Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

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

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1986-06-23

Duration: 00:25:52

Subjects: Politics | Government | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1986 | STATE BUDGET | SCOTT, LOREN | Mental Health

Contributors:

• Myers, Laura Host
• Nachman, Karen Host
• Ackal, Bo Speaker
• Patti, Frank Speaker
• Delpit, Joe Speaker
• Laborde, Raymond Speaker
• Cain, James David Speaker
• Heitmeier, Francis Speaker
• Theriot, Sam Speaker
• Dastugue, Quentin Speaker
• Adley, Robert Speaker
• Barthelemy, Sidney Speaker
• Benson, Tom Speaker
• Jumonville, J.E. Interviewee
• Thibeaux, Maizie Interviewee
• Andrepont, Burt Interviewee
• Hainkel, John Interviewee
• Weiss, Jack Interviewee
• Hudson, Tommy Interviewee
• McGarrahan, Sandy Interviewee
• Scott, Loren Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from June 23, 1986, features Laura Myers and Karen Nachman hosting a daily legislative report on the 1986 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. They first report on the day’s headlines. These stories include: debate in the House Appropriations Committee on the state budget, including comments by State Representatives Bo Ackal, Frank Patti, and Joe Delpit; State Representative Raymond Laborde presenting the Senate-approved version of the state budget with about $600 million in cuts on the House floor; State Representatives James David Cain, Francis Heitmeier, Sam Theriot, Quentin Dastugue, and Robert Adley debating the budget; highlights of a press conference with New Orleans Mayor Sidney Barthelemy and New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson discussing Governor Edwin Edwards’ efforts to restore state funding to the Saints and the Superdome; an interview with State Senator J.E. Jumonville on higher education funding; an interview with Maizie Thibeaux, a mental health advocate, on her concerns about the proposed cuts to community mental health centers; an interview with State Representative Burt Andrepont on his resolution to look into the allocation of resources for community-based mental health services; an interview with State Representative John Hainkel on his bill setting an occupational license tax; an interview with attorney Jack Weiss on his view that levying an occupational license tax on the press is unconstitutional; an interview with State Senator Tommy Hudson on his bill making use of the state’s self-insurance program for workers’ compensation optional instead of mandatory; and an interview with Sandy McGarrahan of the National Kidney Foundation on his concerns about budget cuts. Lastly, Myers conducts an in-studio interview with Dr. Loren Scott, an economics professor at LSU. He discusses: revenue generating options for the Legislature, including the income tax; his projection for oil prices; the possible revenue generated by the legalization of casino gambling and a statewide lottery; the increased crime rate that accompanies casinos; and his view of the actions that the Legislature needs to take in order to attract new businesses to the state.