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La. lawmakers open hearings on $25B budget

by Walter Pierce

Gov. Bobby Jindal offered a budget proposal that suggests new education and health care spending, pay raises for state workers and an incentive fund to encourage colleges to enhance their science, engineering and technology training.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A day after opening their annual legislative session, lawmakers have started work on the state's operating budget.

The House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday began combing through the spending recommendations of Gov. Bobby Jindal for the new fiscal year that begins July 1.

Meanwhile, the Senate Finance Committee got a crash course in how Jindal proposes steering $450 million in surplus cash and piecemeal funding to help pay for next year's ongoing expenses.

Jindal offered a $25 billion budget proposal that suggests new education and health care spending, pay raises for state workers and an incentive fund to encourage colleges to enhance their science, engineering and technology training.

Lawmakers likely will work on the budget until the final days of session, which must end by June 2.