Tony Bacala

A somber mood dominated the Capitol Wednesday, following the early morning news that Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise had been shot.

“We’re struggling to find ways to pay for health care and balance it against the other needs of the state. The fiscal note says this could generate as much as 100-million in a given year.”

Ascension Parish Representative Tony Bacala said, as he presented his bill requiring the Louisiana Department of Health to move to managed care programs for those with long-term health needs on Wednesday.

“Unfortunately there’s no rest for the weary,” Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne told the Joint Budget Committee Thursday.  “We start today looking at the challenges we face for the next fiscal year.”

Just one day after ending a special session to address the shortfall in the current budget, Dardenne was presenting the governor’s proposal for the next budget.

“Rainy Day – that’s really all that divides us. It should be the last thing we do, not the first thing we look at.”

House leaders made a strategic decision Friday to first hear the budget-cutting bill that uses none of the Rainy Day Fund.