Collection:LPB

Genre: Speech

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

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 2005-04-25

Duration: 01:03:47

Subjects: Blanco, Kathleen Babineaux, 1942-2019 | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 2005 | Politics | Government

Contributors:

• Ekings, Robyn Host
• Erwin, Barry Guest
• Archie, Crystal Performer
• Fletcher, Julie Performer
• Blanco, Kathleen Speaker

Robyn Ekings hosts live coverage of Governor Kathleen Blanco’s opening address to the 2005 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature on April 25, 2005. Prior to the speech, Ekings and Barry Erwin of the Council for a Better Louisiana (CABL) preview the major issues of the session. In the House chamber, Reverend Mangum leads a prayer, Crystal Archie performs the National Anthem, and Julie Fletcher performs God Bless America. During her speech, Governor Blanco discusses: the accomplishments of her first year in office; the $680 million state budget deficit; economic development; education; her proposal to raise the taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and gambling in order to fund teacher pay raises; redesigning Louisiana’s high schools; ethics reform; coastal erosion; and reforming the state’s health care system. Following the speech, Ekings and Erwin analyze the Governor’s remarks.