June 16, 2023

Friends,

Gov. John Bel Edwards issued his first set of vetoes from the regular session late yesterday, but high-drama items are still in the wind.

Speculation continues to grow over how Edwards will address the main budget bill and its surprise $100 million cut to the Health Department. The governor has also vowed to ax a package of anti-LGBTQ+ bills, which alone could trigger a veto override session.

According to an Edwards spokesperson, the governor is unlikely to act on these specific measures until the week of June 26.

Yesterday afternoon the governor vetoed SB 196, the Litigation Financing Disclosure and Security Protection Act, and, more importantly, issued line-item vetoes for HB 560, a supplemental spending bill.

Lawmakers who took pronounced positions against busting the spending cap saw their projects cut from the latter, such as, but not limited to, Reps. Raymond Crews, Dodie Horton and Danny McCormick.

(The supplemental spending plan found in HB 560 was just one of the measures lawmakers used to spend $2.2 billion in excess cash. The House has prepared this document and this one to show how the total sum was expended.)

As for those “anti-LGBTQ+” bills, Louisiana Republican Party Chair Louis Gurvich told lawmakers this week they should plan to support these measures from veto — particularly the legislation on gender-affirming care — or "suffer the consequences."

When it comes to the budget, Edwards seems comfortable waiting to see what the Senate can find in its own review next week. Senate Health Chairman Fred Mills has scheduled a hearing on Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. on the $100 million surprise reduction to the Health Department.

During an online forum hosted last week by the Public Affairs Research Council, Appropriations Chairman Zee Zeringue predicted Edwards would veto other areas of the budget, possibly pulling from debt payments or legislative projects, to cover the Health Dept’s shortfall.

There are, of course, other bills under review by the governor and various special interests are lobbying him aggressively.

Among the latest is Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin, who sent a letter to the governor this week asking him to sign HB 646 into law. The bill by Rep. Les Farnum sets up a revised canvass protocol. Edwards vetoed a similar proposal last year.

"In last year’s veto message, you state: ‘it is simply unnecessary,’" Ardoin writes. "You cite the fact that the ‘registrar of voters in each parish is already required to conduct an annual canvass.’ Yet, your message ignores the fact that it is an entirely different subset of data used in each of these canvasses. This is not a duplication of efforts nor an overlap of voters. Instead, the additional subset of data would allow us to canvass voters with absolutely no voter activity over the past 10 years. Voters would have an opportunity to respond to the canvass; and even then, would not be removed from the voter rolls. They would be placed on the inactive list for an additional two federal elections." Source: LA POLITICS Jeremy Alford 6/16/23.

Action Item:

Take Action Now. Tell Louisiana Lawmakers a veto override session is not optional…its obligatory!   

Governor Edwards has vowed to veto three bills protecting children from the LGBT agenda. In response, GOP Chairman Louis Gurvich wrote in The Hayride that lawmakers should support these bills in an override session or "suffer consequences." He urges them especially to support HB 648, which prohibits the use of gender “transition” treatments on children. 

Gurvich writes, “For those of you who are left-leaning but not yet committed Progressive fanatics, you would do well to briefly pause from the culture war which is destroying our country, to consider some facts: None of these treatments are reversible, and there is no data on their long-term effects on the children receiving them. They are, obviously, life-altering, but they are also becoming increasingly controversial in every country which pioneered in their development.”

He notes that there are enough legislators in both chambers willing to override John Bel’s expected veto, but the governor will likely “make calls to personally threaten legislators and veto the projects in their districts, regardless of the pressing needs of millions of Louisianians.” 

“John Bel himself invoked the ‘judgment of history,’” Gurvich continues. “Make no mistake- there certainly will be a judgment of history on the victimization of the vulnerable children who received these treatments, just not the one he was expecting. The task before us as citizens and legislators is to halt in its tracks an avoidable tragedy of immense proportions.”

Gurvich is absolutely right. This is a grave matter of moral imperative, and every Louisiana legislator should do everything in his or her power to support HB 648. 

The Biden administration is aggressively pushing the LGBT agenda while a growing number of Americans reject it. 

Last weekend, the White House hosted a “Pride” event - where some participants walked around without clothes on -- to honor members of the LGBT community. Meanwhile, the Biden administration is launching a $2 million initiative to promote transgenderism to young people and is actively working to combat legislation that protects children from dangerous, experimental procedures. 

While these actions are incredibly disheartening, the good news is that the Biden administration is out of touch with most Americans. According to a recent Gallup poll, 55% of Americans believe “changing one’s gender” is “morally wrong.” This is a four point increase from 2021.  

Further, more than two-thirds of Americans (69%) now believe athletes should only compete on teams that correspond with their biological sex. This amounts to a seven point increase in Americans rejecting men in women’s sports since 2021. 

It seems that common sense and belief in an objective moral order are making a come-back!

Friends, thank you for supporting us throughout this legislative session. While the session has come to a close, we will continue to work diligently to ensure that God is honored, life is respected, families flourish, and liberty reigns in Louisiana. Please pray that Gov. Edwards’s vetoes are overridden so that our children are protected from the radical LGBT agenda. 

In His Service,

Gene Mills
President
Louisiana Family Forum