Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

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

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1987-06-19

Duration: 00:24:17

Subjects: Politics | Government | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1987 | Prisons | Louisiana. Office of State Police

Contributors:

• Hinton, Rob Host
• Roedts, Lynda Reporter
• Nunez, Sammy Speaker
• Rayburn, B.B. "Sixty" Interviewee
• Graves, Robert Speaker
• Guarisco, Anthony Speaker
• Neeson, Richard Speaker
• Brown, George Speaker
• Bares, Allen Speaker
• Nelson, Sydney Speaker
• Faria, Jean Speaker
• Jones, Charles R. Speaker
• Jetson, Raymond Speaker
• Donelon, Jim Speaker
• Sittig, Dale Speaker
• Edwards, Edwin Speaker
• McCormick, Wiley Speaker
• Phelps, C. Paul Speaker
• McCormick, Wiley Interviewee
• Tauzin, Billy Speaker
• Christensen, Bruce Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from June 19, 1987, features Rob Hinton and Lynda Roedts reporting on the ninth week of the 1987 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. Roedts first recaps the week’s activity at the session, including: Senate President Sammy Nunez testifying before the Senate Finance Committee on his view that the committee can raise the price of oil to $20 a barrel in their revenue projections; an interview with State Senator B.B. “Sixty” Rayburn on his concerns about raising the price of oil used in the state budget; Secretary Robert Graves of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development testifying on the state’s plan to allocate money for federal road repairs in order to keep other federal highway funds; State Senator Anthony Guarisco discussing a bill giving implied consent to a drug test if law enforcement officers suspect a person is driving under the influence; State Senator Richard Neeson and George Brown of the Louisiana Beer Industry League testifying on a bill prohibiting the sale of alcohol in private clubs to people under the age of 21; State Senators Allen Bares and Sydney Nelson debating a liability reform bill; Jean Faria, a criminal defense attorney, and State Representatives Charles R. Jones, Raymond Jetson, and Jim Donelon debating a bill suspending the death penalty for one year; and State Representative Dale Sittig discussing the amendments to his bill, which reduce the ethanol subsidy. Next, Hinton reports on the findings of a Louisiana State Police investigation into allegations of homosexual activity at the Louisiana Correctional and Industrial School, a minimum security prison in DeQuincy. It includes highlights from a press conference with Governor Edwin Edwards, Colonel Wiley McCormick, the superintendent of the Louisiana State Police, and Secretary C. Paul Phelps of the Louisiana Department of Corrections. Hinton then conducts an in-studio interview with Colonel McCormick, who discusses the findings from the investigation into LCIS. Next, Hinton reports on the week’s other headlines, including: the fourth execution at Angola, the Louisiana State Penitentiary, in two weeks; a court striking down Louisiana’s creationism law, which required the teaching of creationism in equal time with the theory of evolution; and Congressman Billy Tauzin, a gubernatorial candidate, discussing his plans for a four-day tour of the state. Lastly, Hinton interviews Bruce Christensen, the president of PBS.