A billion-dollar Louisiana budget shortfall could close hospitals, jeopardize med schools - Julia O'Donoghue, The Times-Picayune

Edwards, a Democrat, and the Legislature, controlled by Republicans, have been trying for the better part of two years to avoid this type of budget from coming to pass. So far, they haven't been able to reach an agreement on how to avoid the billion-dollar shortfall -- and time is running short. Some fix must be in place by July 1, when over a billion dollars in existing state taxes expire, or the type of budget Edwards is proposing will have to be implemented. In addition to the hospital funding, Edwards is proposing to cut the popular TOPS college scholarship program by 80 percent to deal with the billion-dollar state budget reduction. The only funding remaining for TOPS in the governor's proposal is that which cannot be cut, because it is protected in state law. http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/01/louisiana_budget_health_care.html