Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

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

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1984-05-16

Duration: 00:25:08

Subjects: Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1984 | Politics | Government | Banking Industry | BLUE LAWS | Professional Practices Commission | Prisons | Louisiana Municipal Association | Local governments

Contributors:

• Johnson, Ken Host
• Ekings, Robyn Host
• Hardy, Paul Interviewee
• Spradley, Tom Interviewee
• Dastugue, Quentin Interviewee
• Ducote, Jackie Interviewee
• Phelps, C. Paul Interviewee
• Pasqua, Charles Interviewee
• Powell, Bob Speaker
• Sumpter, Dennis Interviewee
• Lastrapes, Dud Interviewee
• Mowad, George Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from May 16, 1984, features Ken Johnson and Robyn Ekings 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: interviews with lobbyists Paul Hardy and Tom Spradley on the multi-parish banking bill; an interview with State Representative Quentin Dastugue on his bill allowing a local option to repeal the Sunday closing laws, or blue laws; an interview with Jackie Ducote, the Vice President of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI), on a bill repealing the Professional Practices Commission for teachers; and an interview with Secretary C. Paul Phelps of the Department of Corrections on the rising costs of operating the state’s prisons. Next, Ekings reports on Mayors Day at the State Capitol, an event sponsored by the Louisiana Municipal Association (LMA). Her report includes interviews with LMA Executive Director Charles Pasqua and Sulphur Mayor Dennis Sumpter, as well as highlights of a speech given by Monroe Mayor Bob Powell. Lastly, Johnson and Ekings conduct an in-studio interview with Lafayette Mayor Dud Lastrapes and Oakdale Mayor George Mowad. They discuss: the Legislature’s restrictions on the ability of local governments to raise revenues; the needs of local governments; the state’s one cent increase in sales tax; the state mandating local services without providing funding to pay for those services; the proposal to lift sales tax exemptions; and their stance on the state lottery.