Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

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

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1985-05-30

Duration: 00:25:46

Subjects: Politics | Government | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1985 | Environment | TEACHER EVALUATIONS | Electronic surveillance | Public utilities | Lotteries

Contributors:

• Johnson, Ken Host
• Myers, Laura Reporter
• Bagert, Ben Speaker
• Vincent, Ross Speaker
• Bowen, Phillip Speaker
• Walters, Ed Interviewee
• Epling, Carrel Speaker
• Davis, Mona Interviewee
• Kemp, Duncan Interviewee
• Guste, William Speaker
• Adley, Robert Speaker
• Anderson, Wayne Speaker
• Moss, Jim Speaker
• Andrepont, Burt Speaker
• Dimos, Jimmy Interviewee
• Guste, William Interviewee
• Bolin, Bruce Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from May 30, 1985, features Ken Johnson hosting a daily legislative report on the 1985 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. Johnson first reports on the day’s headlines. These stories include: State Senator Ben Bagert, Ross Vincent of the Ecology Center, and Phillip Bowen of the Louisiana Chemical Association testifying on the right to know bill for chemicals used by businesses; an interview with environmentalist Ed Walters on the committee approval of a bill requiring industries to notify the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) about the hazardous pollutants they are emitting in the air; Carrel Epling, the president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, on a possible compromise bill for the quality assurance assessment program for teachers; an interview with Mona Davis, the Governor’s education advisor, on the committee approval of a bill dedicating 8g offshore oil and gas royalties to education; and an interview with District Attorney Duncan Kemp on the approval of a bill prohibiting electronic surveillance except for law enforcement agencies with a court order. Next, Laura Myers reports on the House Commerce Committee voting against creating a new consumer protection division within the Attorney General’s Office to combat rising utility rates. Her report includes testimony by: Attorney General William Guste; Wayne Anderson, attorney for Louisiana Power & Light; Jim Moss of Gulf States Utilities; and State Representative Burt Andrepont, the bill’s sponsor. It also includes State Representative Robert Adley questioning Guste, as well as interviews with State Representative Jimmy Dimos and Attorney General Guste. Lastly, Johnson conducts an in-studio interview with State Representative Bruce Bolin, the chairman of the House Criminal Justice Committee. He discusses the committee’s approval of the electronic surveillance bill and their opposition to creating a state lottery.