Resolution to raise Louisiana’s spending cap advances past Senate Finance Committee

Published: April 26, 2023

By: Molly Ryan | LSU Manship School News Service

Senate President Page Cortez supports raising the state’s spending cap to take greater advantage of large budget surpluses.

BATON ROUGE–The Senate Finance Committee advanced a resolution Wednesday that would increase the state’s spending cap with a two-thirds majority vote of the Legislature.

Senate Resolution 3, brought by Senate President Page Cortez, R-Lafayette, would increase the cap for both the current and the next fiscal years to allow the state to spend more money from giant budget surpluses. Cortez argued the state is in a rare position to spend cash on one-time projects and debt.

The action on Cortez’ bill came after two groups of conservatives in the House voiced strong opposition this week to raising the spending cap, adding to the tensions between Republicans in the two chambers. How the fight plays out—and how much of the $1.8 billion in surplus funds are spent–may be the most important issue to watch in the legislative session, which runs through early June.