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BATON ROUGE – After a 30-minute meeting with no debate, a Senate committee voted 9-0 to advance the state budget Thursday, removing the $43.5 million expansion of the school voucher program that had been included in the House and governor’s budgets.
The Revenue Estimating Conference had reduced next year’s state general fund forecast by $104 million on May 8, prompting the Senate Finance Committee to advance amendments to remove the expansion to the Louisiana Giving All True Opportunity to Rise voucher program. The committee also removed the change in the public-school funding formula that would increase per-student spending.
The cut in LA GATOR and education funding would amount to a $75 million reduction in spending.
The committee added an amendment that would allow the Legislature to spend $800 million from the Revenue Stabilization Trust Fund, with $387 million of it used for transportation projects. Economic development, local projects, capital outlay, higher-education projects and Medicaid rate increases for disabled residents accounted for the rest of the spending.
These changes were made after the Revenue Estimating Conference met two weeks ago and reduced the current state general fund’s forecast by $113 million and lowered next fiscal year’s forecast by $104 million.
No one on the committee objected to the amendments or the advancement of the budget, including Sen. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge, who introduced the original LA GATOR bill in 2024.
Before the committee amended the budget, Sen. Glen Womack, the committee chair, R-Harrisonburg, said most of the governor’s proposed budget went unchanged when the House passed it.
The cut to LA GATOR was the biggest change to the governor’s budget. Landry has supported the school voucher program since it began.
In his opening address to the Legislature in March, Landry said, “We must find a path so that the hard-earned money of parents follow their child to the education of their choice.”
The Pelican Institute, a conservative think tank based in New Orleans, posted a statement on social media saying lawmakers had missed an opportunity to support an expansion to school choice.
“Once again, the Louisiana Senate Finance Committee has chosen politics over students,” the institute said. “On behalf of the thousands of families who will, once again, be left on a waiting list, we are deeply disappointed in this outcome.”
Womack said in a press release that the state’s projected finances led to having to make hard choices.
“There is some really good legislation out there that we are simply having to delay for now, due to financial constraints,” Womack said. It is not clear whether he was referring to the LA GATOR program, which he voted against in 2024.
“When the Revenue Estimating Conference tells us we are $113 million short in revenue for the current year ending June 30, 2026 and we have $104 million less in expected revenue next year, we have to press pause on expanding programs or starting up new programs for now, said Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie. “That’s the responsible thing that our constituents sent us here to do.”
Henry voted in favor of Edmonds’ LA GATOR bill.
The committee also advanced House Bill 312, which addresses the current year’s reduced forecast by reducing the state general fund by $53.1 million, limiting what the Legislature can dedicate.
The bill also decreases expenditures for agencies such as the Division of Administration, Department of Children and Family Services and Department of Corrections until July 1.
Although there was no opportunity for public comment, people crowded the hallway and filled the committee room to fill out cards expressing their support or opposition to the budget.
Rep. Jack McFarland, R-Jonesboro, the chair of the House Appropriations Committee, in response to the number of people who showed up, joked, “House Bill 1 has been properly advertised.”
The House passed the budget on April 16. McFarland said the budget was fiscally responsible given the future budget shortfalls the Legislature expects to face.
Both the House and governor’s budgets were based on the December Revenue Estimating Conference meeting, where the current forecast increased by $217 million, and next fiscal year’s forecast increased by $214 million.
The committee also cut the $18 million in House Bill 983 that would have continued the salary increase judges received in 2025.
The committee did not remove the salary increase for corrections officers, which would cost $17 million.
These changes come after last Saturday’s election in which 58% of voters rejected an amendment to empty three education trust funds for local school districts to permanently raise teachers’ salaries by $2,250.
After the election, Landry posted on X, “In light of Amendment 3 falling short, I want to make it very clear – if our teachers don’t get a permanent raise this year, nobody in state government gets a pay raise. I mean nobody.”
Before the election, the House passed bills to raise legislators and the governor’s salary.
Since the amendment provided for a teacher salary increase, the raise was not included in the budget. The committee did not address the issue during the meeting. The committee also did not acknowledge the governor’s statement.
In previous years, the Revenue Estimating Conference has predicted higher forecasts in May meetings, allowing the Senate to increase spending while the budget advances through committee.
This year, the Senate needed to make cuts to the budget before the Legislative session ends June 1.
The Senate floor will vote on the changes the committee made to the budget next week.

