[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6142342,"mediaKeyId","5558661-2ab3ff659f71212a8a9b15012baa73dd","parentId",5558661,"title","LA First researchers present early findings: gaps in early reading, wage differences and juvenile‑to‑adult justice crossover","audioSeconds",2529,"startMs",4597000,"endMs",7126000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5558661-2ab3ff659f71212a8a9b15012baa73dd&start=4597&end=7126","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5558661-2ab3ff659f71212a8a9b15012baa73dd/thumbnail_4597000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6142342/Louisiana/LA-First-researchers-present-early-findings-gaps-in-early-reading-wage-differences-and-juveniletoadult-justice-crossover","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6142342-3c88221e9db3a14d45e862b4d38b947e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437841&Signature=TkSw0YRw7niDYlpSNbTiYqcJTW9ihdxeMKB9v6N5QkPQKjJ2W-Kj27m6yW5CQ6cqIFAVWM6xP1yzz47YsllqITgSS6cUw1nN~EhrqW-SVPifJcpbxHhIRMoFcK9~3n0JQaGolkWhzgG1VshxRwHBi5iCZS76t1MDGGkstyHuPc0BB88S1~zY2WMNbxh4KozJngRR43yMb8WFSuxvQhN~yYev6sF0gQjMURYxjzE0QU4wI9152iAhDfRbtBopSRL-cKFcYmAIZXXqASQvYtMXVIvdVaPh5qd3Pl254g6WTR36QTlNol0GepcNTspDLe57hbpzkNdgxGs1oWdAoL393w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Louisiana Legislature","date","2025-08-08T00:00:00Z","article","Researchers from the Kathleen Blanco Public Policy Center presented an update on LA First — the legislative program to create a foundational integrated research system that links administrative data across education, workforce, health and justice systems — and highlighted preliminary findings from three mandated annual reports.

Steven Barnes, executive director of the Blanco Center, and Rachel Veron, LA First director, described the program’s design: the center receives copies of agency administrative records into a secure environment hosted by the Office of Technology Services; a small information team removes personal identifiers and a research team produces legislative reports and ad hoc analyses with partner‑agency oversight.

Nut graf: The first year of LA First focused on data assembly and produced three statutory reports (K–12 transitions and post‑secondary enrollment; juvenile justice transitions; and employment outcomes). Presenters highlighted racial disparities in early reading measures, gender and race gaps in early career wages for non‑college enrollees, and a substantial juvenile‑to‑adult corrections crossover rate in cohort analysis.

Chu Bui and Himani Sharma summarized Launch Louisiana findings on early reading and labor outcomes. Bui said the state uses DIBELS (DIBELS 8) reading assessments and found that white students outperform Black students at each grade level measured; \"when we go ... to the beginning of third grade, the difference will turn out to be 17 percentage point, which is the largest differences,\" he said. Sharma presented wage findings for recent high school graduates who did not enroll in a Louisiana public institution: females averaged roughly $4,000 quarterly (~$16,000 annually) while males averaged about $6,000 quarterly (~$24,000 annually), a gap of about $8,000 annually in the observed cohort.

Alejandra Layton, lead author on the juvenile justice study, said cohort linkage shows that up to 50% of youth who were in Office of Juvenile Justice custody or supervision later became involved with adult corrections within the observation window; she added that 46% of crossover offenses occurred within one to five years after release from juvenile custody — a window she identified as important for interventions.

Robert Havens summarized employment‑outcome work linking Board of Regents completions to unemployment insurance wage records and noted several findings: an increasing share of completers earn certificates; women outnumber men in completions; and in a pilot occupational analysis registered nurses and other trade pathways typically align program training with occupational outcomes and show substantial wage mobility for participants.

Committee members asked about coverage and limitations: participation of local education agencies is voluntary under current arrangements and LA First has student‑level k‑12 records for many but not all districts (presenters said 42 LEAs participated covering parts of 27 parishes). Members asked that LA First pursue additional district opt‑ins, explore linking early childhood enrollment data and parental socioeconomic context where possible, and produce district‑level analyses for legislators to compare local outcomes.

