The Louisiana House approved next fiscal year’s 36.4 billion dollar spending plan proposal and agreed on how to spend 800 million dollars in federal American Rescue Act funds Louisiana receives this year.
House Appropriations Chairman Jerome Zeringue highlighted the increased investment they were able to put into higher education. 56 million additional dollars are being directed to higher ed to boost institutional funding, grants, and faculty pay. Zeringue also noted they found the funds to double the Governor’s proposed 400 dollar teacher pay raise to 800 dollars.
The total budget for next year sits at 42 billion dollars.
There were a number of smaller increases and new programs financed for next year’s budget, including a boost to foster family assistance.
“An additional six million with the associated federal match to increase the rates for our foster parents that they receive for the care of one of our most vulnerable populations,” said Zeringue.
The ARA funds went into four categories: 400 million to replenish the unemployment trust fund, 10 million for logger’s relief, 90 million for broadband expansion, and 300 million for water infrastructure.
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