Lagniappe: Lawmakers have more money to close budget shortfalls after the state income estimating panel added nearly $179 million to two years of financial forecasts. The Associated Press reports the Revenue Estimating Conference made the changes today, boosting the state general fund forecast for this year by more than $99 million and next year by more than $79 million. Louisiana has gaps in the budget that ends June 30, estimated to total at least $56 million. But the remaining money could be used to help close next year’s budget shortfall. The House made tax changes to pay for about 70% of the gaps identified by House leaders, still leaving a significant hole in health care programs. Of the new money, $74 million comes from a one-time excess balance in an insurance reserve fund.
Hour by hour: A proposal to give all workers in Louisiana paid sick days was rejected by a Senate labor committee amid opposition from business. The Associated Press reports that the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Karen Peterson, D-New Orleans, said 700,000 workers in Louisiana lose pay—and sometimes their jobs—when they call in sick. Her bill would have allowed workers to earn one hour of paid sick time for every 40 hours worked. Sick time would have been capped at 52 hours a year. The bill was shot down by the committee in a 3-1 vote today, following heated debate. Opponents said it would be costly and cut into businesses’ profit margins. Supporters say fast food and other low-wage workers who go to work sick are a public health risk.
Going up: Waste Management says it has begun work on a new compressed natural gas fleet facility in Walker. Elected officials from Livingston Parish and the City of Walker joined Waste Management on Wednesday to celebrate a groundbreaking on the facility. In February 2014, Waste Management officials announced they would begin a conversion of their truck fleet in the Baton Rouge area to CNG in the fourth quarter of last year. The facility, which will service routes in Livingston Parish and the rest of the greater Baton Rouge area, is a major step toward the company’s sustainability goals of reducing its fleet emissions and increasing its fuel efficiency, Waste Management says. The facility is expected to take six to eight months to complete.