Ending: Presenters said full reports are available online, offered to provide additional data and parish‑level breakdowns, and asked legislators to encourage district participation to improve statewide coverage.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House JLCB Aug 8, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Kathleen Blanco Center’s LA First program presented its first legislative reports, showing early‑grade reading gaps by race, wage disparities among recent high‑school leavers, and that up to half of youth involved with juvenile justice may later enter adult corrections within a decade.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature LA, Louisiana","taxId",78558,"location","Louisiana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6142346,"Committee approves two‑year extension for long‑term care access contractor amid performance questions",845,2672000,3517000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5558661-2ab3ff659f71212a8a9b15012baa73dd&start=2672&end=3517","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5558661-2ab3ff659f71212a8a9b15012baa73dd/thumbnail_2672000.jpg","/articles/6142346/Louisiana/Committee-approves-twoyear-extension-for-longterm-care-access-contractor-amid-performance-questions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6142346-d4be8cb62b5d29ea9869c846f2ed5d85/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437841&Signature=Wa8zRzp6hTwwCpbCVhUmtL1QYC35T5atwzy2TF28oD1A3k6-IcVXSJg4~o5UbPdgLPNTdBB3~N8pZNZcGW3YcmRIT7GLVTXYtGdwnmLw60XnWz88RPrrXZeUtWuJELH59cxjAtmoMPzBczUPau3DgTPH5VnPITJOU~uvBvSzue0boWZHTbjXyMR5I~nkqWrffEpK7zKZTJ~wq0WMoi825cevJzYD03-E6629JMCYPp5v8t0fHpcCo-haINjiLidsLkZmDLtO464kYrYO4ymqdOf4Zu3hWzONV-mF~QPwMwYM6lowuN0-X3q1MLaAyZjrwfFi9IGUSUkWVq5FpywkBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget voted to approve a requested two‑year extension of the long‑term care access contract with Conduent (the contractor named in the transcript as the long‑term care access contractor) on Aug. 8.

Gary Williams, assistant secretary with the Louisiana Department of Health Office of Aging and Adult Services, told the committee the contractor serves as the single point of entry for the state's home‑and‑community‑based services and conducts level‑of‑care assessments for waiver programs and long‑term personal care services. \"As the long term care access contractor, the conduit the contractor, functions as the single point of entry for all home and community based services,\" Williams said.

Nut graf: Members approved the extension after asking detailed questions about what the contractor does, how performance is measured, and historical service levels; staff said the contract includes numerous deliverables and that the contractor has processed large call volumes and tens of thousands of level‑of‑care assessments, but lawmakers asked for more historical performance data.

Christy Sawyer, program manager and contract monitor, described operational duties: the contractor performs initial face‑to‑face level‑of‑care assessments, annual and status‑change reassessments, writes person‑centered plans of care, conducts monthly phone contacts and quarterly home visits for LTPCS participants, and manages appeals for terminations or reductions. Sawyer said, \"They write our person centered plans of care. They also do our monthly phone contacts, quarterly home visits for our LTPCS participants. They host, they write and host, all of our appeals for any LTPCS terminations or reductions of services. They also do our, IDD screenings.\" Williams and Sawyer told the committee the contractor has been responsive to requested changes.

Senators and representatives raised performance and oversight questions. Senator Feijerra noted the contract maximum over five years is $37.4 million and asked how staff measure performance. Sawyer said the contract contains 87 deliverables and roughly 127 sub‑deliverables that are tracked monthly. Williams said the extension will not add new funding; rather it continues the contract authority to cover two additional years to 2028 within the approved total.

Members also sought usage statistics. Sawyer said Conduent received roughly 152,830 incoming calls year‑to‑date and completed 49,033 level‑of‑care assessments. \"We did complete a total of 49,033 level of care eligibility assessments,\" she said, and described reasons callers contact the contractor: assessments, referrals, scheduling and requests for information.

Representative Marcel recounted a constituent case involving an 88‑year‑old whose services were stopped and who submitted additional information; committee staff advised that appeals, Medicaid reconsideration processes and interagency coordination can require contacting Medicaid and the program manager directly. Sawyer invited members to contact her for case follow‑up.

