Lawmakers have until 6 PM Thursday to approve a budget for next fiscal year and pass revenue generating bills that would stave off large cuts to higher education and health care. Senate Finance Chairman Jack Donahue says legislators also need to pass a tax offset to prevent Governor Bobby Jindal from vetoing certain tax bills…
cut 16 (12) “…anybody good”
The SAVE tax credit could be used to offset tax increases and satisfy Jindal’s demand for a revenue neutral budget. But House members call the legislation a gimmick. Jeremy Alford of la-politics-dot-com, no one at the State Capitol knows how this session will wind up…
cut 8 (08) “…for this session”

Governor Bobby Jindal is expected to sign the three bill compromise passed by the legislature related to Common Core. Going forward, four panels-mostly made up of teachers-will review the curriculum. The Council for a Better Louisiana supports Common Core-and their president Barry Erwin is pleased with the compromise…
cut 14 (08) “that’s a win”
A key component of the legislation is that the next governor will have the ability to reject any proposed changes to Common Core.

Another bill heading to the governor’s desk is one that doubles the fine for littering. A first-offense for simple littering will go up from 75 to 150-dollars and subsequent offenses will increase from 500 to one-thousand dollars. The additional revenue will go towards the retirement system of the law enforcement agency that writes the litter ticket.