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From left, Speaker of the House Rep. Taylor Barras, R-New Iberia, House Appropriations Committee chairman Rep. Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, and Rep. Lance Harris, R-Alexandria, confer on legislation in the front of the House Chamber while the House is in recess after rejecting the Senate amendments to send HB1, the budget bill, to conference committee on the final day of the Special Legislative Session June 4, 2018, in Baton Rouge, La. Rep. Lance Harris, left, R-Alexandria, confers with House Speaker Taylor Barras, top, R-New Iberia, and House Clerk Alferd 'Butch' Speer, bottom right, in a scene during activity in the House of Representatives, Thursday, April 20, 2017.
Rep. Lance Harris, R-Alexandria, left, chats with House Appropriations chairman Rep. Cameron Henry Jr., R-Metairie, as Henry prepares to close on HB1, the state budget bill, Thursday April 19, 2018, in Baton Rouge, La. The budget bill passed 55-47.
House Republicans spurned tradition and elected one of their own, New Iberia Republican Taylor Barras, shown here at center, as speaker after Gov. John Bel Edwards won election. The House GOP caucus has promised to push for fiscal and tax reform, but leaders have been hesitant to put out their own comprehensive blueprint, drawing criticism from Edwards.
Alexandria airport receiving $17.9 million grant The money comes as part of the airport's involvement in the Airport Improvement Program's Military Airport Program. Check out this story on thetowntalk.com: 2017 Central Louisiana Reagan Rally held by the Rapides Republican Parish Executive Committee Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017 at Country Inn & Suites in Pineville.
Edwards started his day in Alexandria, where he toured the state's mega shelter with his wife Donna. It was the governor's second time visiting the shelter since Thursday, and he said he wanted to make sure everyone was being taken care of.
Louisiana lawmakers officially began a special session dedicated to closing a $304 million midyear budget shortfall late monday, with Gov. John Bel Edwards pitching his plan and challenging Republicans who have opposed his agenda to come up with a better one. Edwards proposes using $119 million of the state's Rainy Day Fund, cutting $60 million from the state budget and using "budget adjustments" to close the rest of the gap.