A bill that would have put the brakes on the state acquiring land for the proposed new public hospital in New Orleans was jettisoned by the Senate Education Committee. After sailing through the House, the proposal by Rep. Rick Nowlin, R-Natchitoches, failed in the committee with a 7-1 against it, led by opposition from Sen. Ann Duplessis, D-New Orleans. Nowlin’s bill would have stalled the land purchases and expropriation for the new LSU hospital until lawmakers on the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget approve financial plans for the hospital. The budget committee already has twice approved plans submitted by LSU.
The proposal has run into complaints from historic preservationists and some New Orleans residents who say it would be cheaper and cause less damage to historic buildings to rebuild the now-shuttered Charity Hospital.
Duplessis argued Nowlin’s bill was an attempt to rebuild at Charity Hospital. Nowlin says private property rights, the importance of medical education across the state and the hospital’s advertised $1.2 billion price tag made it acceptable for a northern Louisiana lawmaker to weigh in.