BATON ROUGE – A flurry of bills that would have given broader local control to carbon-capture projects failed last week in a House committee.
The House Natural Resources and Environment Committee heard more than a dozen bills and almost five hours of debate and testimony regarding local government’s concern for carbon-capture sequestration and storage.
The failure of these bills could mark the end of this year’s battle for local control in carbon-capture projects as the end of the session looms, but the push will likely revive during next year’s session, as it has in previous years.
Several bills brought by representatives such as Speaker Pro Tempore Mike Johnson, R- Pineville, Rep. Robby Carter, D-Greensburg and Rep. Rodney Schamerhorn, R-Hornbeck, sought to grant parishes more control in authorizing or prohibiting carbon capture.
“When a project affects an entire community, the community deserves a voice. The people of that community deserve a voice,” Johnson said.
“This is not anti-business. It’s not anti-property rights. It’s just about respecting local self-government and allowing communities to share and to shape their own future.”
Carbon-capture sequestration and storage is a process in which carbon dioxide is trapped from the atmosphere and injected into the ground for permanent storage option to reduce emissions in the environment.
These bills were filed in response to more than 60 carbon-capture projects planned in Louisiana in the next few years, a prospect that has been a hot topic during the legislative session as lawmakers debate whether or not this is the best option for lowering emissions, while landowners express concerns for the health of their land.
After several hours of debating the bills, each was killed with the sentiment that carbon-capture projects and similar investments were for the betterment of the community and business in Louisiana.
“For the first time ever in rural northeast Louisiana, folks are completely ecstatic,” said Rep. Travis Johnson, D-Vidalia. “They have never seen these types of investments in their communities since I’ve been born.”
However, dozens of community members spoke in support of the local-control bills, wanting a part in deciding where carbon capture wells can be built or prohibited.
“It’s our home, and if (carbon-capture sequestration) is such a great program, such a great industry, well then educate us all about it, and you shouldn’t have anything to worry about,” Pineville resident Mark Guillory said. “We are getting educated, and that’s why we’re here opposing it, because the more we learn, the more we find out. This is not a good thing, and we cannot allow the Legislature to continue to force this on us.”
A resolution presented by Rep. Charles Owen, R-Rosepine, which requests the Board of Regents to provide a peer-reviewed study on the effects of carbon capture on the water supply and ecological environment, did advance to the House floor.
These bills follow a failed effort from earlier in the session by Johnson to prohibit seizure of property through eminent domain by the state government in carbon-capture projects, something he believed to be unconstitutional and against the Ten Commandments.
“The government and someone that’s given the authority can use that law, can go to court, force the sale or use of the land for something you did not agree to and didn’t support it,” Johnson said. “That could be your land. That could be your mother’s land. That could be your grandparent’s land.”
State Senate President Cameron Henry and House Speaker Phillip DeVillier, both Republicans, expressed concern earlier this year about letting local interests block projects that could provide economic benefits for multiple parishes or the state as a whole.

(Editor’s note: The charges listed here and the narratives that go with them are provided by the police agencies that made the arrests. Guilt or innocence has not been determined in court.)

Morgan City police reported another in a string of recent arrests involving synthetic cannabinoids, this one alleging possession in the presence of a 2-year-old.

St. Mary deputies also arrested a man accused of possessing heroin and methamphetamine in distribution quantities.

