BATON ROUGE (AP) — A Houma area lawmaker has given up on efforts to convene a special legislative session targeting Louisiana's ongoing budget troubles.
Republican Rep. Joe Harrison said Wednesday he couldn't get enough support from his colleagues to call the 14-day special session that he sought in a January petition.
Gov. Bobby Jindal and House Speaker Chuck Kleckley said they opposed a special session. They cited the cost of the extra gathering and said Harrison's proposals could be considered in the regular legislative session that begins April 13.
Louisiana faces a $1.6 billion shortfall for the budget year that begins July 1.
Harrison wanted to remove special budget protections that leave colleges and health services more vulnerable to cuts and to review tax break programs that siphon money from the state treasury.
