2015 Louisiana Legislative session: The winners and the losers

Faced with a seemingly impossible task -- plugging a $1.6 billion hole in the state's $24 billion budget without violating the "no-tax" pledge of a governor with presidential aspirations -- lawmakers waited until the final three hours of the Louisiana Legislature's 60-day 2015 session to cast their most crucial votes.

"We've had one of the most difficult sessions in recent memory," said House Speaker Chuck Kleckley, R-Lake Charles. "We've faced some difficult votes."

Over the last two months, lawmakers were asked to take several unpopular votes to support tax increases and clamp down on business incentives. After the Legislature approved the governor's symbolic "no tax" pledge late Thursday afternoon, Jindal said he would accept all of the funding bills passed by the Legislature -- including a cigarette tax -- that are intended to support health care and higher education.

"It's not our intent to veto anything for health care or higher education," Jindal said in a press conference following the close of session.

Read more: http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/06/2015_legislative_session_winne.html