La. Legislature | laforestry 2/24

McFarland pivotal in budget debates

State Rep. Jack McFarland makes sure every House member gets to weigh in on the state budget. (Photo by Cross Harris / LSU Manship School News Service) BATON ROUGE — When people think of Jack McFarland, they think of the clean-cut, white-haired logger from Winnfield who knows the state budget inside and out as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. What many don’t know is that his career in politics came from something as simple as doing others’ laundry. When McFarla

State steps up maintenance on roads, bridges

State Rep. Ryan Bourriaque is pushing to fix the state’s road and bridges. (Photo by Cross Harris / LSU Manship School News Service) BATON ROUGE — State officials say they will prioritize maintenance projects, especially on rural roads and bridges, as they seek to reduce an estimated $19 billion backlog in highway projects. They also are counting on the Office of Louisiana Highway Construction, an entity created by the Legislature last year, to speed up the contracting proces

Legislature delays primary election, ends session

Rep. Gerald "Beau" Beaullieu, R-New Iberia, addresses the House Chamber Wednesday morning. BATON ROUGE — The state Legislature ended the special session Wednesday by voting to delay the statewide primary election next year for one month while the U.S. Supreme Court considers the legality of the state’s two so-called majority-minority congressional districts. The final vote came in the state House, where lawmakers cleared the election delay in a 73 to 29 vote, which broke a