The leader of Louisiana’s House Republican delegation offered his proposal today for slashing $304 million in state spending to close a midyear deficit without needing the special legislative session Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards intends to call.
Alexandria Rep. Lance Harris’ plan, provided to The Associated Press, would levy the deepest reduction of $147 million on the health department.
Public colleges, the state’s social services department and the veterans affairs agency would be protected from hits.
Cuts would fall on roadwork, state prisons, K-12 education, agriculture and the state tourism agency, among others. Louisiana wouldn’t use its “rainy day” fund under the plan—and it could be enacted without calling the full Legislature back to Baton Rouge.
The plan represents “how I would do it as if this was my business,” Harris says.
Edwards is planning a mid-February special session to close the gap in the $27 billion state operating budget.
The governor’s administration has said those same lawmakers critical of a special session haven’t offered any budget-rebalancing ideas to show how that could work.
Today, Harris responded with his roadmap for reductions.
“The governor has it within his power to do this without a special session. I do think he should do this,” Harris said. But he added: “If he decides to have a special session, I will be here.”
He said the plan was his idea, not offered on behalf of the full House GOP delegation.
