BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - The Latest on Louisiana’s special session on taxes (all times local):
6:05 p.m.
The Louisiana House ended its gridlock over taxes, but moved into a new dispute over how to advance a budget spending the money.
Gov. John Bel Edwards vetoed a $28.5 billion budget for the year that begins July 1 that he said cut too deeply. He expected lawmakers to write a larger spending plan during the special session as they agreed to taxes.
But House Appropriations Chairman Cameron Henry says the veto requires lawmakers to start the budget process from scratch. He hasn’t introduced a budget bill.
Instead, he asked lawmakers to override the governor’s veto, but that failed in a 52-48 vote Monday. It needed 70 votes to pass.
The Appropriations Committee will start budget hearings Tuesday, with less than a week to go in the special session that must end by June 4.
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4:25 p.m.
On a second try, the Louisiana House agreed to a more than $360 million sales tax proposal aimed at helping bridge budget gaps.
Lawmakers voted 76-26 for the tax bill, sponsored by House GOP leader Lance Harris. It required 70 votes.
Monday’s vote broke through a House logjam on taxes that cratered a February special session. Bill support came from Republicans and Democrats, sending the measure to the Senate.
Harris’ bill would renew one-third of an expiring 1 percent sales tax and eliminate or lessen some sales tax breaks - until 2023.
The bill raises less money than Gov. John Bel Edwards wants. But his administration and lawmakers who want a higher sales tax rate urged passage, to continue negotiations as the June 4 session deadline edges closer.
The new budget year begins July 1.
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2:15 p.m.
Louisiana lawmakers are meeting Memorial Day in their special session, trying to reach a tax deal to fill a budget gap.
The financial year begins July 1, with more than $1 billion in temporary taxes expiring. Gov. John Bel Edwards wants $648 million replaced, to avoid steep cuts to health, education and public safety programs.
The House, where most tax bills must start, will consider taxes Monday afternoon. A sales tax bill failed Friday.
Lawmakers are questioning whether they can strike a tax compromise and craft next year’s budget before the session ends June 4.
Edwards vetoed a $28.5 billion budget he said cut too deeply, expecting lawmakers to write a larger spending plan during the special session. But Appropriations Chairman Cameron Henry hasn’t yet introduced a budget bill.
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