Governor John Bel Edwards has released his plan for closing the state’s $304 million budget deficit for this fiscal year. The plan includes using $119 million in the rainy day fund, as well as cuts to the budgets of statewide elected officials. Under the governor’s proposal, the Department of Health would take the biggest hit with a $128 million budget reduction. The plan will be debated by lawmakers in a special session that begins next week, ahead of the regular session in April.

A topic for debate in the regular session will be equal pay, as New Orleans Senator JP Morell is once again bringing his bill before the legislature. He says Louisiana women make less than 70 cents per dollar that a man makes, and this measure is about getting people paid what they are owed.

Cut 6 (10) “those children”

Morell expects groups that support pay secrecy will oppose the bill.

LSU Student Government believes the Board of Regents’ proposed changes to the TOPS scholarship program could push students out of the state. Proposals include raising the requirements and making students take more classes each year. President Zach Faircloth says Louisiana should be doing all it can to make sure out best students stay in the state.

Cut 9 (10) “first step”

The Board of Regents will make their final recommendation later this month.

State Education Superintendent John White is hosting a public meeting in Caddo Parish tonight to discuss improving struggling schools in Shreveport. White says a plan for dealing with these schools will be presented to BESE next month, and they want to get the public’s input.

Cut 11 (07) “his vision”

White says 15 out of 66 schools in the parish have “F” letter grades.