The Louisiana House has advanced a $32 billion budget for the coming year to the Senate with less than four days left in the special session.
The House voted 95-5 on House Bill 1 on Thursday. The bill would fund TOPS at 80 percent, full-fund higher education but cut health care programs in the state by nearly $100 million, which would be compounded when federal dollars tied to state funding are factored in.
The House is continuing to debate a separate supplemental spending bill, House Bill 35, that would dictate where nearly $400 million in additional dollars expected to be raised in the special session would be directed, including a proposal to decrease the size of the cut to the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students in the coming year.
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“I know the bill’s not perfect, we’re going to try to add some back (with supplemental),” House Appropriations Chair Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, said of HB1.
The Legislature had approved a budget during the regular session, but Gov. John Bel Edwards vetoed it because it reflected deep cuts from the $650 million “fiscal cliff’ the state faces when temporary tax measures expire June 30.
The current two-week special session was called to raise revenue to plug some of the holes. It must end by midnight Monday.
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The House has agreed to about $400 million in additional revenue, mostly due to an extension of one-third of a 1 percent sales tax hike set to expire June 30. House Bill 27 would also allow sales taxes to be charged on some items previously exempt.
In a late night meeting, the Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee dramatically altered HB27 and passed an identical Democrat-sponsored measure onto the full Senate chamber that brought the amount of revenue up to about $642 million, largely through allowing sales taxes to be charged to businesses and industries that currently receive breaks.
House Republican Caucus Chair Lance Harris, R-Alexandria, warned the Senate panel that the bill wouldn’t pass the House if it returns as the committee amended it.
In opening discussion on the supplemental bill, which has many proposed amendments coming to the floor, Henry urged members to “resist temptation” to spend more money as reflected in the Senate’s proposal.
“We’ve already discussed problems with that bill,” he said.
Check back with The Advocate for updates.
