• By MICHELLE MILLHOLLON
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: May 6, 2009 - Page: 1A

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A bill that backers say would save 1,300 jobs at a northeast Louisiana chicken plant is one step away from final approval in the Louisiana Legislature.

Senate Bill 283, which won lopsided Senate approval last week, cleared a House committee Tuesday and next faces action in the House.

Approval there would send the measure to Gov. Bobby Jindal just more than one week after the 2009 session began.

State Rep. Hollis Downs, R-Ruston, told the House Appropriations Committee that SB283 is vital to economic development.

He said the state too often chases new, big ventures.

“You’ve got to concentrate on keeping the ones you’ve got and growing the ones you’ve got,” Downs said.

The bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Mike Walsworth, said the legislation would benefit the chicken plant and others.

“It’s not necessarily the chicken bill … but is enabling legislation,” he said.

Walsworth, R-West Monroe, conceded the chicken plant is driving efforts to quickly move the bill through the Legislature.

Pilgrim’s Pride is scheduled to close the Farmerville chicken processing plant Friday.

SB283 now moves to the House floor. It moved rapidly through the Senate last week with backing by Jindal.

Jindal wants the state to spend $50 million from an economic development “megafund” to purchase and upgrade the plant. Foster Farms of California is expected to pay $50 million — on top of the state’s $50 million — for the plant.

The plant does not currently qualify for the megafund, which is supposed to be limited to projects that create at least 500 new jobs and bring in at least $100 million in private sector investment.