Hostages

Just so crude

Jindal's budget includes $85.7 million in health-care expenses for poor and indigent that depends on lawmakers agreeing to separate legislation that would sell the prisons in Avoyelles, Winn and Allen parishes to private operators.

Administration officials have said the deals would raise short-term cash and save the state money over the long haul. But the plan has stirred up strong opposition in central Louisiana, where prison workers fear the loss of their jobs or the lower wages and benefits that would likely spring from privatization.