With the legislative session in its final days, lawmakers are trying to cobble together a deal on budget and taxes that would protect colleges and public health services.
The Senate on Monday approved its version of next year’s $24.5 billion budget, which contains at least $200 million more in spending than the House version. Those extra dollars were used to stop deep reductions to health services for the poor.
House leaders support many of the spending add-ons, but object to some of the Senate tax hike proposals used to pay for them.
Meanwhile, lawmakers are also still deciding if they want to create a tax credit scheme to allow Gov. Bobby Jindal to say he hasn’t raised taxes. Without it, Jindal is threatening to veto the financial plans.