Louisiana Works details post‑Act 478 budget shifts; lawmakers press on vacancies and measures of success
March 23, 2026 | 2026 Legislature LA, Louisiana
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Tranesha Hutchinson of Senate Fiscal opened the committee’s review of Louisiana Works, outlining changes under Act 478 (effective Oct. 1, 2025) that consolidated workforce programs and moved several adult‑centered programs from the Department of Children and Family Services and the Department of Health into Louisiana Works. Hutchinson told the committee the reorganization and program transfers account for the largest portion of a roughly 42% increase in recommended spending for the agency from fiscal 2019 to fiscal 2027.
Susie Shawen, secretary of Louisiana Works, told senators the agency’s goal is to translate the state's economic growth into high‑quality employment and noted the department is not requesting new state general funds this session. "We are experiencing unprecedented economic growth in Louisiana," Shawen said, adding that the agency plans to repurpose existing funding to meet workforce needs.
Hutchinson detailed the agency structure and funding mix: Louisiana Works comprises four program offices including Workforce Development and Unemployment Insurance Administration and is funded primarily with federal dollars (about half of the agency’s budget) with statutory dedications and interagency transfers also contributing. She said the agency has about 939 authorized positions in the House bill and that workforce development makes up roughly 45% of those positions.
Lawmakers focused on operational impacts. Senator Boudreau asked about the 36 positions reduced under Act 478 and where those losses were felt; undersecretary Jamie Tarove and Secretary Shawen said the cuts largely reflected long‑term vacancies concentrated in unemployment insurance and workforce development, and that federal formula funding for UI has fallen as unemployment rates declined. "Unemployment insurance and workforce development were the majority of them," Tarove said.
Members also pressed the agency on program performance and expansion. Hutchinson said the Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG) program is funded with roughly $10 million, serves more than 11,000 students in 177 classes, and officials expect the program to grow through expansion at schools that currently lack JAG. Shawen said the 1 Door to Work consolidation has been largely seamless for staff who moved into Louisiana Works from DCFS and emphasized that measurable returns on the consolidation could take several years: she cited Utah’s decades‑long evolution as a comparison.
Senators asked for more performance data on completion and employment outcomes. Shawen said the agency can provide more complete metrics but that some cross‑agency measures (for example, wraparound services tied to training enrollment) are still being refined. She estimated that roughly 4,000 people enrolled in certain workforce programs last year and offered an approximate 60% employment outcome in those program areas, while noting more detailed cross‑agency reporting is forthcoming.
The committee heard additional detail on statutory dedications, interagency transfers tied to the transferred SNAP and STEP programs, and the agency’s operating mix between personal services and other charges. After questions from multiple senators the committee moved on to review the Department of Health’s budget.
No formal motions or votes were recorded on the Louisiana Works presentation during the hearing.
Susie Shawen, secretary of Louisiana Works, told senators the agency’s goal is to translate the state's economic growth into high‑quality employment and noted the department is not requesting new state general funds this session. "We are experiencing unprecedented economic growth in Louisiana," Shawen said, adding that the agency plans to repurpose existing funding to meet workforce needs.
Hutchinson detailed the agency structure and funding mix: Louisiana Works comprises four program offices including Workforce Development and Unemployment Insurance Administration and is funded primarily with federal dollars (about half of the agency’s budget) with statutory dedications and interagency transfers also contributing. She said the agency has about 939 authorized positions in the House bill and that workforce development makes up roughly 45% of those positions.
Lawmakers focused on operational impacts. Senator Boudreau asked about the 36 positions reduced under Act 478 and where those losses were felt; undersecretary Jamie Tarove and Secretary Shawen said the cuts largely reflected long‑term vacancies concentrated in unemployment insurance and workforce development, and that federal formula funding for UI has fallen as unemployment rates declined. "Unemployment insurance and workforce development were the majority of them," Tarove said.
Members also pressed the agency on program performance and expansion. Hutchinson said the Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG) program is funded with roughly $10 million, serves more than 11,000 students in 177 classes, and officials expect the program to grow through expansion at schools that currently lack JAG. Shawen said the 1 Door to Work consolidation has been largely seamless for staff who moved into Louisiana Works from DCFS and emphasized that measurable returns on the consolidation could take several years: she cited Utah’s decades‑long evolution as a comparison.
Senators asked for more performance data on completion and employment outcomes. Shawen said the agency can provide more complete metrics but that some cross‑agency measures (for example, wraparound services tied to training enrollment) are still being refined. She estimated that roughly 4,000 people enrolled in certain workforce programs last year and offered an approximate 60% employment outcome in those program areas, while noting more detailed cross‑agency reporting is forthcoming.
The committee heard additional detail on statutory dedications, interagency transfers tied to the transferred SNAP and STEP programs, and the agency’s operating mix between personal services and other charges. After questions from multiple senators the committee moved on to review the Department of Health’s budget.
No formal motions or votes were recorded on the Louisiana Works presentation during the hearing.
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