A Senate bill considered a complicated higher-ed tax credit helping the budget become revenue neutral fails in House committee Wednesday. Some say the measure would be a way the Governor wouldn’t veto the budget but Scott Cornelius is an LSU student who told the committee that Governors do not veto budgets…:
CUT 13 (11) “ridiculous gimmick”
The vote was 10-9 to kill the proposal. But State Revenue Secretary Tim Barfield says lawmakers will now have to look at other options to produce a revenue neutral budget…:
CUT 7 (09) “from here”
The Governor’s Office statement says there’s still time to get a balanced budget done which doesn’t raise taxes, but protects higher ed and healthcare.

A Common Core comprise bill that establishes a process to review the controversial education standards receives approval from the Senate education committee. Lake Charles Representative Brett Geymann…:
CUT 6 (08) “own standards”
The measure heads to the full senate for final legislative approval.

Legislation that would ease pot possession penalties in Louisiana is just a step away from Governor Bobby Jindal’s desk for his signature. The Senate Wednesday approved a House Bill that would make possession of less than 14 grams of marijuana punishable by a max $300 fine and 15 days in jail. Jindal has already said he’d sign the bill…:
CUT 1 (06) “drug offenders”

The Senate Finance Committee approves a bill that would increase the tax on a pack of cigarettes 64 cents which is 32 cents higher than what the House agreed to. The measure was one of eight revenue generating bills that passed the panel and now head to the full Senate.