Less than four hours before the end of the session, the Louisiana House and the state Senate agreed Monday to a more than $4 billion state construction budget.
The construction, or capital outlay, spending plan was one of the lingering issues remaining on the session’s final day.
House Bill 2, the construction budget, now goes to Gov. Bobby Jindal.
The budget calls for roughly $120 million more in borrowing than is possible in the fiscal year that begins July 1.
The governor will decide which projects move forward.
“There will be hope. I just want to make sure there’s not false hope,” said state Rep. Hunter Greene, R-Baton Rouge.
The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Joel Robideaux, booted the bill to a conference committee Sunday amid disagreements over the $25.6 billion state operating budget.
In a conference committee, a handful of legislators shape the final version of the bill.
Robideaux, R-Lafayette, said Monday that he wanted time to get an understanding of the Senate’s changes to the construction budget.
The House voted 82-17 in favor of sending the bill to the governor.
The Senate unanimously endorsed HB2.
