Gov. John Bel Edwards releases plan for $304M budget deficit

Gov. John Bel Edwards is asking the Louisiana Legislature to dip into the state's reserves, shift spending sources and make modest cuts to some agencies to plug a $304 million mid-year state budget shortfall.

Edwards, a Democrat, has called state lawmakers into a special session starting at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 13 to shore up the budget. Legislators must wrap up their work by midnight on Feb. 22.

On Monday, the governor unveiled his specific plan for plugging the gap in the budget that ends June 30.

Edwards wants lawmakers to use $119 million from the state's rainy day fund to lessen the need for cuts to state services, but some lawmakers have said they would prefer to make further cuts.

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