Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

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

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1985-07-08

Duration: 00:27:28

Subjects: Politics | Government | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1985 | Education

Contributors:

• Johnson, Ken Host
• Myers, Laura Reporter
• Gomez, Ron Interviewee
• Mapes, Bud Interviewee
• Hudson, Tommy Interviewee
• Epling, Carrel Interviewee
• Jackson, Alphonse Interviewee
• Bussie, Victor Interviewee
• Fernandez, Manny Interviewee
• Jefferson, William Interviewee
• Doucet, Eddie Speaker
• Laborde, Raymond Speaker
• Bruneau, Peppi Speaker
• Narcisse, Lawrence Interviewee
• Tate, Tom Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from July 8, 1985, features Ken Johnson hosting a daily legislative report on the final day of the 1985 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. Laura Myers first reports on the outcomes of the major issues of the session, including the allocation of the 8g offshore oil and gas royalties settlement, education reform, making right to work a constitutional amendment, and the right to know chemical bill. She interviews: State Representative Ron Gomez; Bud Mapes, lobbyist; State Senator Tommy Hudson; Carrel Epling, the president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers (LFT); State Representative Alphonse Jackson; Victor Bussie, the president of the Louisiana AFL-CIO; State Representative Manny Fernandez; and State Senator William Jefferson. Next, Johnson reports on the day’s headlines. These stories include: State Representative Eddie Doucet speaking in favor of the repeal of the 5% sales tax on alcohol; the passage of a bill removing public officials from office if they are convicted of a felony; and State Representatives Raymond Laborde and Peppi Bruneau debating a bill allowing nonprofit corporations to finance and lease state prisons. Lastly, Johnson conducts an in-studio interview with Lawrence Narcisse and Tom Tate of the Louisiana Association of Educators (LAE). They discuss: the passage of a bill changing the Superintendent of Education from an elective to an appointive position; the philosophical differences between LAE and LFT; LAE’s opposition to merit pay plans for teachers; the establishment of an Education Trust Fund with the 8g settlement money; increasing the pay scale for teachers from 12 years to 20 years; and teacher evaluations.