The committee voted on a motion to approve the extension; Senator Luno moved that the contract be extended as submitted. The motion carried and the contract extension was approved.","The Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget approved a two‑year extension of the long‑term care access contract with Conduent (the state contractor), continuing the single‑point‑of‑entry function for Medicaid home‑and‑community based services while lawmakers requested performance and outcome data dating back to prior contracts.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6142351,"Legislators approve $410M in carryforwards amid questions on accounting and a $27,000 VA utility vehicle",257,581000,838000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5558661-2ab3ff659f71212a8a9b15012baa73dd&start=581&end=838","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5558661-2ab3ff659f71212a8a9b15012baa73dd/thumbnail_581000.jpg","/articles/6142351/Louisiana/Legislators-approve-410M-in-carryforwards-amid-questions-on-accounting-and-a-27000-VA-utility-vehicle","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6142351-b20b106009fa9cc5b30c6c3c58f7c558/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437841&Signature=FSQ5IIGDSRIRbbaKnug0ywm24D~Erhdh-mo0QTYS~~PJWCzrBG4Zx1YgkXspunCRFzuX2Px0u1U2UJqsA1elRHxmymmL3iKARRF0QdJwA82c4LzarR2WQOlgfkVafgKTY8dSV8RJ0SF9JlPkC1S1EUKVIiPTkj6aGtnhTGEMfG0c~PleFw7-e05S698xrGqfkdVDyDQHpzdQN2TkaBH7fP94EU1eh0vmAbWqsHDHuSxNpRkCpeoLkk5Q7THeRxgy~NgA-ck7zTOmOPrmrFGz1ZxsStWtZxsffoxFx7PgovN5j5AqJI5ks-fq7-nKiWbBKLagA-W~5-tuEjMXf30afA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget on Aug. 8 approved 66 carryforward budget adjustments (BA‑7s) that staff said represent bona fide obligations from fiscal 2025 that agencies seek authority to spend in fiscal 2026.

Roger Husser of the Office of Facility Planning and Control and Alan Boksberger of the Legislative Fiscal Office presented the instruments and recommended approval. Boksberger told the committee his office reviewed the encumbrances and recommended approval.

Nut graf: Committee members approved the carryforwards — roughly $410 million of state general fund and $623 million total means of financing, according to staff — but several members pressed for stronger post‑approval reporting and questioned specific items, including an item for the Department of Veterans Affairs described in the packet as a $27,000 “golf cart.”

Alan Boksberger said the review focused on whether a valid encumbrance existed but not on purchase choices: \"The fiscal offices review of these instruments are to determine if there's a valid encumbrance. We do not weigh the merits of any individual purchase. Those decisions are largely left up to the agency administrators.\" Representative Bagley flagged the $27,000 item and asked why similar vehicles on state contract were listed at lower prices. Boksberger and staff explained the vendor descriptions and operating needs could explain price differences; staff noted some items may already be paid and would be removed from the carryforward if liquidated prior to Aug. 15.

The chair, Representative MacFarlane, moved approval of the global BA‑7 package; the motion carried. Representative LaFleur also moved and the committee approved giving the commissioner authority to reduce BA‑7 amounts for items liquidated before Aug. 15.

Members asked for post‑approval transparency: staff agreed to publish monthly adjustments and to provide summaries showing which carryforwards were liquidated and any resulting net reductions that would appear on the fiscal status. Representative Barrow requested direct notification and said she would review liquidations for items in her district.

