Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

Place Covered: Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, Reserve, St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1992-06-05

Duration: 00:27:44

Subjects: Politics | Government | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1992 | Gambling | Labor | Education

Contributors:

• Collins, Robert Host
• Duhe, Jeff Reporter
• Chapa, Arcie Reporter
• Johnson, Jon Interviewee
• Kelly, Don Interviewee
• Forster, Garey Speaker
• Copelin, Sherman Speaker
• Bruneau, Peppi Speaker
• Dastugue, Quentin Speaker
• Ackal, Bo Speaker
• Laborde, Raymond Speaker
• Rayburn, B.B. "Sixty" Interviewee
• Alario, John Speaker
• Brown, Jim Interviewee
• Subra, Wilma Speaker
• Midboe, Kai Interviewee
• Chabert, Marty Speaker
• Bagneris, Dennis Speaker
• LeBlanc, Jerry Luke Speaker
• Crane, Carl Speaker
• Clausen, Sally Speaker
• Becnel, Albert T. Interviewee
• Schum, Debbie Interviewee
• Knight, Barbara Interviewee
• Holloway, Iona Interviewee
• Gendron, Dowie Interviewee
• Arcement, Bill Interviewee
• Day, Linda Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from June 5, 1992, features Robert Collins, Jeff Duhe, and Arcie Chapa reporting on the tenth week of the 1992 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. Chapa first reports on the Senate rejecting a constitutional amendment limiting New Orleans to one casino and the House defeating a bill allowing a casino in New Orleans. She interviews State Senators Jon Johnson and Don Kelly. Her report also includes highlights of the House floor debate, including comments by State Representatives Garey Forster, Sherman Copelin, Peppi Bruneau, Quentin Dastugue and Bo Ackal. Duhe then reports on the latest action at the State Capitol, including: Commissioner of Administration Raymond Laborde testifying before the Senate Finance Committee on the state budget; an interview with State Senator B.B. “Sixty” Rayburn on the budget; Speaker of the House John Alario testifying on a bill allowing the Avondale Shipyard to sell tax-free bonds; an interview with Commissioner of Insurance Jim Brown on health insurance reform bills; Wilma Subra, an environmental scientist, testifying against a bill suspending environmental regulations on oil and gas companies; an interview with Secretary Kai Midboe of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) on the bill; State Senators Marty Chabert and Dennis Bagneris questioning State Representative Jerry Luke LeBlanc on his bill banning contracts between state officials and state agencies; and State Representative Carl Crane questioning Superintendent of Education Sally Clausen on a bill rolling back the start of the teacher evaluation program until 1994. Next, Duhe reports on a bill allowing collective bargaining for teachers. He visits Reserve and looks back at the 1984 teacher strike in St. John the Baptist Parish, which lasted for 27 days. He interviews: Albert T. Becnel, the former school superintendent; Debbie Schum, teacher; Barbara Knight, teacher; Iona Holloway, local union president; and Dowie Gendron, school board member. Lastly, Duhe interviews Bill Arcement, the president of the Louisiana School Boards Association, and Linda Day, the president of the Louisiana Association of Educators (LAE). They discuss their views on the bill allowing collective bargaining for teachers.