Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

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

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1996-06-07

Duration: 00:23:57

Subjects: Politics | Government | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1996 | STATE BUDGET | Louisiana. Legislature

Contributors:

• Collins, Robert Host
• Duhe, Jeff Reporter
• Chapa, Arcie Reporter
• Ewing, Randy Speaker
• Guidry, John Speaker
• Barham, Robert Speaker
• Ellington, Noble Speaker
• Hainkel, John Speaker
• Picard, Cecil Speaker
• Jindal, Bobby Interviewee
• Spustek, John Interviewee
• Davis, Bud Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from June 7, 1996, features Robert Collins, Jeff Duhe, and Arcie Chapa reporting on the sixth week of the 1996 Fiscal Session of the Louisiana Legislature. Duhe first reports on the Senate floor debate on the state budget, including: Senate President Randy Ewing discussing Medicaid funding; State Senator John Guidry and State Senator Robert Barham debating the funding for a sickle cell anemia research project at Southern University; State Senator Noble Ellington and Senate President Randy Ewing debating the cuts to nursing homes; State Senator John Hainkel, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, discussing the lack of additional funds in the state budget; and State Senator Cecil Picard discussing teacher pay raises. Collins then conducts an in-studio interview with Secretary Bobby Jindal of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH). He discusses the reduction in funding for Medicaid and nursing home reimbursements. Lastly, Chapa reports on the $30 million in funding in the capital outlay bill for deferred maintenance at colleges and universities around the state. She tours the LSU Campus in Baton Rouge with John Spustek, the director of the Office of Facility Services. She also interviews LSU Chancellor Bud Davis.