The 2026 legislative session begins today as lawmakers have more than 1,300 bills to consider. The biggest one of them all is the state’s spending plan for next fiscal year. Lapolitics.com publisher Jeremy Alford says the biggest budget fight could involve the LA Gator Program. Governor Landry wants to double the funding for the voucher program that helps eligible families pay for private school tuition and other education expenses.
“There’s a pushback by the legislative leadership. They think at least, Senate President Cameron Henry believes that, that kind of spending increase would be unsustainable. That is too big of a jump,” Alford said.
Alford says legislators also have to figure out how to make up for a loss of federal funding.
“There’s a $45 million budget gap coming from the federal government, pulling back on Medicaid,” Alford noted.
Lawmakers will also devote time on legislation to give more local control over carbon capture projects. There’s legislation to allow guns on college campuses and a proposal to make it a felony crime to drive more than 30 miles per hour over the speed limit. Alford says there’s also more insurance reform legislation.
“There’s going to be a push to kind of bolster the fortified roof program, and there’s also a couple of different kind of eye-catching bills for auto insurance,” Alford said.
The legislative session must end by June 1st.