House approves FY2026 budget with $199.5 million teacher stipend; health officials brief lawmakers on Medicaid forecast

The Louisiana House of Representatives on May 14 approved House Bill 1, the fiscal 2025–26 general appropriations bill, after the Appropriations Committee added $199,500,000 for a statewide teacher stipend and other funding adjustments, Chairman Representative Mark McFarland said. The House adopted the bill following a committee‑of‑the‑whole review and a recorded vote; the clerk announced 94 yeas, 0 nays on final passage.

The addition of $199.5 million for a teacher stipend was the headline change made by the Appropriations Committee. "We did add a $199,500,000 for the teacher stipend," Representative Mark McFarland said when summarizing committee changes. Committee amendments covered offsets and program changes across state agencies to keep the budget balanced while creating room for the stipends.

The amendments McFarland described included removing $91,300,000 in acquisitions and new equipment purchases, a $26,300,000 reduction to the Department of Health budget (LDH) tied to forecast updates, and a $30,000,000 reduction in funding for high‑dosage tutoring. The committee also directed $148,800,000 toward a state police retirement payment, generating an estimated $25,500,000 in FY2026 savings used elsewhere in the bill. Other added items included $7,000,000 for domestic violence…