Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

Place Covered: Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1983-01-21

Duration: 00:26:44

Subjects: Filmed panel discussions | Journalists | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1983 | Louisiana. Legislature | SPECIAL SESSIONS | Politics | UNEMPLOYMENT | Unemployment insurance | Unemployment Trust Fund | WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION | Workers' compensation | Convict labor | Prisons | PRISONERS | STATE BUDGET | Budget deficits | Treen, David C., 1928-2009 | Edwards, Edwin W. | Louisiana AFL-CIO | Louisiana Association of Business and Industry | Labor | Taxes | INCOME TAX | State employee pay raises | Tax exemptions | HAZARDOUS WASTES | Environment | Womack, Kenneth | Deferred Compensation Corporation of Louisiana | INVESTIGATIONS | United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation

Contributors:

• George, Beth Host
• Ekings, Robyn Reporter
• Bush, Charles Photographer
• Tallaksen, Dale Photographer
• Carroll, Mark Photographer
• James, Frank Photographer
• Parker, Gene Photographer
• Bush, Charles Producer
• Fourrier, Clay Director
• George, Beth Producer
• Treen, Dave Speaker
• Hainkel, John Speaker
• Hargroder, Charles M. Panelist
• Young, David Panelist
• Duffy, Joan Panelist

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from January 21, 1983, features Beth George leading a panel discussion with three capitol reporters: Charles Hargroder of the New Orleans Times-Picayune/States Item; David Young of Louisiana Public Broadcasting; and Joan Duffy of United Press International.  The discussion was preceded by a recap of the special session of the Louisiana Legislature, including the passage of the unemployment and workmen’s compensation reform bills and the defeat of a bill allowing the use of inmate labor in the construction of state prisons. The panel discusses: Governor Dave Treen’s personal victories during the special session; former Governor Edwin Edwards testifying against the workmen’s compensation reform bill; the positions of the Louisiana AFL-CIO and Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI); the state budget deficit; the attempts to reinstate the personal income tax reduction; the possibility of pay raises for state employees during an election year; the future of industrial tax exemptions; and the passage of legislation allowing state department heads to negotiate hazardous waste disposal contracts.  They also discussed the death of Kenneth Womack, who had disappeared from his Baton Rouge residence in February 1982, and why the FBI was not able to locate him as a part of their investigation into his company, the Deferred Compensation Corporation of Louisiana (DCCL).