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Legislators at the historic veto session of the Louisiana Legislature failed to override any of the 28 bills vetoed by Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards and ended their session Wednesday.

The Senate voted 26-12 Tuesday to override the veto of a transgender bill. However, the House came up two votes short Wednesday of overriding the same measure. The House vote was 68-30.

Southwest Louisiana’s eight Republicans in the House were among the 68 who voted to override the governor’s veto. Democratic Rep. Wilford Carter of Lake Charles was recorded as absent.

Senate Bill 156 would have banned transgender girls and women, who were born male, from competing in girls and women’s sports.

Sen. Beth Mizell, R-Franklinton, urged her fellow senators to vote for the override, saying, “If you have not heard the voices of the large majority of people in this state by emails, phone calls, by personal visits, there’s no words I can give you.”

Edwards in his veto message said the bill promotes discrimination against vulnerable transgender youth. He said it could also threaten the state’s hosting of major athletic events, which has happened in other states.

Rep. Laurie Schlegel, R-Metairie, handled the bill in the House. She said Edwards called the bill divisive, but citizens in the state were united in their support for the legislation. She said respecting biological differences isn’t discriminatory.

Rep. Royce Duplessis, D-New Orleans, asked his colleagues to sustain the governor’s veto. He said the bill is unnecessary and really doesn’t protect girls. He said it violates the privacy of transgender girls and exposes them to accusations and humiliation.

Senators had eight measures on their Tuesday agenda. Four other override efforts failed and three measures were returned to the calendar by their sponsors.

If there was a surprise Tuesday, it was the Senate’s refusal to override Gov. John Bel Edwards’ veto of SB 118 that would allow citizens to carry concealed weapons without permits and firearms training. The vote was 23-15, three short of the 26 needed.

Three senators who had voted for the bill in the regular session switched their votes. They are Republican Sens. Patrick Connick of Marrero, Louie Bernard of Natchitoches and Franklin Foil of Baton Rouge.

Bernard said he had talked with law enforcement people in his area and he believes the bill adds another element of risk to their already dangerous occupations.

“Until I’m ready to put on the badge and wear the uniform, I can’t ignore that view,” Bernard said. He said a lot of bad things can happen without the proper weapons training.

Connick said he also talked with law enforcement officers who asked him not to vote to override the governor’s veto. He read hate mail he received from people who wanted him to do just that.

Although Connick voted to override the transgender veto, he said he wasn’t going to vote for any additional overrides. That made it difficult for Republicans to get the 26 votes they needed to override anything else unless they got help from Democrats or independents.

The Senate has 27 Republicans, but Sen. Ronnie Johns of Sulphur is not at the session because he is recuperating from knee replacement surgery.

Two voting bills by Sen. Heather Cloud, R-Turkey Creek, also failed to get the 26 votes required for overrides. Opponents said the state’s elections are already secure, auditing is costly and the bills made voting more difficult.

SB 220 would have had the legislative auditor examine local, state and national elections. The vote was 21-15.SB 224 would have required additional information on applications for absentee by mail ballots. The vote was 24-12.

Sen. Bodi White, R-Baton Rouge, is sponsor of SB 203 that would have made an ethics exception for members of the Capital Area Ground Water Conservation Commission who are employed by industries using that groundwater. The vote was 25-12, one short of the 26 needed.

The House never considered any of its 20 bills vetoed by Edwards. It put them on hold in order to take up the transgender legislation that senators voted to override.

Edwards vetoed vaccination bills that he said made it appear the vaccines were anything other than safe and effective. The delta variant that has caused another surge makes it even more important for citizens to be immunized.

The first veto session held since the present state constitution became effective in 1975 lasted only two of its scheduled five days. Let’s hope lawmakers will think twice before they try to hold one again.

VETOES SURVIVE — The Republican-dominant Louisiana Legislature failed at an historic veto session to override any of the 28 bills vetoed by Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards, who said the vetoes were made in the best interests of the people of Louisiana.

Jim Beam