As anticipated, Gov. Jeff Landry has officially called for a special session, directing the Louisiana Legislature to convene next month on fiscal matters related to an impending budget shortfall.
At the heart of the governor’s agenda is a sweeping restructuring of the state’s tax structure, with a shift toward a flat income tax for individuals and businesses, and an expansion of the state sales tax to more items and services.
The special session will begin at 3 p.m. Nov. 6 and end no later than 6 p.m. Nov. 25, according to the proclamation Landry issued Sunday evening.
Landry’s call covers a variety of fiscal topics, including revenue, taxes, spending, budgets and teacher pay raises, among others.
The governor had announced his intention to call for a special session after revealing the state could face a budget shortfall next year, estimated at between $400 million to $700 million depending on the scenarios in play. If left unaddressed, that could mean major cuts to health care for the poor, elderly and disabled as well as significant budget reductions for state colleges and universities.
In addition to the fiscal overhaul, the governor’s call opens the door for lawmakers to introduce proposals involving “crimes that are not subject to special juvenile procedures.”
Another item permits legislation based on how the Louisiana Supreme Court handles disciplinary proceedings, unethical practices and vacant judgeships. It also includes speciality courts within the state’s judicial branch.
The state’s fortified roof program, created to provide grants for homeowner upgrades, is also included in the call.
Sunday’s proclamation marks the third extraordinary or “special” session Landry has called for this year. He ordered the first one in mid-January, one of his earliest acts as governor, to direct lawmakers to draw a second majority-Black congressional district. He then convened a second one a few weeks later to repeal some of the criminal justice reforms his predecessor, Gov. John Bel Edwards, had enacted.
Gov. Landry calls lawmakers into special session for tax structure overhaul
November 3, 2024
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