Louisiana senators hear grim predictions of budget impact

BATON ROUGE — Gov. John Bel Edwards’ administration has presented to senators a grim picture of the fallout from the House-proposed version of next year’s budget, with the governor threatening a veto if anything resembling the spending plan reaches his desk.

Over dozens of hours of hearings, agency leaders say they’d have to release prisoners early, shutter health programs and damage critical services in the financial year that begins July 1. House Republican leaders who drew up the plan call that scare tactics and say state government can’t afford the spending trajectory proposed by the Democratic governor.