The Edwards administration has proposed a budget that does not call for deep cuts to state services. According to the Associated Press, a billion dolllar loss in revenues and fees would be made up by using federal dollars from the CARES ACT and rainy day money.

The spending plan was presented to legislative leaders on Friday night. Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne told the A-P that the reworked budget proposal is not as bad as most people would expect. Higher ed and health care services will still see cuts, but TOPS, public schools and the social services department do not see a reduction in funding.

When the session started, Edwards hoped to provide teachers a pay raise and increase funding for K-12 schools and early childhood education but that’s not possible anymore.

Legislators have until June 1st to pass a budget for the next fiscal year. If they can’t, they’ll need a June special session.

The full Senate is scheduled to tackle two major bills today, one being tort reform aimed at reducing auto insurance rates and the other revoking local governments’ ability to sue oil companies for coastal damages. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says there are enough votes in the upper chamber to pass tort reform…
Cut 13 (12) “…states”
Opponents of the tort reform bill say it would not lower auto insurance rates and would make it harder for victims of negligence to be properly compensated.

The coastal land loss lawsuit legislation had strong GOP support, but Pinsonat says local leaders are pushing coastal Republicans away from the bill.
Cut 14 (09) “…debt”
Pinsonat says it is possible the bill will be shelved today due to a lack of votes. He says the governor does not support both of these proposals…

Cut 15 (11)“…weaken it.”

The Senate will convene today at 2 PM.