On June 29, 2021 House Speaker Clay Schexnayder and Senate President Page Cortez had a meeting with Governor John Bel Edwards. The next day Page Cortez released this statement:
“While the Legislature has not yet received any official Veto Messages from the Governor, I believe that if the administration does ultimately veto SB 156 (The Fairness in Women’s Sports Act) that the members of the Senate will likely proceed with the Constitutionally mandated Veto Override session set to begin on July 20th.”
We cannot be sure of what was discussed in that meeting. However, there are theories about this being a way to cleanse the speakers image. That doesn’t seem far-fetched as just before meeting with the governor Schexnayder requested a meeting with Louisiana pastors asking for their help. Will you fall for the façade?
A Few of the Vetoed Bills
- HB 38 by Representative Rick Edmonds- Provides for school board information to be accessible on the Louisiana Fiscal Transparency Website known as Louisiana Checkbook
- HB 149 by Representative Larry Frieman- Provides relative to termination of emergency declarations
- HB 349 by Representative Kathy Edmonston- Prohibits requiring vaccination verification or immunity status for certain transactions or for inclusion on a driver’s license or special identification card
- HB 498 by Representative Kathy Edmonston- Prohibits discrimination by government agencies and officials on the basis of vaccination or immunity status
- SB 118 by Senator Jay Morris Provides relative to the concealed carrying of firearms
- SB 156 by Senator Beth Mizell- Provides for the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act
Governor John Bel Edward’s Reasons
While some of the reasons John Bel Edwards gave were legal technicalities, in his opinion, some were just silly.
Legislators voted for transparency in school spending. Who would be against that? Louisiana’s governor, of course. He said that school systems do not have the resources or technology to comply with transparency.
When it came to discrimination based on vaccination and vaccine passports legislators agreed this was worth being proactive. It is not hard to see what is going on in other states. The governor vetoed both bills addressing these issues. He believed they did not support the narrative and undermined the public’s faith in the vaccine.
Due to the governor’s misuse of emergency power legislators agreed they needed to ensure Louisiana never went through 2020 again. John Bel Edwards vetoed HB 149 in order to maintain as much power as possible. Don’t forget the hearing [Governor John Bel Edwards VS Louisiana State Legislature] still scheduled for July 12, 2021.
Edwards vetoed two bills meant to protect Louisiana citizens from discrimination. Then he vetoed one in the name of being against discrimination. Read further and you find that Edwards vetoed SB 156 because NCAA threatened to move championship games from Louisiana. He states he was concerned for the economy. Edwards fakes concern about the economy he spent a year destroying to receive federal funding. I wonder why NCAA is against fairness in women’s sports.
As for constitutional carry, the “pro gun rights” governor vetoed that bill too. Even though Louisiana is open carry Edwards did not like the idea of people concealed carrying without “common sense training”. The governor also stated “There is simply no good reason why the State of Louisiana should provide for concealed carry of weapons for people that have no training on how to properly use a gun.”
Veto Override
A Veto Override session happens automatically [July 20, 2021] unless a majority of either house declares in writing that it is unnecessary. The Senate President and House Speaker agreed that there will be a Veto Override Session if certain bills are vetoed . With a Republican supermajority, this should go smoothly. However, this is Louisiana. Will elected officials stand by their regular session votes or cave to the governor’s pressure?
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