State of Louisiana

The commission also approved converting a GO bond sale from competitive to negotiated.

The bonds are to be sold competitively in April.

Dr. Shawn Wilson, former Louisiana Transportation Secretary, discusses the transformative Calcasieu Bridge project, lessons from public-private partnerships, and how the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is reshaping U.S. infrastructure development.

While the new tax policies should address the state's projected deficit, rating agencies are cautious about the projected revenues and federal spending on Medicaid, which could impact Louisiana.

The state will try to convince the rating agency to lift its debt to AA, to match the rating others have assigned.

Unless the state government makes changes to taxes or spending, there will be deficits of $587 million to more than $800 million starting in the next fiscal year.

The commission also made changes to planned Louisiana State gas and fuel tax bonds of up to $1 billion

The state plans to price the bonds in early October.

The state bond commission approved Wells Fargo, Bank of America and JPMorgan as part of an underwriting pool Louisiana can hire on debt deals.

The state's new law requires companies like investment banks to provide written verification of their positions, part of a trend among similar bills aimed at preventing Wall Street banks from lying about their positions, said a firearms industry lobbyist.