The Revenue Estimating Conference is meeting at this hour to decide the size of the state’s midyear budget shortfall. So far a pretty picture is not being painted as lawmakers had hoped last month that tax collections would look better by now, but actually they look worse. Governor John Bel Edwards says whatever is determined today will decide whether another special session is needed. But But Appropriations Chairman Cameron Henry says there’s not an appetite at the Capitol to raise any more revenue, but they do have a plan…:
Cut 16 (08) “at this point”
Edwards estimates a shortfall greater than $300 million would require a special session to resolve.

4th District Congressman Mike Johnson has been invited by Congress to serve on another committee. Earlier this week Johnson was named to House Judiciary; today the US House of Representatives welcomed the Republican from Louisiana to the Natural Resources Committee.

The entire New Orleans Fair Grounds race track is under a quarantine in an effort to stop the spread of an equine herpes virus. Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says this quarantine has been implemented out of an abundance of caution…:
Cut 10 (08) “under control”
He says nine horses of the two-thousand at the track are in isolation and three of them recently tested positive for the equine herpes virus.

The crawfish harvest is looking decent for 2017, but not as good as last year. LSU AgCenter Aquaculture Specialist Mark Shirley says it depends how the weather goes in the coming months…:
CUT 25 (11) “little bit more”
He says even though we aren’t seeing as great of a crop as last year, we’re still on par with the long term average.