Morgan City

Chief Chad M. Adams reported these arrests:

--Deonte Devon Harris, 29, Saint Gabriel Street, Patterson, was arrested May 20 on charges of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute synthetic cannabinoids, transactions involving proceeds from drug activity, possession of a controlled dangerous substance in the presence of a minor and driving on the right side of the road.

On May 20, investigators with the Morgan City Police Department Narcotics Division conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle traveling on La. 182. During the course of the stop, the driver was identified as Harris. Investigators also identified two adult passengers and a 2-year-old toddler who were inside the vehicle at the time of the stop. During the investigation, investigators located a large quantity of suspected marijuana, THC vape cartridges, synthetic cannabinoids and a large amount of U.S. currency believed to be proceeds derived from illegal narcotics sales.

The suspected marijuana weighed approximately 738 grams, or a little more than 1-1/2 pounds. Investigators also recovered approximately 5 fluid ounces of suspected liquid synthetic cannabinoids and 10 THC vape cartridges.

Harris was arrested and transported to the Morgan City Police Department for booking.

Adams has warned in previous Facebook posts about an upswing in the number of cases involving synthetic cannabinoids and the risks posed by their use.

--Curtis Richard, 49, River Road, Berwick, was arrested at 11:45 a.m. Thursday on two counts of failure to appear to pay fine (6th Ward Morgan City Court).

--Robert Gould, 27, Frances Drive, Berwick, was arrested at 4:55 p.m. Thursday on a charge of failure to appear proper equipment required (6th Ward Morgan City Court). (Released on summons.)

--Shannon Deal Jr., 26, Reserve Street, New Iberia, was arrested at 12:45 a.m. Friday on three counts of simple battery.

--Kaleb Meadows, 27, Trevino Street, Berwick, was arrested at 7:40 p.m. Friday on a charge of domestic abuse battery.

St. Mary

Sheriff Gary Driskell reported these arrests:

--Elton Pinn, 42, Morgan City, was arrested at 8:43 a.m. Thursday on charges of possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a legend drug without a prescription, possession of drug paraphernalia and transactions involving drug proceeds, and on a Franklin County bench warrant on a charge of speeding.

Bail was set at $412,500.

--Samantha Renee Jones, 42, Gonzales, was arrested at 7:10 p.m. Friday on a warrant alleging failure to appear on charges of speeding, failure to use seatbelts, operating a vehicle without a driver’s license and failure to honor a written promised to appear.

--Apollonia Marie Louis, 41, New Iberia, was arrested at 7:13 pm Friday on two warrants alleging failure to appear on charges of speeding, driving under suspension, operating an unregistered vehicle or a vehicle without proper plates, and failure to secure vehicle registration.

Bail was set at $500.

--Jessica Alice Morris, 26, Bayou Vista, was arrested at 7:46 p.m. Thursday on a Berwick Police Department warrant alleging warrant entry or remaining where forbidden. Morris is being held for another agency.

--Robert Felix Stevens, 55, Monroe, was arrested on May 21, 2026, at 2:49 pm for failure to register as a sex offender. Bail was set at $100,000.

--Kevin Lashawn James Sr., 40, Franklin, was arrested at 7:50 a.m. May 20 on charges of criminal trespass, disturbing the peace (intoxicated), obstruction of justice (tampering) and introduction of contraband into a penal institution.

Bail has not been set at this time.

Patterson

Chief Garrett Grogan reported this arrest:

--Andrew A. Luke, 21, La. 662, Bayou L’Ourse, was arrested at 8:57 p.m. May 20 on charges of no driver’s license, two counts of resisting an officer by flight and criminal trespass.

Luke was incarcerated at the Patterson PD Jail with bond set at $1,487.

Franklin

Chief Cedric Handy reported these arrests:

--Breyonna Verret, 24, Chitimacha Trail, Charenton, was arrested at 1:56 p.m. May 20 on a warrant dated March 13 alleging theft. Verret was booked, processed and released on a $1,500 bond.

