Senate Governmental Affairs is meeting to discuss two potential Congressional district maps. One map submitted by Baton Rouge Senator and Democrat Cleo Fields contains two majority-Black districts which would meet the stipulations handed down by a federal judge and the other is by Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt that only has one majority-Black district.
The session began yesterday, and Fields called out Hewitt who believes the map with only one majority-Black district that passed in the February session is legal. Fields says Hewitt, who attended town hall meetings heard from voters across the state.
Cut 15 (05) “…black district.”
Hewitt however feels the Congressional map that lawmakers gave final passage to during the redistricting session is lawful.
Even though Republican lawmakers have said six-days is not enough time for them to pass a new map with two majority-Black districts Governor Edwards believes otherwise. Edwards issued a statement this morning that it is too early to cancel the present session, he says major legislation has been passed in similar time frames.
The US House of Representatives has passed the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, that would give Louisiana $15 million annually to prevent wildlife extinction. The bill has bipartisan support and Executive Director of the Louisiana Wildlife Federation Rebecca Triche says the bill is expected to be voted on in the Senate next month.