Could the Louisiana Legislature be Heading Towards a Four-Day Veto Session?

Now that Governor Edwards has vetoed the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, which would prohibit transgender girls and women from participating in female sports, will we see a veto session? Political consultant Lionel Rainey says House Speaker Clay Schexnayder supports a veto session.

“When you have the Speaker of the House come out and immediately make a statement that he’s in favor of a veto override that’s a big, big, big sign,” said Rainey.

The Legislature has never a held veto override session. State lawmakers will receive mail ballots during the first week of July asking whether they want a veto session. Rainey says if one chamber votes against it, the veto session is canceled.

“My personal opinion is that I think the numbers are going to be there in the House to bring them back in, the Senate I don’t know that’s going to be a tough call,” said Rainey.

In Edwards’s veto announcement, he said a ban on transgender athletes in girls’ sports is discrimination and the bill was a solution in search of a problem that simply does not exist in Louisiana.

But Rainey says there’s strong public support for this legislation.

“In our business, we track this and I don’t know if there’s anything else out there that has the amount of overwhelming support of the public across both parties,” said Rainey.

Governor Edwards is also expected to veto another bill that received strong support in the Legislature. That legislation would do away with the need of a concealed carry permit in order to carry a concealed handgun.