Updates

The play-by-play report of the last hours of session:

As time ran out on the Second Extraordinary Session of the Louisiana legislature, Rep. Alan Seabaugh used delaying tactics to stop a half-billion dollar tax increase in the House of Representatives and drive the state's Democrats absolutely crazy with rage. ... See more

You won’t see this on the news.

*House Republican Statement on End of Session*

Since the first day of this legislative session and throughout the special session, the Louisiana House Republican Delegation has been crystal clear in its opposition to growing the size of government. To increase government spending while Louisiana remains the slowest economy in America and has a retracting GDP would be completely irresponsible.

In a spirit of compromise and despite our opposition to additional taxation and growth of government, Republicans presented a compromise plan to fund critical state priorities by renewing one-third of the expiring one-cent sales tax with the condition that we reduce state spending by the smallest of margins, 1.7%. The Republican Spending Reduction Compromise Plan was met with hostile resistance and outlandish scare tactics from the administration. While Republicans came to the middle, the administration and Democrats doubled down on a tax-and-spend budget.

In the final minutes of voting, a renewed compromise plan from Republicans which reduced state spending by 0.7% was defeated with only two Democrats voting in favor. This would have been a 0.7% reduction of the 2018 budget, the largest budget in the history of Louisiana.

Our state government will continue to grow out of control, taxes will continue to rise, and Louisiana will continue to fall in every conceivable category until someone says "enough is enough." Last night, Louisiana House Republicans stood up for the hard-working, overtaxed families of this state and said “enough."

We will enter into the upcoming special session laser-focused on reducing state spending and meeting the critical needs of the state. Our commitment to the taxpayers will not waver. ... See more

Special Session ended at midnight. The budget that passed fully funds the Department of Health. Higher Ed is funded at 90% and TOPS at 70%. More details after the dust settles.

I wish we could just reduce spending instead of repeated efforts to increase revenue. If even half of the reform measures we’ve proposed this term had passed, we would have no deficit by now. ... See more

Here is an excellent budget status report from a friend and colleague that I work with regularly. Thank you Rep. Bacala!

"If the tax measures (under consideration today) pass, the state budget will grow by $423,714,359 (of which $134,494,893 would be in State funds and $289,220,466 would be in Federal funds)!

"Deeper in the Legislative Fiscal Office report, it is indicated that the Senate proposals would result in a growth in spending by the Louisiana Department of Health of $445 million! This is on top of $745 million in surplus that LDH predicted in April of this year." ... See more

From the House Chamber on the last day of the Second Special Session:

For the last hour or so, we have been on recess in the House of Representatives as negotiations continue with the Senate and the Governor's Office on the fix for the "fiscal cliff".

Right now, we are considering three revenue measures received from the Senate worth about $577 million, and a budget bill that directs how all state funds will be spent.
The Senate revenue measures include House Bill 27 which they grew from a $366 million to a $515 million, House Bill 18 which is a $33 million dollar bill to which the Senate added a $21 million increase in expenditures on Earned Income Tax Credits, and the diversion of $50 million of BP Deepwater Horizon settlement money for general use.

In all, the Senate version of revenue proposals would raise about $577 million to offset the "fiscal cliff".

However, sometimes you have to dig deeper than what you see on the surface. In a budget analysis of the Senate version of the budget, the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Office noted the following:

"HB1 Reengrossed with Senate amendments of the 2nd E.S. of 2018 (herein after referred to as HB1) inclusive of supplemental appropriations, increases $423,714,359 from the FY 18 EOB as of 12-1-17. The total increase is comprised of $65,001,192 SGF, $88,545,485 SGR, $13,153,813 Statutory Dedications, and $289,220,466 Federal Funds; while partially offset by a decrease of $32,606,597 IAT."

(In case you are wondering, 2nd E.S. means the second extraordinary session, EOB means Existing Operating Budget, SGF means State General Fund, SGR means Self Generated Funds, and IAT means Interagency Transfers.)

Let me interpret: If the tax measures listed above pass, the state budget will grow by $423,714,359 (of which $134,494,893 would be in State funds and $289,220,466 would be in Federal funds)!

Deeper in the Legislative Fiscal Office report, it is indicated that the Senate proposals would result in a growth in spending by the Louisiana Department of Health of $445 million! This is on top of $745 million in surplus that LDH predicted in April of this year.

We are about to go back into session, so I must end this post here and get back to doing the job that you sent me here to do, which is to represent you. ... See more

Today the House of Representatives commended Louisiana State Trooper Carl Cavalier upon receiving the Medal of Valor for his bravery in handling an active shooter situation last year in the French Quarter.

Trooper Cavalier got his start in law enforcement with the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s office and now serves with Louisiana State Police Troop C.

Congratulations Trooper Cavalier! You make Louisiana proud! ... See more

Brief dinner break and back to work.

Back at it! We have about 31 hours left to settle budget issues.

Louisiana has had laws on the books for a few years now that give terminally ill patients the right to try experimental treatments and devices. Now congress has opened the doors at the federal level too! ... See more

The legislation allows patients with life-threatening conditions to ask drugmakers for medicines that have cleared some testing but still haven't been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Some more good news from home:

Today, we signed the permits for the Petite Calliou Bayou Lock System in Chauvin at Boudreaux Canal. This $9 million project is FULLY FUNDED and ready to go to construction bid! This Lock system will allow vessels such as shrimp, Crab, Oyster, Recreational, and oil & gas vessels to come and go even if tides are abnormally high along with helping to control the water levels in Bayou Petite Calliou. (Oneil Malbrough, GIS Engineering, LLC, Gordon Dove, Terrebonne Parish President, Colonel Clancy, US Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, David Rabalais, Terrebonne Port Director ... See more