La. lawmakers open hearings on Jindal budget

Published Mar 6, 2012 at 2:49 pm (Updated Mar 6, 2012)

Lawmakers delving into the details of Gov. Bobby Jindal's $25.5 billion budget proposal are questioning his plans to privatize more health services and to merge an elderly affairs office into the health department. The House Appropriations Committee opened its budget hearings today and began combing through Jindal's spending proposals for the 2012-13 fiscal year that begins July 1. Committee members say they've heard concerns about the governor's plans to hire a private company to run institutions that care for the developmentally disabled and to shift an office providing dollars to local councils on aging into the health department. Jindal's commissioner of administration, Paul Rainwater, says the privatization plans will save money while preserving the same care and that moving the elderly affairs office won't reduce services but could generate additional federal money.