The push for a special session may be characterized as quixotic: leaders in both chambers of the Legislature have expressed opposition to holding one.
A Lafourche Parish state representative has filed a petition seeking to convene a special session in an effort to curtail some budget cuts enacted by Gov. Bobby Jindal, according to The Times-Picayune. State Rep. Dee Richard, no party-Thibodaux, also wants state lawmakers to have more oversight over future cuts.
The petition's timing couldn't be more prescient, coming as the LSU Board of Supervisors announced Thursday a $151 million cut to the budgets of its charity hospitals statewide, including University Medical Center in Lafayette, and a workforce reduction via layoffs of nearly 1,500 employees.
As the Times-Pic reports, Richard's quest for a special session may be characterized as quixotic: leaders in both chambers of the Legislature have expressed opposition to holding one. To bring the issue to Legislature-wide vote of the membership, Richard will need to get one third of lawmakers in each chamber to sign the petition, which would trigger mailing ballots to the full legislative membership. Richard, however, tells the T-P he thinks he can at least meet that threshold and push the issue to a vote.
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