Ending: Members signaled they would follow up on specific high‑cost items and track monthly posts to the committee website; staff said they will provide updated liquidation totals and explanatory material at the next meeting.","The committee approved 66 BA‑7 carryforward instruments totaling roughly $410 million in state general fund and $623 million total financing while members pressed staff about how carryforwards affect EOB accounting and questioned a $27,000 vehicle purchase listed as a \"golf cart.\"",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6142356,"Legislative budget office flags $130M shortfall in 2027; five‑year outlook worsens without policy changes",268,175000,443000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5558661-2ab3ff659f71212a8a9b15012baa73dd&start=175&end=443","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5558661-2ab3ff659f71212a8a9b15012baa73dd/thumbnail_175000.jpg","/articles/6142356/Louisiana/Legislative-budget-office-flags-130M-shortfall-in-2027-fiveyear-outlook-worsens-without-policy-changes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6142356-e271740230121b791b5523116cc05281/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437841&Signature=VGkGshSixuRudv0cQSGpDI3DwLtQEoOsD~rdK2~HM44aOKyZwolo6pGeoGSg3yMvSQhSUxgYl~BjMPclTH7cOf6W8lgZkrx4b~0M-sXrRycvICqR7zZnGROtyymCKZIQIWOXLI0CqiKiTk4IQZY0kkyVAPdEureBanQvmiaw6jzvKgmTLdEG8rX0KlmPZzgwokK7PtwQWy55AcD1FJ9SwBD70QA0VVGKBS9Sb7I8nwkkAt5Q12yk8lHPKEtNKEuWysR-eFO7jLJR4I~-mTDxN2njv85ZVVk7-4cN89ZWPguqmEh4qrO7Bk63f7NjM-qdsO4MLlIXIMZQZhxjo3vd3g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ternisa Hutchinson, an analyst with the Office of Planning and Budget, told the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget on Aug. 8 that the five‑year baseline projections updated for 2025 appropriations show small near‑term reserves but mounting imbalances beginning in 2027.

Hutchinson said, \"the general fund remaining balance is about $89,000 for the current fiscal year.\" She told the committee the projection shows ‘‘about $130,000,000 projected to be out of balance in '27’’ and that the imbalance increases in subsequent years.

Nut graf: The committee heard that the projected gap in 2027 is driven largely by increases tied to Medicaid managed care payments and provider rate changes, a federal shift in SNAP liability for states, and a redirection of motor vehicle sales tax to transportation funds — changes that reduce general‑fund capacity and could be magnified if a teacher pay stipend is funded.

Hutchinson said the projected 2027 shortfall is “primarily due to, changes in the MCO payments, the managed care organization for the, Medicaid increases for, the nursing home, rebase, the physician rate increase.” She also told members the state has factored a possible timing item: “There's funding in the 5 year for GOSEP for the Katrina closeout. It's estimated to, potentially happen in '27.”

On SNAP, Hutchinson explained a federal change could shift partial responsibility for benefits to states: \"another impact of the federal changes were about $95,000,000 associated with the SNAP where the states, based on their error rates, will have to pay a portion of their the benefits ... and then it's estimated to be about $95,000,000.\"

Committee members pressed for clarifications about specific line items and contingencies. Representative Marcel asked whether the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) would pick up added general fund costs; Hutchinson said the baseline includes “about $50,000,000 of general fund that will be needed” in 2027 because an administrative match is estimated to shift from 50% federal/50% state to 75% state under federal legislation referenced in the meeting.

Hutchinson cautioned that some costs were not included in the baseline because they are outside statutory continuation guidelines: \"What's not factored into the 5 year because it is not part of the continuation guidelines that's in law is the teacher pay stipend. That's, approximately about $200,000,000. So if that was to be factored in, that was funded, your imbalance for '27, '28, and '29 go up approximately 200,000,000.\" Representative and Senator members acknowledged the magnitude of the gap and the need to address the drivers.

The committee did not take formal action to change baseline assumptions during the meeting; members asked for follow‑up detail and said staff would return with additional analysis.

Ending: Committee staff and members indicated they will continue to refine the projections and report back. Hutchinson and Office of Planning and Budget staff said they would provide supporting detail on line items and the potential fiscal impact if the teacher stipend were funded.","The Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget reviewed updated five‑year baseline projections showing a roughly $130 million imbalance in fiscal 2027 that could grow to hundreds of millions in later years because of federal policy changes, tax rededications and potential teacher pay stipends.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

LA First researchers present early findings: gaps in early reading, wage differences and juvenile‑to‑adult justice crossover

Committee approves two‑year extension for long‑term care access contractor amid performance questions

Legislators approve $410M in carryforwards amid questions on accounting and a $27,000 VA utility vehicle

Legislative budget office flags $130M shortfall in 2027; five‑year outlook worsens without policy changes