BATON ROUGE - The leader of Louisiana's House Republican delegation is offering his proposal for closing a $304 million midyear deficit without needing a special legislative session.

Alexandria Rep. Lance Harris' plan would levy the deepest reduction, $147 million, on the health department. Harris cites the agency's significant budget growth over 14 years.

Public colleges wouldn't take a hit, and the state wouldn't use its "rainy day" fund under the plan Harris provided Thursday to The Associated Press.

Other cuts would fall on roadwork, state prisons and K-12 education.

The governor and the Legislature's joint budget committee could do the rebalancing without a special session.

Gov. John Bel Edwards is planning to call a mid-February session, saying the full Legislature has broader authority to make cuts without heavily damaging colleges and health programs.