Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

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

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1985-05-22

Duration: 00:26:48

Subjects: Politics | Government | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1985 | State employee pay raises | Education

Contributors:

• Johnson, Ken Host
• Myers, Laura Reporter
• Bussie, Victor Speaker
• Edwards, Edwin Speaker
• Clausen, Tom Speaker
• Freeman, Bobby Speaker
• Bell, Terrel Speaker
• Jackson, Johnny Interviewee
• Epling, Carrel Interviewee
• Adley, Robert Interviewee
• Steimel, Ed Interviewee
• Webb, Garland Interviewee
• Forster, Garey Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from May 22, 1985, features Ken Johnson hosting a daily legislative report on the 1985 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. Laura Myers first reports on state employees rallying for a 10% pay raise on the steps of the State Capitol in Baton Rouge. Her report includes highlights of the speeches by Victor Bussie of the Louisiana AFL-CIO, Governor Edwin Edwards, Superintendent of Education Tom Clausen, and Lieutenant Governor Bobby Freeman. Johnson then reports on the day’s headlines. These stories include: a speech by former United States Secretary of Education Terrel Bell; an interview with State Representative Johnny Jackson on his opposition to a bill setting norm-reference testing as the basis for promotion or retention in schools; an interview with Carrel Epling, the president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, on the House Education Committee approving three bills from Governor Edwards’ education reform package; an interview with State Representative Robert Adley on his bill prohibiting the sale, possession, and use of stun guns for one year; and an interview with Ed Steimel, the president of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI), on his disappointment with Governor Edwards’ lobbying efforts against the right to work constitutional amendment. Lastly, Johnson conducts an in-studio interview with Garland Webb, the director of the Louisiana chapter of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and State Representative Garey Forester. They discuss the funding options for state employee pay raises.