A House committee begins holding hearings today on Governor Landry’s spending plan for the next fiscal year.  The governor’s office is seeking an 82-million-dollar increase in state funding for its corrections department.  And The Office of Juvenile Justice is seeking a 28-million-dollar increase as Louisiana’s juvenile justice system is incarcerating more youth offenders. Fifteen-million dollars will be used to open a new youth prison in Vernon Parish, and Appropriations Chair Jack MacFarland says they also want to increase staff salaries.

Cut 5 (11) “…make it competitive.”

The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry says the state is making great strides towards economic competitiveness. President and CEO Will Green says Louisiana now ranks 24th in the country in both job creation and wage growth and says our state has made significant improvements in the classroom.

Cut 12 (08) “…than ever before.”

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It was a mere formality that the University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors made official last Friday – it unanimously appointed Dr. Ramesh Kolluru the new president of U-L Lafayette, removing the interim tag that he had since November. One of Kolluru’s first tasks as he assumes the role full time is to balance the school’s budget, and he says he plans on doing so without any government bailouts.

Cut 14 (10) “…the fiscal year.”

LSU plans to display the Ten Commandments in its classrooms. LSU President Wade Rousse announced on Friday that the university will comply with state law citing a 2024 bill that requires the state to post the Ten Commandments in every K-12 classroom. In addition to college and university classrooms that accept state money.  According to the Louisiana Illuminator, Rousse is waiting for posters to be donated.