KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana |House committee to take up 'mega-fund' bill
Member Center:
Associated Press - May 5, 2009 4:04 PM ET
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Gov. Bobby Jindal's bid to use the state's economic development "mega-fund" to keep open a Farmerville chicken plant continues its fast track in the Legislature.
The Senate already has agreed to loosen restrictions on the $414 million fund so Jindal can use $50 million for the chicken plant deal. On Tuesday, the House Appropriations Committee also agreed to the bill by Republican Sen. Mike Walsworth of West Monroe.
It moves next to the full House for debate.
The changes to the mega-fund also would let the Jindal administration tap it for a $28.5 million deal to build a new Shaw Group facility in Lake Charles.
If the House agrees to Walsworth's bill, lawmakers on the joint budget committee would have to separately approve mega-fund spending for each project.
On the Net:
Senate Bill 283 can be found at http://www.legis.state.la.us
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