Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards intends to veto three bills passed by the state’s Legislature that target LGBTQ+ people, he said at a press conference Thursday.
Asked at a press conference whether he would veto the anti-LGBTQ+ bills, Edwards said: “That is my intention.”
Three high-profile bills affecting LGBTQ+ rights were passed by both chambers of the Legislature in the session that began April 10 and ended Thursday.
They include House Bill 466, a version of what critics call the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which would ban discussion of gender and sexual identity in school classrooms, and House Bill 81, which would allow teachers to ignore students’ wishes to go by pronouns other than those on their birth certificates, even if students have their parents’ permission to do so.
Also passed by the Legislature was House Bill 648, which would ban access to gender-affirming medical care for minors, such as puberty blockers, hormones and surgeries. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Gabe Firment, R-Pollock, says the measure would protect children from life-altering medical care. Leading medical associations say gender-affirming care is safe and effective and leads to better mental health outcomes.
If Edwards vetoes the bills, lawmakers could convene a veto-override session to overturn him. Two-thirds majority votes in each chamber would be required to do so; there has only been one override of a governor’s veto in the past 31 years.
This is a developing story; check back for updates.
Leave a Reply