interviewee
• Haik, Ted, Jr. Interviewee
• Freeman, Bobby Interviewee
• Theis, Bette Interviewee
• Sampite, Joe Interviewee
• Williams, Polly Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from May 15, 1984, features Ken Johnson hosting a daily legislative report on the 1984 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. Johnson first reports on the day’s headlines. These stories include: an interview with State Representative Raymond Laborde on the “Right to Die” bill; an interview with F.D. McKellar on his support of a bill allowing parents to decide who will inherit their estate; highlights of a rally by students and alumni in favor of changing the name of the University of Southwestern Louisiana to the University of Louisiana; and interviews with rally participants Lea Hebert and Phil Kaufman. Next, Johnson reports on a bill requiring child restraints in automobiles for children under the age of five. His report includes interviews with State Representative Ted Haik, Jr. (the bill’s sponsor), Lieutenant Governor Bobby Freeman, and Bette Theis of the Louisiana Highway Commission. Lastly, Johnson conducts an in-studio interview with Natchitoches Mayor Joe Sampite and Polly Williams of the National Association of Women Highway Safety Leaders. They discuss: the success of Natchitoches’ law requiring child restraints; the cost of the restraints; enforcing the law; and their support of Representative Haik’s child restraint bill.