Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

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

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1984-06-19

Duration: 00:24:54

Subjects: Politics | Government | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1984 | Teacher pay raises | Louisiana World Exposition (1984: New Orleans, La.) | Lotteries | Drivers' licenses | Exemplary damages | Civil law

Contributors:

• Johnson, Ken Host
• Ekings, Robyn Host
• Edwards, Edwin Speaker
• Nicholson, Elywn Interviewee
• Lowenthal, Margaret Interviewee
• Downer, Hunt Interviewee
• Hainkel, John Interviewee
• Dimos, Jimmy Interviewee
• Atkinson, Dan Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from June 19, 1984, features Ken Johnson and Robyn Ekings hosting a daily legislative report on the 1984 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. Johnson first reports on the day’s headlines. These stories include: a press conference with Governor Edwin Edwards discussing the upcoming vote on the increase in the corporate franchise tax in order to fund teacher pay raises, as well as the $15 million bail-out of the 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans; an interview with State Senator Elwyn Nicholson on his constitutional amendment creating a state lottery; and an interview with State Representative Margaret Lowenthal on her bill requiring probationary drivers’ licenses for seventeen-year-olds and increased penalties for their driving offenses. Next, Ekings reports on four bills that allow punitive damages in civil cases. Her report includes interviews with State Representative Hunt Downer and State Representative John Hainkel. Lastly, Johnson and Ekings conduct an in-studio interview with State Representative Jimmy Dimos and attorney Dan Atkinson, a past president of the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel. They discuss the punitive damages bills.