State Budget With Precision Cuts Set for House Debate

BATON ROUGE, La. ( Louisiana First ) — House Bill 1 , which is the state’s budget plan, passed out of the House Committee on Appropriations Monday morning with no opposition.

The legislation introduced by Chairperson Jack McFarland (R-Jonesboro) aimed to achieve a balanced budget with $200 million less in income, yet it was designed to maintain financing for key areas prioritized by both the legislature and Governor Jeff Landry.

“Do you recall at the start of the session when I announced publicly that I would support funding the legislature’s key initiatives?” asked Representative McFarland soon after the committee meeting.

The state’s bottom line for 2025-2026 is about $45 billion.

Facing lower income streams, legislators struggled to identify savings opportunities without reducing services and simultaneously granting educators a lasting salary increase.

The committee members praised Chairman Jack McFarland for ensuring that the process was both open and equitable.

The targeted reductions encompass debt repayment, reducing expenditures for state agencies, and implementing a hiring freeze as directed by Governor Jeff Landry.

The committee members praised the bill as a middle ground solution, emphasizing that no essential services were reduced in this budget, nor were any new taxes imposed.

“In tough times, families tighten their belts. We made sure the state government did the same — responsibly, and without asking more from taxpayers,” said McFarland.

The entire House is set to discuss HB 1 on Thursday.

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