On this first full day of the special session, the House Appropriations Committee heard testimony from the state health department and higher education leaders. Louisiana is facing a 500-million dollar revenue shortfall next fiscal year and many Republicans like Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala says the state can find savings within the state health department, which has seen its budget grow substantially over the last 10 years…
cut 14 (05) “….control this”
The state health department is not slated for any cuts next fiscal year.

There are over two thousand nursing programs throughout the United States, but only one can be ranked number one. That distinction belongs to Louisiana Tech University’s Division of Nursing. Chair of the program, Dr. Donna Hood, credits the latest accolade to the determination of both the faculty and students.
Cut 3 (08) “…of this program.”
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing ranks programs based on the rate at which graduates pass the licensing exam, which is 100-percent at Tech.

The escalating trade war with China is not good for Louisiana’s Agriculture Industry. Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says Louisiana has done a lot of work to open up China to rice, beef and poultry exports…
Cut 7 (10) “52-percent”
President Trump initially proposed tariffs on 50-billion dollars in Chinese imports, because of an estimated 375-billion dollar trade deficit with China. And now the Trump administration is looking at imposing tariffs on another 200-billion dollars worth of Chinese goods as the trade war worsens.

The 2018 crawfish season is coming to a close after getting off to a slow start, because of a cold January. David Savoy with the Louisiana Crawfish Famers Association says For those that may have noticed smaller than normal mudbugs this year, it was because the harvesting began a little early in the developmental process of the crawfish.
Cut 11 (12) “…pretty darn good.”