Governor Edwards passionately rebuked House Republicans for signing a legislative petition ordering him to end all pandemic public health orders. Edwards says the petition’s signees have their heads buried in the sand and refuse to acknowledge that the pandemic is still raging on. He says over 5,600 people have died from COVID since March…
Cut 4, 7 seconds, seriously
The petition also orders the Governor not to issue any additional public health emergency declarations for a week. Crowley Republican Representative John Stefanski argued that is reasonable and could demonstrate the state is ready to advance past Phase Three…
Cut 7, 9 seconds, as well
Senate President Page Cortez weighed in on why a similar petition was not circulated in the Upper Chamber. He said Senators were concerned that there wasn’t enough data to back it up.
The petition is highly likely to end up in court and House Republican Caucus Chair Blake Miguez told us Attorney General Jeff Landry counseled House lawmakers prior to the signing of the petition. He says they were told the petition is constitutional and he would back up efforts to force the Governor to follow the law and cease the emergency declaration in the courts. Miguez says members preferred to handle concerns about COVID restrictions with legislation, but his veto threats left them no other choice.
Only one bill limiting Governor Edwards’ unilateral public health authority passed and Edwards has all but confirmed he will veto it.
Legislation by Alexandria Representative Lance Harris that would have potentially stripped state construction funding from municipalities that defund their police departments is dead for now as lawmakers wrapped up their business for the 2nd special session of the year without Senate approval for the bill.