The Louisiana Legislature has voted for a ban on transgender women and girls participating in women and girls sports. Both the House and Senate voted overwhelmingly in support for House Bill 156. The chambers passed the measure with over two-thirds of lawmakers in favor, a veto-proof majority.
Conservative lawmakers stood up and cheered when the bill passed in the House Thursday. It has been several years since conservatives have been able to get a new restriction on the gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender community through the Louisiana Legislature.
Gov. John Bel Edwards has already vowed to veto the legislation, but there is an open question about whether legislators will still be in session when that happens. If they are, lawmakers are much more likely to push a veto override that would allow the bill to become law.
Edwards, a Democrat, has 10 days from when he receives the bill to veto it and 12 days from when he receives the bill to notify the Legislature of his veto — at which point the lawmakers could attempt a veto override. But it’s not clear whether the lawmakers will still be in session when the opportunity for a veto override occurs. If they are, the legislation would stand a much better chance of becoming law.
The Legislature doesn’t adjourn until June 10, so there’s a possibility that Edwards will be forced to veto the legislation while lawmakers are still in session. It’s unclear when the governor might receive the bill. The legislative procedural process may delay the governor receiving the bill until early next week, which could mean he wouldn’t have to veto the legislation before the lawmaking session adjourns. That would make it much more likely that the veto would stand.
Lawmakers do have the opportunity to attempt a veto override outside of the regular legislative session. They can vote to call themselves back into a special session in Baton Rouge to do veto overrides, but that is less likely. In the modern history of Louisiana, lawmakers have never called themselves back to Baton Rouge for a veto override session once their regular session has adjourned.
This is a developing story. Please check back with us later to see an updated version.
