HLS 10RS-617 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2010
HOUSE BILL NO. 820
BY REPRESENTATIVE ABRAMSON
BUDGETARY CONTROLS: (Constitutional Amendment) Mandates full funding of
postsecondary education and health care continuation budgets
A JOINT RESOLUTION1
Proposing to add Article VII, Section 10(D)(4) of the Constitution of Louisiana, relative to2
the expenditure of state funds; to required certain funding for public postsecondary3
education and health care services; to prohibit the reduction of such appropriation,4
except in certain circumstances; to provide for submission of the proposed5
amendment to the electors; and to provide for related matters.6
Section 1. Be it resolved by the Legislature of Louisiana, two-thirds of the members7
elected to each house concurring, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the state of8
Louisiana, for their approval or rejection in the manner provided by law, a proposal to add9
Article VII, Section 10(D)(4) of the Constitution of Louisiana, to read as follows:10
§10. Expenditure of State Funds11
Section 10.12
* * *13
(D) Appropriations.14
* * *15
(4)(a) The legislature shall annually appropriate funds sufficient to fully fund16
the cost to the state to carry on all existing programs and functions for all public17
postsecondary education at the level of service provided in the prior fiscal year,18
including any adjustments necessary to account for increased costs due to inflation19
or estimated increases in costs resulting from demographic or other changes. Neither20 HLS 10RS-617 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 820
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the governor nor the legislature may reduce such appropriation, or propose to reduce1
such appropriation, except that the governor or the legislature may reduce such2
appropriation by no more than ten percent of the amount required to fully fund3
postsecondary education at the level of services in the prior fiscal year, including any4
adjustments necessary to account for increased costs due to inflation or estimated5
increases in costs resulting from demographic or other changes, provided that any6
such reduction is consented to in writing by two-thirds of the elected member of each7
house of the legislature. The legislature may provide by law for the means of8
determining expenditures which shall be considered postsecondary education and9
any changes to such law shall be by approval of two-thirds of the members of each10
house of the legislature.11
(b) The legislature shall annually appropriate funds sufficient to fully fund12
the cost to the state to carry on all existing programs and functions for all health care13
services at the level of service provided in the prior fiscal year, including any14
adjustments necessary to account for increased costs due to inflation or estimated15
increases in costs resulting from demographic or other changes. Neither the16
governor nor the legislature may reduce such appropriation, or propose to reduce17
such appropriation, except that the governor or the legislature may reduce such18
appropriation by no more than ten percent of the of the amount required to fully fund19
health care services at the level of services in the prior fiscal year, including any20
adjustments necessary to account for increased costs due to inflation or estimated21
increases in costs resulting from demographic or other changes, provided that any22
such reduction is consented to in writing by two-thirds of the elected members of23
each house of the legislature. The legislature may provide by law for the means of24
determining expenditures which shall be considered health care services, and any25
changes to such law shall be by approval of two-thirds of the members of each house26
of the legislature.27
(c) The legislature may provide by law for the means of determining the cost28
to the state to carry on all existing programs and functions at the level of service29 HLS 10RS-617 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 820
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provided in the prior fiscal year and any changes to such law shall be by approval of1
two-thirds of the members of each house of the legislature.2
* * *3
Section 2. Be it further resolved that this proposed amendment shall be submitted4
to the electors of the state of Louisiana at the statewide election to be held on November 2,5
2010.6
Section 3. Be it further resolved that on the official ballot to be used at said election7
there shall be printed a proposition, upon which the electors of the state shall be permitted8
to vote FOR or AGAINST, to amend the Constitution of Louisiana, which proposition shall9
read as follows:10
To require full funding of postsecondary education at the level of service11
provided in the prior fiscal year, including any adjustments necessary to12
account for increased costs due to inflation or estimated increases in costs13
resulting from demographic or other changes; to require full funding of14
health care services at the level of service provided in the prior fiscal year,15
including any adjustments necessary to account for increased costs due to16
inflation or estimated increases in costs resulting from demographic or other17
changes; to permit the reduction of such appropriations by no more than ten18
percent and only with the consent of two-thirds of the elected members of19
each house of the legislature. (Adds Article VII, Section 10(D)(4))20
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Abramson HB No. 820
Abstract: Mandates full funding of continuation needs for postsecondary education and for
health care services. Requires 2/3 legislative approval to reduce such funding and
limits the reduction to 10% of the continuation level funding.
Proposed constitutional amendment requires the legislature to annually appropriate funds
sufficient to fully fund the cost to the state to carry on all existing programs and functions
for public postsecondary education at the level of service provided in the prior fiscal year,
including any adjustments necessary to account for increased costs due to inflation or
estimated increases in costs resulting from demographic or other changes. HLS 10RS-617 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 820
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
Proposed constitutional amendment requires the legislature to annually appropriate funds
sufficient to fully fund the cost to the state to carry on all existing programs and functions
for all health care services at the level of service provided in the prior fiscal year, including
any adjustments necessary to account for increased costs due to inflation or estimated
increases in costs resulting from demographic or other changes.
Proposed constitutional amendment provides that neither the governor nor the legislature
may reduce such appropriations for postsecondary education, or propose to reduce such
appropriation, except by no more than 10% of the total funds appropriated, provided that any
such reduction is consented to in writing by 2/3 of the elected member of each house of the
legislature.
Proposed constitutional amendment provides that neither the governor nor the legislature
may reduce such appropriations for health care services, or propose to reduce such
appropriation, except by no more than 10% of the total funds appropriated, provided that any
such reduction is consented to in writing by 2/3 of the elected member of each house of the
legislature.
Proposed constitutional amendment provides that the legislature may provide by law for the
means of determining those expenditures which shall be considered postsecondary education
and health care services and for the means of determining the cost to the state to carry on all
existing programs and functions at the level of service provided in the prior fiscal year. Any
changes to such law require a 2/3 vote of the members of each house of the legislature.
(Adds Const. Art. VII, §10(D)(4))