Fannin pulls bill to merge LSU-S, La. Tech
Advocate (excerpt)

A push to fold LSU-Shreveport into the University of Louisiana System, and then merge the institution with Louisiana Tech, sputtered and then ran out of gas on the House floor Tuesday. The bill’s supporters acknowledged they didn’t have the two-thirds majority, or 70 votes needed to advance the bill.

House Bill 964, sponsored by state Rep. Jim Fannin, D-Jonesboro, was advertised as a way to expand many of Louisiana Tech’s academic programs into the Shreveport-Bossier community.

Fannin said he sponsored it because he believed it would save the state money by cutting out duplication of facilities and staffing between two areas about 70 miles apart.