Senate Finance advances $49.4 billion general appropriations bill with teacher stipend, sheriff per-diem increases

House Bill 1, the state’s general appropriations bill for fiscal 2025–26, was reported favorably by the Louisiana Senate Finance Committee after the panel adopted a set of amendments that adjust revenues and add targeted spending.

Representative McFallon, who presented the bill, told the committee the governor’s executive budget proposed a $49.4 billion total state budget and that the House changes include a $199.5 million teacher stipend. The Senate committee’s amendment package reflected updated Revenue Estimating Conference (REC) numbers and made offsetting reductions and additions to fund priorities.

The committee discussion and amendments included: removal of $91.3 million in new equipment and acquisitions; a $26.3 million reduction to the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH); removal of $30 million for high‑dosage tutoring in a prior version and later restoration in the Senate amendments; $148.8 million applied to State Police Retirement System debt in the supplemental; and personnel services reduced by $20 million. The committee also allocated funds for: $7 million to the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) for domestic violence shelters; a $5.8 million per‑diem rate increase for local jails (an additional $2 added in the Senate amendment to bring the total supplement to $3); $2.9 million to LDH for a $7.50 community choice waiver increase for assisted living; and $2.5 million to GOSEP for school safety initiatives.

Senator Presley moved to adopt the amendments; the motion carried with no recorded objection and the committee moved to report the bill as amended. Senator Presley then moved to pass the bill as amended; the committee reported HB 1 favorably.

Committee members asked detailed questions during the debate. Senator Presley and others confirmed that a per‑diem increase for sheriffs’ housing of inmates would reach $29.39 per inmate per day after the House added $1 and the Senate added $2. Representative McFallon said that the per‑diem addition is intended to support not just meals and housing but reentry programming funded by sheriffs.

Senator Jackson asked whether funding for nurse consulting services for the developmentally disabled — a local match to draw down federal funds for waiver services — was included; the presenter confirmed the funds are in the bill and would come from the disability services fund to support the match. Senator Harris verified that the committee’s amendments included funding related to transferring the University of New Orleans (UNO) from the University of Louisiana system to LSU and noted $20 million was included in the package to support that transition.

Committee members also raised non‑budget questions during consideration of HB 1. Senator Clow asked about the Aviation Trust Fund and the state’s work with remitters to ensure aviation fuel sales are reported on a separate line so the fund can claim federal matching; staff said outreach to distributors and remitters is underway and that REC recognized $20 million in additional revenue for that purpose. Senators also asked about the Office of Motor Vehicles (OMB) mainframe outages; the presenter said OMB modernization is addressed in the budget and that supplemental dollars were allocated in the supplemental bill to assist upgrades.

The committee recorded specific program line items in the bill language, including $250,000 for Family Helping Families and $7.4 million for nurse consulting services tied to the DDD waivers. The committee instructed Senate staff to make necessary technical amendments before transmission.

The bill will proceed to the Senate floor with the finance committee’s recommended amendments and was reported favorable by the committee with no roll‑call recorded in the transcript.