After being gripped by the unsuccessful tax veto override last week, both houses began the session’s final week briskly passing bills waiting on the calendar. The House will not take up the budget bill today, after the Senate added back $200 million in cuts made by the House; but Speaker Jim Tucker signaled the changes could be accepted by the full body. In his view, Senate amendments complied with the House rule restricting one-time money by matching up those funds with one-time expenditures. The only real drama left in the Capitol is whether the U.S. Justice Department approves the redistricting plans of both houses, word on which is expected by the end of the day. Both houses have shell bills on the calendar in case minor adjustments are needed. A more extensive reworking would require a special session. Tucker says he hopes to hear from Justice by the end of this day.
— Before the House unanimously passed legislation to transfer the University of New Orleans from the LSU System to the University of Louisiana System, Speaker Jim Tucker, responding to a question, expressed doubt that Louisiana Tech would transfer to the LSU System. “I think Tech realizes they are better off in the UL System,” says Tucker, noting some alumni favored the move more than did school officials. Tucker described the UL system as more of a confederacy compared to the hierarchy of the LSU System. Any such move would require a study by the Board of Regents and could not be acted on until next year.
— The House has strengthened a bill the Jindal administration doesn’t like already, allowing the Legislature in 2014 to terminate the Coordinated Care Networks, the new managed care system for Medicaid set to begin next year. SB 207 by Sen. Willie Mount, D-Lake Charles, started out that way, but was amended in Senate committee to limit the oversight to the Joint Health Committee. Representatives wanted the whole body to pass on the $2 billion privatization program and re-instated language to sunset the program after three years. “While I think it will be a successful program, we should review it,” Tucker says. The administration has opposed the bill, which must return to the Senate for concurrence. If it passes there, it could be become a veto target.
(John Maginnis will publish a daily update on the legislative session at 3 p.m., available to LaPolitics Weekly subscribers on the Subscribers Only page at LaPolitics.com. You can register your user name and password on the Lapolitics home page.)
