Louisiana Legislative GOP Calls Grow For Veto Override Session
National Archives and Records Administration, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
A growing list of legislators has joined the chorus with Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin in calling for a Veto Override Session to overturn Democrat Governor John Bel Edwards’ attempts to defy the will of the legislature elected by the people of Louisiana. The evolution of the special session has been followed closely by the Citizens for a New Louisiana, a non-profit lobbying group that has tweeted that Republican State Rep. Larry Frieman, Rep. Alan Seabaugh, Rep. Gabe Firment, Rep. Dodie Horton, Sen. Blake Miguez, have endorsed the session.
In a July 3rd tweet Frieman wrote,
“I am in full support of a veto override session. The governor has vetoed a number of important bills that protect our children. Our children alone are worth a veto override session. Additionally, he has vetoed bills designed to punish the criminals and protect the victims.”
According to the Louisiana Illuminator, Firment, who authored HB 648 the Stop Harming Our Kids Act, told the outlet that he hasn’t been actively “lobbying” the legislature to convene but he stated he had a good gauge on where they stand.
“Every rep. and senator I’ve talked to is fully on board with a veto override session,” Firment said Monday in an interview.
Rep. Clay Higgins tweeted “We the People demand a veto-override session.” He wrote, “Our Democrat Governor vetoed the bill protecting children from genitalia mutilation and chemical gender reversal. His legacy is horror. Let’s see if our Republican legislature does anything about it.”
Bel Edwards has vetoed sixteen pieces of legislation in the 2023 regular session, with HB 648 and 646 presenting easily the two most egregious examples, triggering massive controversy in Baton Rouge.
In a statement Wednesday reported by the Illuminator, Ardoin wrote regarding a different bill,House Bill 646, to require a supplemental statewide voter canvass to ensure accurate voter rolls. “The insistence by the governor that this process is unnecessary is blatantly partisan and ignores not only the recommendation of the nonpartisan Louisiana Legislative Auditor and election experts, but also the relevant testimony and real-life examples presented in committee.”
“I believe preserving election integrity is the most important role of the Secretary of State, and my office and our local election partners need this statutory authority to uphold my duty to deliver safe, secure, and accurate elections to the people of Louisiana,” he continued. “I call on the legislature to convene a veto override session and consider H.B. 646. No other election integrity measure is more critical to our state at this juncture.”
The legislature must decide whether or not to hold a veto override session by no later than July 13th. Should majorities in both chambers agree then the session would begin five days later.