Louisiana's state legislature has approved plans to create a new board for overseeing levee projects across the southern part of the state, but it set aside a more far-reaching levee reform bill. Tuesday is the final day of a special legislative session to deal with fiscal problems caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
STEVE INSKEEP, host: This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News.  I'm Steve Inskeep.</s>STEVE INSKEEP, host: When people talk about rebuilding New Orleans, many say they won't do      anything until they know the levees are strong.  This morning we'll have      an update on the effort to improve the levees and serious questions about      how they were maintained before Katrina.  As we'll hear in a moment, some      New Orleans residents say there was a warning that a safety barrier would      fail.  We'll start with NPR's Cheryl Corley, who's tracking a move by      state lawmakers to oversee the levees.</s>CHERYL CORLEY reporting: The levee plan approved by lawmakers came from Governor Kathleen Blanco.      It sets up a statewide Levee Authority which could override any decision      made by a parish or local levee boards if they didn't adhere to a      statewide hurricane plan.  It would also allow the state to speak in one      voice instead of having individual levee boards seek money from Congress      for levee and coastal protection projects.  A more controversial plan      that would have gone a step further and dissolved the local boards was      killed.  Mel Lagarde, the co-chairman of New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin's      rebuilding commission, called it politics as usual.</s>Mr. MEL LAGARDE (New Orleans Rebuilding Commission): What has      consistently interfered with streamlined administration of this state and      this region has once again gotten in the way of what we need to do.</s>CORLEY: Lawmakers also approved a bill that allows the state to take      over most of the public schools in New Orleans.  It's an extension of the      authority state education officials already have, which allows them to      take over failing public schools.  The bill goes next to Governor Blanco,      who supports it.</s>Governor KATHLEEN BLANCO (Louisiana): The state Department of Education      and the BESE board will be working together to try to establish a system      that will create strong schools.</s>CORLEY: On the agenda for this last day of the special session are      budget cuts that are needed to cope with the state's nearly $1 billion      shortfall.</s>CORLEY: Cheryl Corley, NPR News, New Orleans.