So says The Center Square’s Victor Skinner in a report yesterday…

Pressure is mounting for lawmakers to hold a veto override session this month following the governor’s rejection of numerous bills from the 2023 regular session, including some approved by wide margins.

About two dozen vetoes from Gov. John Bel Edwards nixed the phase out the state’s corporate franchise tax, clarification of school immunization requirements, increased transparency in health care pricing, mandated notification for insurance companies, and three transgender-related bills.

Edwards has also used his line-item veto authority to rework the state budget, restoring $100 million to the Department of Health that was removed during a chaotic finale to the session last month. Other line-item vetoes cut local funding for lawmakers who opposed Edwards’ spending priorities.

While lawmakers have yet to decide whether to return to Baton Rouge, several in both chambers are ready and willing to make the trek.

The state constitution requires an override session unless a majority of lawmakers from either chamber vote to skip it. Republicans failed to override any vetoes during the first override session in state history in 2021, but successfully reversed Edwards’ veto of congressional redistricting legislation last year.

Lawmakers have until July 13 to decide, with a five-day session scheduled for July 18. Republicans currently hold supermajorities in both chambers required to override the governor.

Pollock Republican Rep. Gabe Firment, sponsor of vetoed House Bill 648 to restrict gender transitions for minors, recently told the media his colleagues in both chambers favor an override session, while others have followed commitments on social media.

The Twitter feed for Citizens for a New Louisiana includes several Republican lawmakers in favor, including Abita Springs Rep. Larry Frieman, Shreveport Rep. Alan Seabaugh, Denham Springs Rep. Valarie Hodges, New Iberia Rep. Blake Miguez, Haughton Rep. Dodie Horton, and others.

“The governor has vetoed a number of important bills that protect our children,” Frieman said in a Citizens for a New Louisiana post. “Our children alone are worth a veto override session. Additionally, he has vetoed bills designed to punish the criminals and protect the victims.”

In fact, this morning the Louisiana Freedom Caucus put out a statement demanding a veto session…

LA Freedom Caucus Supports Veto Session

To Override Wrongs Inflicted upon Louisiana by Governor Edwards’ Veto Pen

BATON ROUGE—The Louisiana Freedom Caucus (LAFC) supports bringing the legislature back into session to right certain wrongs Governor John Bel Edwards has once again inflicted upon Louisiana.

The number one most egregious veto strikes down a law that would protect minor children from suffering irreversible surgical procedures and puberty blockers used for the sole purpose of trying to change the child’s biological sex.

Another irresponsible Edwards veto would continue the over-taxation causing the economic devastation to our beloved Louisiana that has driven out business and caused our children to move to other states for employment. Further still, he vetoed a bill that creates an obstacle for a federal effort to replace the American dollar in Louisiana with a Central Bank Digital Currency controlled by the federal government. This form of digital money allows the federal government to control what you are allowed to spend your own money on, to assess fines and automatically deduct them from your account, and to determine how much of this money you actually have.

Edwards even vetoed bills that would require healthcare facilities to tell you up front what certain things will cost and to disclose that you are not required to have certain vaccinations.

For these and other reasons, the LAFC wholeheartedly supports the veto session and will work with others to inform and garner votes to override some of the most harmful Edwards vetoes.

“On his way out the door as a lame duck governor, John Bel Edwards has vetoed several bills which are badly needed by the people of Louisiana. He has vetoed common sense tax reform, protections for innocent children and bills that give law enforcement the tools they need to fight violent crime. The Louisiana Legislature has the ability and the duty to stand up for the people of Louisiana and overturn his hurtful vetoes. We are looking forward to convening on July 18,” said Louisiana Freedom Caucus Chairman Alan Seabaugh.

“The Louisiana Freedom Caucus is ready to lead the charge in overriding the liberal agenda of the governor. Protecting our children, eliminating unnecessary taxes, and restoring funding to conservative districts cut as a means of retribution will be our main priorities,” said Louisiana Freedom Caucus Vice Chairman Larry Frieman.

“The governor’s vetoes are evidence of ‘business as usual’ in Louisiana government. The status quo bars our citizens from better health and better opportunities and prevents our state from rising out of the pits of long-term federal government dependency. We have the authority to override. We should use it!” said Louisiana Freedom Caucus Secretary-Treasurer Beryl Amedée.

But it isn’t just the prominent conservatives in the legislature demanding a veto session. Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin is asking for an override of Edwards’ veto of HB 646, an election-integrity bill that would provide for a cleaner voter roll in Louisiana. That’s an issue which came to a bit more prominence earlier this year when the Orleans Parish voter rolls were found to have as many as 25,000 fake voters (dead, moved away or otherwise) as a consequence of the recall effort against the mayor, LaToya Cantrell.

Ardoin’s assistant Secretary of State Nancy Landry, who is a candidate for the office, put out a statement asking for an override of HB 646 as well…

“HB 646 is an important tool, recommended by the nonpartisan Louisiana Legislative Auditor and overwhelmingly passed by the legislature, to ensure that our voter rolls are accurate and that Louisiana’s election integrity remains the gold standard. It is shameful that Governor Edwards ignored the voices of election experts and the Legislative Auditor in his veto message, which repeated false information debunked during legislative testimony. Despite this misguided move on the part of the governor, the legislature has an opportunity to right this wrong by holding a veto session and overriding this veto. Accurate voter rolls are vital to maintaining safe, secure, and accurate elections, and the legislature has an opportunity to correct this by overriding the governor’s veto. The voters of Louisiana deserve nothing less.”

We said earlier this week that when Edwards vetoed HB 648, the bill banning pediatric sex changes, it would be impossible not to have a veto session. The legislative leadership wants for their work to be over; there is only so much failure one can withstand, and in the case of House Speaker Clay Schexnayder he needs some peace and quiet if he’s going to beat Landry and Public Service Commissioner Mike Francis in that Secretary of State race.

But once Edwards vetoed the minor trans surgery bill, it just became too hot. If there isn’t a veto session, every legislator running for re-election with an “R” next to their name will then have to explain why they didn’t go back to the Capitol to override him.

So those calls for a veto session are only going to grow louder. We’re pretty sure that in a week and a half the legislature will be back in session trying to override many of the two dozen-plus vetoes Edwards made.