Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

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

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1988-04-22

Duration: 00:25:31

Subjects: Politics | Government | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1988 | SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION

Contributors:

• Lormand, Ken Host
• Sockman, Roger Reporter
• Fuller, Bonnie Interviewee
• Vidrine, Cheryl Interviewee
• Hofer, Thomas Interviewee
• Howard, Ester Interviewee
• Roemer, Buddy Interviewee
• Kendrick, Brian Speaker
• Perkins, Mary Interviewee
• Kendrick, Brian Interviewee
• Alario, John Interviewee
• Fields, Cleo Interviewee
• Picard, Cecil Interviewee
• Cody, Wilmer Interviewee
• Budd, Virginia Interviewee
• McKeithen, Fox Interviewee
• Adley, Robert Interviewee
• Bankston, Larry Interviewee
• Bares, Allen Interviewee
• Thompson, Francis Interviewee
• Dearman, Martha Interviewee
• Bourg, Red Speaker
• Gee, Terry Speaker

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from April 22, 1988, features Ken Lormand and Roger Sockman reporting on the first week of the 1988 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. Lormand first reports on state employees rallying against a proposed 36-hour work week. He interviews state employees Bonnie Fuller, Cheryl Vidrine, Thomas Hofer, and Ester Howard, as well as Governor Buddy Roemer. Lormand also presents highlights of Commissioner of Administration Brian Kendrick testifying before the House Appropriations Committee on the plan to use inmate labor to maintain state offices, as well as an interview with Mary Perkins, a groundskeeper at the State Capitol. Next, Sockman reports on Governor Roemer’s decision not to address the Legislature on the opening day of the session, including interviews with Governor Roemer, State Representative John Alario, and State Senator Cleo Fields. Sockman then reports on the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (BESE) Selection Committee interviewing candidates for the State Superintendent of Education. His report includes interviews with: State Senator Cecil Picard, candidate; Governor Roemer; Dr. Wilmer Cody, the committee’s preferred candidate; and Virginia Budd of the Louisiana Association of Educators. Next, Lormand reports on the election of Jim McCrery to Louisiana’s 4th Congressional District and the controversy surrounding the changes to the voter rolls prior to the election. He interviews Secretary of State Fox McKeiten. Lastly, Sockman recaps the week’s other activity at the session. These stories include: an interview with State Representative Robert Adley, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, on the timeline for their state budget hearings; an interview with State Senator Larry Bankston on the state’s financial condition; an interview with Senate President Allen Bares on the session’s timeline; an interview with State Representative Francis Thompson on his concerns about giving teachers a 5% pay raise while cutting the salaries of school employees; an interview with Martha Dearman of Delgado Community College on Governor Roemer’s proposal to close the school; highlights of Library Appreciation Day at the Capitol; and Red Bourg of the Louisiana AFL-CIO and State Representative Terry Gee testifying on the proposed repeal of the prevailing wage law.