Legislative Session Review With Rep. Beryl Amedee

Linda Loupe
July 16, 2018
Quick Questions for the People in Charge | Dr. Jay Clune
July 17, 2018
Linda Loupe
July 16, 2018
Quick Questions for the People in Charge | Dr. Jay Clune
July 17, 2018

It took three special sessions and hours upon hours of negotiations and compromises, but the 2018 State Session is over in Louisiana – finally.


Fresh off the budget being passed on top of countless laws, which will shape our state’s future, local lawmaker Rep. Beryl Amedee (R-Houma) was kind enough to spend time with us this month to re-live the happenings, while also giving an outlook to the future in this exclusive Q&A.

Q: After three special sessions this year, are you satisfied with the budget agreement/compromise?

A: I am far from satisfied! I voted for the budget as it left the House so that the services people rely on could continue for the next 12 months. All the services and departments that were publicly threatened during the budget process are now funded. For example, SNAP benefits, nursing homes, TOPS, Higher Ed, Constables and District Attorneys are all taken care of for now. But I am not happy with the budget structure, the tax increases, and the plan to spend $43 million of any additional revenue that comes in before December 31. I especially don’t like that the budget has increased by $6 billion in only 3 years. The FY19 budget is the largest in Louisiana history at $33.9 billion. The temporary tax increases passed in the latest special session will take $3.2 billion more out of taxpayer pockets before expiring.


Q: One bit of good news is that TOPS is secure for the immediate future. What is the impact locally?

A: TOPS fully funded means 250 Fletcher students don’t have to spend the next few weeks pulling together an additional $400 and 1,433 NSU students don’t have to spend the next few weeks trying to come up with an additional $1,500. They may now continue their studies for the next two semesters. Their futures look bright! Their education provides potential higher earnings and more options in how they spend the rest of their lives. This should, in turn, help our local economy and raise our collective standard of living.

Q: This year’s deficit was resolved. Do you believe it will last, or was this just more kicking of the
can down the road?


A: We have passed very little in the way of budget and spending reform. There are automatic built-in increases in the budget by design. The Department of Health will require more money. We still have a huge backlog of road and bridge projects. There will be proposals to increase salaries for educators. Without requiring greater efficiencies in some of our most wasteful departments and programs, revenue increases will be the only way to fund greater expenses. I predict we will see proposals to increase income tax and gas tax in 2019. The recent sales tax increase and tax on business utilities and the removal of certain exemptions are all going to sunset in a few years, so, unfortunately, we have only kicked the can.

Q: What do we have to do to finally see our state budget on solid ground?

There is never enough water to fill a bucket that has holes in it. But here are a few ways to repair the holes:


• Modernize our service delivery model, and require greater efficiency especially in the departments that make up the largest portions of our budget—Education and Health.

• Get serious about tackling fraud, waste and abuse in benefit programs. By federal government estimates, this could save us $1.4 billion per year in the Department of Health alone.

• Overhaul our tax structure to create an environment that attracts business and industry instead of repelling.


• Grant more autonomy and authority to local governments.

• Limit the annual growth of the state budget by the rate of growth of the state economy. 

We need a majority of the legislature to agree that state government should, ‘live within its means,’ like the rest of us. If we cannot accomplish these things, it’s time to call for a limited constitutional convention.


Q: There is so much disagreement and so little common ground. Why do you think that is?

A: There is actually plenty of common ground when considering the needs of our constituents. The vast majority of House and Senate members agree we should have healthy Louisianans, better schools, decent roads, effective law enforcement, a robust economy, a clean environment, and no budget deficit. Our disagreements are centered on how we achieve these, and our differences are primarily philosophical. So we debate and discuss and argue until we find common ground. That’s how the legislative process is designed to work.•

BY STATE REPRESENTATIVE BERYL AMEDEE