--Joyce Jones, 74, Kerry Street, Baldwin, LA, was arrested at 2:44 p.m. May20 on a charge of criminal trespassing. Jones was booked, processed and released on a $500 bond.

--Shane King, 49, Tyler Lane, Franklin, was arrested at 3:18 p.m. May 20 on charges of speeding, reckless operation and possession of alcoholic beverage in motor vehicle. King was booked, processed and released on a $1,072 bond.

After an overnight storm that blacked out many electric customers and damaged some homes, Morgan City people awoke Saturday to more rain and more lightning.
The National Weather Service in Lake Charles issued a flash flood warning and a flood watch until 12:45 p.m. Saturday as intermittently heavy rain continued to fall. A flood watch was in effect until 7 p.m. Saturday.
The late Friday-early Saturday severe weather hit Morgan City hardest.
Morgan City Housing Authority Director Clarence Robinson said a Mallard Street resident called at 10:25 p.m. Friday to report that a tree had fallen on the roof of her Brownell Homes residence. The large tree was split by a lightning strike.
“It was torrential, with high winds,” Robinson said.
“Lots of lightning, thunder and rain – a lot,” said Mike Francois, a Housing Authority maintenance and repair man.
The tree fell over the bathroom portion of the home. No one was injured, Robinson said.
Not all the Mallard Street resident’s luck was bad. Although the Housing Authority’s vacancy rate is low, a unit across Mallard from the damaged home was available. Robinson and co-workers were preparing the vacant unit Saturday morning for the woman to move in.
In a Facebook post, Mayor Lee Dragna said a couple of residents had to be taken out of homes damaged by the storm.
Portions of the city were without power during the storm. At one point overnight, Cleco reported 1,083 customers were blacked out.
Dragna reported about 2 a.m. that power had been restored to 90-95% of the city.
As clean-up and repair continued Saturday, Dragna and the Morgan City Police Department urged people to obey street barricades and to stay away from crews responding to transformer malfunctions and downed lines.
“If you slow us down,” Dragna said in a Facebook video, “those people are not getting power until everybody’s out of the way.”
“The Morgan City Police Department would like to remind all citizens to obey all barricades and road closures placed throughout the city," the department said in a Facebook post. "These barricades are in place for the safety of the public as electrical crews work to repair damaged utility poles and restore power to residents still affected by outages.
"Driving around or moving barricades creates a dangerous situation for utility workers, first responders, and the public. These crews are working long hours under hazardous conditions to safely restore services to our community.
"Any person found going around barricades or disregarding posted road closures will be subject to citations and possible further enforcement action.
Dragna also asked residents to help by picking up trash, limbs and leaves from streets to keep the drainage system clear in anticipation of more rain.
The U.S. 90 bridge was closed for more than 2-1/2 hours early Saturday after a barge strike during the storm. Combined with the continuing closure of the La. 182 bridge for repairs and maintenance, the new bridge’s closure cut off access by emergency vehicles from one side of the Atchafalaya to the other.
State inspectors were called in and said the U.S. 90 bridge could be safely reopened by 3 a.m. Saturday.
St. Mary Gravity Drainage District No. 2A is undergoing a $12 million-$14 million upgrade to the pump stations that move floodwater from Morgan City outside the levee system. That system failed to protect hundreds of city homes from flooding during Hurricane Francine in September 2024.
“Everything seems to be OK,” said Michael Brocato, director of the St. Mary Levee District, which is administering the upgrade. “There are always little issues here and there, but they’re taking care of them.”
There were early reports of tornadoes during the overnight storm, but the National Weather Service has not confirmed those reports.
The storm turned Memorial Day Friday into a long night for Morgan City employees. Dragna praised electric and public works employees, who worked until 4 a.m. Saturday and were back on the job by 7:30 a.m. Robinson said the Morgan City Fire Department responded quickly to the lightning strike on Mallard.
Rain is expected to continue until at least Tuesday, with daytime precipitation chances of 80% each day, according to the National Weather Service in Lake Charles.