Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

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

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1984-06-18

Duration: 00:25:38

Subjects: Politics | Government | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1984 | Louisiana World Exposition (1984: New Orleans, La.) | Workers' compensation | Day care centers | Professional Improvement Program | Teacher pay raises | STEIMEL, ED

Contributors:

• Johnson, Ken Host
• Ekings, Robyn Host
• Edwards, Edwin Speaker
• Jumonville, J.E., Jr. Speaker
• Flory, Gordon Interviewee
• Cosse, Clark Interviewee
• Jenkins, Woody Interviewee
• Steimel, Ed Interviewee
• Slacks, Lorraine Interviewee
• Edwards, Edwin Interviewee
• Epling, Carrel Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from June 18, 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 testifying before the Senate Finance Committee on the proposed $15 million bail-out of the 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans; State Senator J. E. Jumonville, Jr. questioning the bail-out; interviews with Gordon Flory of the Louisiana AFL-CIO and Clark Cosse of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) on the proposed overhaul of the workers’ compensation system; and an interview with State Representative Woody Jenkins on a possible compromise on a bill requiring the licensing of day care centers. Next, Ekings reports on LABI president Ed Steimel’s recent controversial comments calling for the elimination of the Professional Improvement Program (PIPS) for teachers in order to fund teacher pay raises. Her report includes interviews with Lorraine Slacks of the Louisiana Association of Educators and Governor Edwin Edwards. Lastly, Johnson and Ekings conduct an in-studio interview with Ed Steimel and Carrel Epling, the president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers. They discuss: Steimel’s recent comments on the PIPS program; his allegations of abuses within the program; and business’ opposition to the proposed increase in the corporate franchise tax in order to fund teacher pay raises.