Displeasure with local projects delays vote on $100M spending bill

The Louisiana House of Representatives on Wednesday night put off voting on a $100 million-plus spending bill after members balked at committing money to local projects at the expense of public defense and the state’s unemployment trust fund.
House Bill 39 passed the state House and Senate and emerged Wednesday evening from a conference committee tasked with hashing out differences between the two chambers’ versions. The conference committee stripped out $15 million for the state’s public defenders, which legislators added early in the process. They planned to allow local defenders to purchase office space so they could redirect money being spent on rent into the costs of representing their clients.
While it was not stated publicly during Wednesday’s discussion, Gov. John Bel Edwards’ administration has expressed opposition, saying the public defenders’ project belonged in a capital outlay construction bill instead.
The bill calls for spending about $22 million on various state and local requests. The long list of allocations, many of which will cost $100,000 or less, include money for fire departments, parks, law enforcement, drainage districts and road repairs.
Several House members, including Democrats and Republicans, balked at spending money with little notice or explanation.
Republican Rep. Thomas Pressly complained about “special interest projects.” Republican Rep. May DuBuisson said she was “completely baffled.”
“This is not what I thought I came down here to do,” said Democratic Rep. Kenny Cox, referring to the special session.
The current session must end by Oct. 27. If legislators can pass the spending bill far enough ahead of time, they might still be in session to override Edwards’ possible line item vetoes.