Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

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

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1984-05-23

Duration: 00:25:16

Subjects: Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1984 | Politics | Government | Louisiana. Department of State Civil Service | Political campaigns | Lotteries | VOTER REGISTRATION | PORTS | RALLIES | TEACHERS | Teacher pay raises

Contributors:

• Johnson, Ken Host
• Ekings, Robyn Host
• Edwards, Edwin Speaker
• Bussie, Victor Speaker
• Nicholson, Elywn Speaker
• Bruneau, Peppi Interviewee
• Lauricella, Hank Interviewee
• Slacks, Lorraine Speaker
• Sziber, Jeraldine Interviewee
• Abram, Arvis Interviewee
• Schmersal, Kurt Interviewee
• Slacks, Lorraine Interviewee
• Ours, Ann Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from May 23, 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: Governor Edwin Edwards and Victor Bussie, president of the Louisiana AFL-CIO, testifying on a bill allowing classified state employees to become involved in political campaigns; State Senator Elwyn Nicholson testifying on his bill creating a state lottery; an interview with State Representative Peppi Bruneau on his opposition to a bill allowing voter registration on the streets; and an interview with State Senator Hank Lauricella on his bill consolidating five Mississippi River ports into the Port of Louisiana. Next, Ekings reports on a rally held by 15,000 teachers on the steps of the State Capitol in support of a 10% teacher pay raise. Her report includes highlights of the speeches by Lorraine Slacks, the president of the Louisiana Association of Educators (LAE), and Governor Edwin Edwards. It also includes interviews with three rally participants, Jeraldine Sziber, Arvis Abram, and Dr. Kurt Schmersahl. Lastly, Johnson and Ekings conduct an in-studio interview with Lorraine Slacks and Ann Ours, a middle school teacher in Baton Rouge. They discuss: the impact of the rally on their cause; the goal of the rally; Governor Edwards’ reception at the rally; and their commitment to a 10% pay raise.