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Appropriations committee advances $44.9 billion HB 1, directs $144.3M LASERS payment
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Summary
The House Appropriations Committee on April 13 advanced the state general appropriations bill (HB 1) with amendments that allocate $144.3 million to pay down LASERS’ unfunded accrued liability and fund one-time and targeted spending across education, corrections and public safety. The bill was reported favorably and set as a special order for April 16.
The House Committee on Appropriations advanced the state’s general appropriations bill, HB 1, on April 13, approving a package of amendments that direct a $144.3 million surplus payment to the Louisiana State Employees’ Retirement System (LASERS) and report the bill favorably to the full House.
Chair said HB 1 represents the bulk of the governor’s $52 billion budget proposal and that "House Bill 1 alone accounts for $44,900,000,000 representing 86% of the total budget." The chair described the amendment that directs the constitutionally required payment to LASERS, saying it will produce an estimated $30,000,000 in state general fund savings in HB1 and about $54,000,000 in lifetime interest savings for the state.
The amendment package also includes a range of one-time and targeted allocations: $420,000,000 for early childhood education; $87,000,000 for the Louisiana Gator scholarship program; $106,500,000 for statewide acquisitions and major repairs; funds to economic development (LED) for high‑impact job incentives and project commitments; increases for SNAP administrative match and LDH managed care organization adjustments; technology upgrades for DCFS; corrections and juvenile justice increases including funds to increase penitentiary capacity and OJJ beds; and money for workforce and higher education projects.
Representative Amadeh, who asked several technical questions about the Minimum Foundation Program adjustment, said she supported the debt‑paydown approach, adding, "I love that you're paying down debt so much" and moved favorably for the amendments. Committee members asked for clarifications about specific line items — including a $1.5 million addition to the crime victim reparations program, a roughly $11 million package to LSU made up of several line items, and use of statutory dedicated funds to expand community choice waiver slots — and the chair provided details on each.
The committee adopted the amendment set (No. 3574) and, by voice vote with "seeing no objection," reported HB 1 as amended. The chair also made HB 1 a special order for April 16 and authorized staff to make technical corrections to adopted amendments.
Votes at a glance - HB 1 (general appropriations): Reported favorable as amended; amendments adopted by voice vote ("seeing no objection"); special order #1 for April 16. - HB 3 12 (supplemental appropriations): Reported favorable as amended; special order #4 for April 16. - HB 3 13 (funds bill): Reported favorable as amended; special order #5 for April 16. - HB 3 14 (revenue sharing): Reported favorable as amended; special order #7 for April 16. - HB 3 83 (ancillary bill): Reported favorable as amended; special order #6 for April 16. - HB 9 83 (judiciary): Reported favorable as amended; special order #9 for April 16. - HB 11 26 (legislature appropriations): Reported favorable; special order #10 for April 16. - HCR 3 (hospital stabilization resolution): Reported favorable; special order #8 for April 16.
Why it matters The LASERS UAL payment and other one‑time allocations reshape near‑term fiscal obligations and are intended to reduce interest costs and shore up the state’s fiscal position in future budgets. Lawmakers said that many of the increases are nonrecurring and were packaged to meet forecasted needs without increasing the ongoing baseline.
What’s next The committee set HB 1 and the companion bills as special orders for April 16, and staff were authorized to make technical corrections to adopted amendments. The measures will advance to later floor consideration in the legislative process.
