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. Fannin says they were hoping to generate 900-million dollars or so in new revenue, but there’s still time to do that.

The Senate has advanced a bill that would let colleges raise their own tuition without legislative approval. The vote was 33-4 Monday and the authority would only come if another proposal which seeks to control the TOPS scholarship program also advances.

Legislative leaders in the state House of Representatives say they are committed to an override veto session if Governor Jindal vetoes the revenue generating bills they have passed. The House has approved legislation that raises $615 million to protect higher education and reduce cuts to health care. If Jindal vetoes the tax bills, Ways and Means Chairman Joel Robidaux says the House will act accordingly…:
CUT 10 (08) “veto override”
Monroe Representative Katrina Jackson, Chairwoman of the Legislative Black Caucus, says there is one big factor in determining if lawmakers will be successful in this budget fight…:
CUT 11 (09) “enough is enough”
Jindal has said consistently that he will not approve any tax hike unless there is a tax reduction elsewhere.