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La. Lawmakers Rush To Get Budget Proposals To House Floor

Courtesy: La. House of Representatives

LA. BUDGET LEGISLATION -  Louisiana’s  Special Session is scheduled to end on June 4th and with less than a week  to go, lawmakers in Baton Rouge are attempting to move towards resolution on the state budget.  Yesterday, during the House Appropriations Committee meeting,   Rep. Cameron Henry (Republican from Metarie)  introduced a state operating budget that cuts higher education by $26 million dollars and funds 90% of the TOPS tuition Program.    Rep. Patricia Smith (Democrat from Baton Rouge) took issue with that.

"You can have the students all you want, but if you don’t have the places and the disciplines and the 

Credit Courtesy: La. House of Representatives
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Courtesy: La. House of Representatives
Rep. Cameron Henry (R-Metarie)

instructors - if you’re gonna reduce their funding then you’re actually working against TOPS," said Smith.

Smith also commented on Henry’s proposal that protects funding for nursing homes and safety-net hospitals, but cuts about  $70-million in State General Funds from the La. Department of Health. 
"Oh wow," exclaimed Smith, "you’re really trying to put poor people out."  Henry responded "When the bill gets on to the floor I promise you there’s gonna be amendments to move things around as things go and that’s how the process works."

Credit Courtesy: AP Photo
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Courtesy: AP Photo
Rep. Patricia Smith (D-Baton Rouge)

The House Appropriations Committee  advanced  five spending measures to the House floor, where they are likely to be taken up Thursday.  If a budget isn't adopted by Monday another special session will be held to finalize state spending by July 1st.   Special sessions cost Louisiana  taxpayers  about $50,000 to $60,000 a day.

Chuck Smith brings more than 30 years' broadcast and media experience to Red River Radio. He began his career as a radio news reporter and transitioned to television journalism and newsmagazine production. Chuck studied mass communications at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and motion picture / television production at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has also taught writing for television at York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina and video / film production at Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport.