Victories for social conservatives were few and far between in the recently concluded regular session of the Louisiana legislature. Some important matters were simply not raised at all- limits on the Governor’s emergency decrees, for example, where we are further from a solution now than we were a year ago. Even more pressing matters, such as addressing the teaching of critical race theory in our schools, degenerated into a circus when the issue was highjacked by the Legislative Black Caucus and came to nothing.

It is Happy Days then, as Governor John Bel Edwards has apparently overreached his strangle hold on the legislature by vetoing several hot button bills passed by hefty legislative majorities. His arrogance may cost him heavily in the coming weeks:

His first mistake was to veto Sen. Beth Mizell’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, SB156, which sought to prevent transgender females from participating in athletic events designated for women and girls. No less than seventy-four percent of the legislators in both chambers supported the bill, so it was bipartisan as well as widely popular!

Now it is commonly known that pills and surgeries do not undo the effects of puberty on men who seek to become women- they already have a 30-50% advantage over women which they retain with or without hormone therapy. Yet as he vetoed the bill, the Governor issued a statement to the effect that “…this bill was a solution in search of a problem that simply does not exist in Louisiana.”

How utterly tone deaf and heedless can one man be to the hopes and aspirations of millions of women and girls in Louisiana? No one could be so wantonly ignorant of the physical danger to biological females in physical contact sports- we must presume that his progressive ideology now trumps even his common sense! And let us not forget that the domination of women’s sports by transgender athletes must necessarily risk the hard won gains for which women have fought so hard over the last several decades.

But there is more. Consider that John Bel Edwards has also vetoed Sen. Jay Morris’ SB 118, a bill which would have given adult citizens the right to carry a concealed weapon without a license. Anyone who has been a crime victim since the onset of the pandemic has already suffered the terrible effects of the surging crime epidemic. Progressive Democrats have amply aided and abetted the damage done by defunding and demoralizing the police forces, to say nothing of the horrors perpetrated on entire communities by their woke district attorneys.

The right to carry has never been more important – all the crime cameras in the world aren’t going to save you or your family if, God forbid, you are ever placed in such a predicament. John Bel is apparently blithely unaware of the situation on the streets and in our homes. Presumably, his state police detail absolves him of the need for worrying about his immediate family. We commoners are not so fortunate. The right to carry is becoming essential just to walk our streets, and this bill establishes that right.

And more damaging vetoes could be on the way. John Bel Edwards has until July 3rd to veto or line item veto several bills, including the perks and goodies hiding in the capital outlay budget, HB2. The Governor has not hesitated to use his line item veto power against legislators who do not tow his line, regardless of the damage done to Louisiana citizens. He has already vetoed several important projects in HB1, and presumably he will not hesitate to continue the practice.

The veto override session will only be called if YOU make it happen! Please call your representative at (225) 342-6945 and your senator at (225) 342-2040 and urge them to hold the veto override session. Remind your friends and relatives to do the same, and keep the pressure on your legislators!

LOUIS GURVICH, Chairman
Republican Party of Louisiana