Split among House GOP complicated efforts to work out deal

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Rep. Alan Seabaugh, R-Shreveport, opposed revenue bills in the House during the special session. (Photo: Sarah Gamard/LSU Manship School News Service)

By Ryan Noonan, Natalie Anderson & Kaylee Poche

When the state faced a huge budget shortfall in 2016, Kenny Havard and Alan Seabaugh were among the Republican representatives who voted for a temporary penny increase in the state sales tax to fill the gap.

But now with that extra penny about to expire, Havard and Seabaugh were among the 27 Republicans who voted last Wednesday against a bill by a fellow Republican to extend just a quarter-cent of the sales tax.

Read the story in The Daily Advertiser.

 

House fails to pass revenue measures; special session in jeopardy

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Rep. Stephen Dwight, R-Lake Charles, failed Sunday to pass his sales tax expansion bill, signaling a premature end to the Legislature’s attempt to avoid the state’s $1 billion fiscal cliff. {Sarah Gamard)

By Sarah Gamard, Matt Houston and Ashley Wolf

In a stunning display of mistrust between Republicans and Democrats, the House failed Sunday to agree on any revenue-raising measures, all but killing the special legislative session that was called to deal with a looming $1 billion budget shortfall.

Read the story in The Bossier Press-Tribune.

Gov. Edwards and legislators reflect on special session collapse

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A disappointed Gov. John Bel Edwards spoke to a reporter after the collapse of the special legislative session Monday. (Photo Credit: Sarah Gamard / LSU Manship School News Service)

By Katie Gagliano and Tryfon Boukouvidis

With the collapse of the special session on Monday without any solution to the state’s budget problems, legislators in both parties are warning that all the bickering and mistrust will make it harder for them to come together on other important issues.

Read the story KALB-TV.

In a House divided, what’s it like to be an Independent?

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Rep. Jerome “Dee” Richard, I-Thibodeaux, waited on the House floor Friday while the Republicans and Democrats caucused privately.(Photo: Sarah Gamard/LSU Manship School News Service)

By Natalie Anderson

When Republicans and Democrats scurried off to their caucus rooms Friday to plot strategy on a controversial tax bill, two legislators stayed at their desks on the House floor, waiting patiently for the action to start again.

Read the story in The News Star.

House comes close, but no deal Friday

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Rep. Walt Leger, D-New Orleans, spoke to Rep. Denise Marcelle, D-Baton Rouge, on the House floor after Marcelle and three other Legislative Black Caucus members voted against Leger’s tax bill Friday. (Photo by Sarah Gamard)

By Katie Gagliano and Sarah Gamard

The House voted 51-50 on Friday against a Democratic bill to reduce income tax deductions and then adjourned after nearly five hours of behind-the-scenes talks failed to bring members closer to resolving a $1 billion budget shortfall.

Read the story in The Minden Press-Herald.

Senators debate cap on Malpractice damages

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Sen. Rick Ward and Sen “Jay” Luneau listen to Ken Schnauder of the Patient’s Compensation Fund testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. (Joby Richard/LSU Manship School News Service

By Joby Richard

Senators raised questions at a hearing on Thursday about whether damage award caps in medical malpractice cases are too low and whether patients are being fully compensated for extra medical care.

Read the story in the Bossier Press-Tribune.

House fails to pass revenue measures

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Rep. Barry Ivey, R-Baton Rouge, was one of the GOP members who voted against a key revenue-raising measure to expand the state sales tax. The bill failed on the House floor Wednesday night. (Sarah Gamard/LSU Manship School News Service)

 

By Matt Houston, Sarah Gamard & Katie Gagliano

The House failed to advance any revenue-raising measures to the Senate Wednesday night, and some lawmakers fear the the special session might end Thursday and delay resolution of the state’s budget crisis until June.

The key bill, authored by Rep. Stephen Dwight, R-Lake Charles, would have extended a quarter of the one-cent added in 2016 to state sales tax until 2021. It failed, 67-38.

Read the story in the Bossier Press-Tribune.