Legislature adopts stand‑still budgets; fiscal office requests staff expansion

The Louisiana Legislature met March 27, 2024, to consider legislative branch budgets and adopted the budgets presented without objection, lawmakers said at the close of the meeting.

Erin Barrett, controller for the House of Representatives, told members that the House was requesting the same amount received last year: "We are asking for the same amount we received last year, $32,900,000. Just a standstill request." J. W. Wiley, "person assistant secretary for the Senate," said the Senate budget was likewise a standstill request.

The nut graf: Members heard five budget presentations from legislative offices and took no roll‑call votes on individual items; the meeting ended after a motion to adopt the budgets was made and carried with no objections.

Legislative Auditor Mike Wagensbeck said his office was "basically asking for no increase," and noted the office has built a modest fund balance that it planned to use to cover some spending increases. Wagensbeck said an existing fund balance of $1,000,125 would be used to fund a planned increase in spending and referred to personnel services and total expenditures figures as presented.

Guy Holdridge, director of the Law Institute, said the institute was not seeking additional base funds but noted that a possible future constitutional convention could require the Law Institute to hire contract personnel to assist with research: "If there would be a constitutional convention and you would like the law institute to participate ... we would probably have to hire, you know, contract workers." Members asked staff to ensure any resource needs would be captured in fiscal notes if such a convention measure is filed.

The Legislative Fiscal Office presenter (introduced in the meeting as Buck Brecken) outlined a request for a $350,000 increase over the office's existing budget to expand the revenue and economic section. Brecken said the increase would fund the addition of "2 or 3 positions" to develop bench strength after recent retirements and turnover and would pay related benefits and professional services. Brecken also said the office had contracted with Greg Albrecht to assist with the revenue estimating conference for roughly 12 months while the office onboards a chief economist.

Discussion during the meeting was brief. President Henry and Speaker Duvalier presided over roll call and recognized presenters; Senator Miller moved to approve the March 27, 2024, minutes earlier in the meeting. At the end of the presentations, a motion was made to adopt the budgets; "Seeing no objection, motion carries," the presiding officer said, and the meeting was adjourned.

Votes at a glance: the minutes for March 27, 2024, were approved on a motion by Senator Miller (motion carried). A motion to adopt the presented legislative budgets was made during the meeting and carried with no objections. A motion to adjourn also carried without objection.

The presentations covered budget posture and staffing needs; members asked staff to reflect potential resource needs for a constitutional convention in fiscal notes. No roll‑call tallies or recorded dissent on the budget adoptions were entered on the record.