By Anna Puleo
LSU Manship School News Service
With the end of the legislative session approaching, the Louisiana Senate approved a revised
state budget Monday, adding at least $1.2 billion that was not in the House version of the bill.
The money would come from the $3.9 billion in state’s Revenue Stabilization Trust Fund, which
holds some of the funds collected through corporate and severance taxes.
The Senate would spend that money on one-time projects to improve infrastructure, higher
education facilities and economic development.
The budget bill, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, now goes back to the House for concurrence
or further negotiations with the Senate before the session is scheduled to end on Thursday.
The money added by the Senate includes $709 million for major transportation projects, $275
million for site development and business incentives and $75 million for local water system
upgrades.
Another $43 million is dedicated to higher education needs such as deferred maintenance and
construction, while $23 million would go to criminal justice infrastructure.
“The Senate has done a solid job with this budget limiting government growth and prioritizing
funding for infrastructure so our state can continue to advance,” said Senate Finance Committee
Chairman Glen Womack, R-Harrisonburg.
Like the House bill, the Senate’s version of the budget also includes $199 million for teacher
stipends of $2,000 for K-12 teachers and $1,000 for support workers at public schools.
But the Senate restores $30 million for high-dose tutoring programs that the House had cut.
It also slashes the proposed appropriation for Gov. Jeff Landry’s LA GATOR program that
would let parents use state money to pay to send their children to private schools.
Landry and the House wanted to spend $93.5 million for LA GATOR in the next fiscal year. But
given concerns about the state’s longer-term financial picture and the potential impact on
funding for public schools, the Senate proposed cutting that to $43.5 million.
Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, called the process a collaborative effort between
the chambers.
“Unity is what makes this process work,” he said. “What we’re doing today changes the overall
budget climate in our state. It sets the stage for a better tomorrow.”