The Senate Finance Committee met Wednesday evening, and discussed HB 105, the bill giving the Attorney General his own budget.
A.G. Jeff Landry insisted this wasn’t a “power grab”, rather that he was trying to improve the efficiency of his department by cutting out the middleman, and not having to seek Division of Administration approval before shifting funding within his department.
“The power of the purse, to spend money, is predicated solely on y’all’s shoulders,” Landry told the lawmakers.
But committee members had some questions about BP settlement dollars the A.G. had recently received – money the Joint Legislative Budget Committee authorized for the Coastal fund last August.
“Instead, the Treasurer’s Office transferred it directly to the Attorney General’s Office, as opposed to Coastal,” Barry Dusse’, with the Division of Administration explained.
Senator Jim Fannin, for who was the House Appropriations chairman last year, observed, “I’m still trying to figure out where the Treasurer got the authority. I thought it was all supposed to go to Coastal.”
“Under the settlement document, and under statutory authority, we command those dollars,” Landry stated.
“The Legislature has the authority through Joint Budget to manage the budget process anytime we’re not in session,” Fannin contended.
“I will take full responsibility for directing the Treasurer to move that $7 million, Senator,” the A.G. replied, adding, “I will take whatever lickin’ you want to give to me, sir.”
“I’m not trying to give anybody a lickin’,” Fannin said. “I’m protecting the institution.”
“Me, too!” Landry maintained.
Lawyers with the AG’s office, the Treasurer, and the Coastal Authority then came to the table, each arguing they were in the right. Senate Finance Committee chairman Eric LaFleur finally had enough.
“Y’all can do what you want, you can cite all your law, but when the Joint Budget Committee meets and they tell you how they want it done, I would suspect that y’all would at least try to follow that!” LaFleur said, heatedly.
It doesn’t look like the AG will end up with his own budget, after all.
Copyright 2016 WRKF
