The Louisiana Legislature finally passed a budget for next fiscal year. Senate Finance Chairman Eric LaFleur calls it a smart and reasonable spending plan that adequately funds the state’s biggest priorities.
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The Senate passed the budget on a 26-9 vote. Metairie Senator Conrad Appel also voted against it, because this budget plan does nothing to address the loss of over a billion dollars in temporary taxes next fiscal year.
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Doctor Jack Sava at Medstar Washington Hospital says Congressman Steve Scalise remains in critical condition, but his condition has improved over the last 36 hours. Sava says Scalise will need additional operations and a timetable on when he’ll be discharged has not been established.

Higher education leaders are very pleased with the budget approved by legislators. UL System President, Doctor Jim Henderson says it’s the first time in nearly a decade the state is not reducing funding for public colleges….
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But he says Louisiana remains the lowest funded higher education system among southern states.

Louisiana passed several laws last year that place restrictions on abortion procedures and hey were the subject of a federal hearing in Baton Rouge today. An attorney for the Center for Reproductive Rights, Zoe Levine, says getting an abortion is a core constitutional right…
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The state is seeking to have portions of the lawsuit thrown out.