A 24-billion dollar budget that funds higher education at the same level as this year heads to the full House for a vote next week. The House Appropriations Committee has approved next fiscal year’s spending plan and Chairman Jim Fannin says revenue generating bills approved by the House last week will prevent any cuts to public colleges and universities…

cut 7 (07) “the process”

The House approved 615-million dollars in additional revenue last week, by raising the state’s cigarette tax and suspending or reducing tax benefits many businesses currently enjoy.

Legislative leaders in the House say they are committed to an override veto session if Governor Jindal vetoes the revenue generating bills they have passed. If Jindal vetoes the tax bills, Ways and Means Chairman Joel Robidaux says the House will act accordingly…

cut 10 (08) “veto override”

Jindal has said consistently that he will not approve any tax hike unless there is a tax reduction elsewhere.

New Orleans Representative Austin Badon believes his anti-discrimination legislation has a decent chance of passing this year. House Bill 612 would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. He says it needs to be realized that, across the board, all men and women are created equal…

cut 13 (05) “anybody else”

Badon says this legislation corrects the injustice of it being legal to fire someone from a job because they are gay, bisexual or transgender. Badon says the bill will likely come up in the House Committee on Civil Law and Procedure next week.