Senator Facey’s 'Anchor Home' resolution to study incentives for retaining graduates reported favorably

Senator Facey introduced SCR 11, a resolution to create an 'Anchor Home' task force to study whether incentives such as tax credits could encourage recent college graduates to live and work in Louisiana for the first five years after graduation. "We want to create the anchor home task force to do a study on the feasibility of keeping our young people here after they graduate," Facey told the committee.

The resolution frames the issue as a response to what Facey described as persistent out-migration of young, college-educated residents. He said the five-year window is intended to give graduates time to establish livelihoods and families, helping to reduce what he called a recurring 'brain drain.' "If they're not married, usually they get married, and if they don't have any kids, they have kids and that way it anchors them here," he said.

Senator Luno offered support and recalled past efforts linking scholarship eligibility to in-state residency, saying the new task force was "a common-sense" approach worth pursuing. The committee recorded a green card indicating Jim Patterson's support although he did not speak.

By voice vote and without objection, the committee reported SCR 11 favorable. Senator Luno moved to report the resolution favorable; the chair announced, "Seeing no objections, SCR 11 is reported favorable." The committee did not take further formal action at the hearing.

The task force created by SCR 11 would be a study body; SCR 11 itself does not enact tax credits or programmatic incentives. The resolution directs the legislature to investigate options and report findings; next steps and any legislative proposals would depend on the task force's recommendations and subsequent bills.