Lawmakers are hoping to knock out a balanced budget for the next fiscal year before the regular session ends June 1st despite a billion-dollar projected deficit. House Appropriations Chairman Jerome Zeringue says there are 50-50 odds that the budget debate will require a June special session, but not for the usual partisan reasons.
Governor Edwards has indicated that any budget passed this session for the next fiscal year will likely need to be revised in October.
Senator Bill Cassidy says more needs to be done to address the developmental damage being done to children who are missing out on critical days of school. Cassidy says all of the country’s vaccine work is currently focused on adults, but children need a vaccine too.
Cassidy raised these questions with Trump Administration health officials.
The idea of axing Mardi Gras 2021 in New Orleans has been discussed, but in Lafayette, the outlook is to stick to business as usual. President and CEO of the Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission Ben Berthelot says if guidance is issued on how to best handle Mardi Gras closer to Carnival season, those measures will be taken.
Cut 5 (09) “…and welcoming people.”
Fat Tuesday falls on February 16 in 2021.
The United Way is asking families how is the COVID-19 crisis impacting them financially? Louisiana Association of United Ways President Sarah Berthelot says you can go to launitedway.org to complete the ten-minute survey. She hopes to receive several hundred responses from every region of the state.
Berthelot says they launched the survey on Tuesday and they’ve already had about one-thousand respondents.