The Louisiana Legislature won’t be holding a veto session after 25 state senators (14 Republicans and 11 Democrats) sent ballots back opposing the session. The state constitution says no session will be held if a majority of either the House or Senate declares in writing a veto session is unnecessary.

A Senate majority is 20 votes. Only 39 House letters were returned opposing a session. The majority in the House is 53 votes. The 39 letters were sent in from 32 Democrats, 6 Republicans and 1 Independent.

Republican Sens. Mark Abraham of Lake Charles and Mike Reese of Leesville were against the session. Republican Sens. Heather Cloud of Turkey Creek, who represents part of Allen Parish, and Jeremy Stine of Lake Charles supported holding the session.

Reps. R. Dewith Carrier, R-Oakdale, and Wilford Carter Sr., D-Lake Charles, sent letters opposing the session.

Supporting the session were Southwest Louisiana Reps. Ryan Bourriaque of Grand Lake, Les Farnum of Sulphur, Brett Geymann of Moss Bluff, Charles Owen of Rosepine, Troy Romero of Jennings, Rodney Schamerhorn of Hornbeck, and Phillip Tarver of Lake Charles.

Midnight Monday was the deadline for submitting letters opposing the session. Senate President Page Cortez, R-Lafayette, and House Speaker Pro Tem Tanner Magee, R-Houma, told The Advocate before the deadline that the two-thirds votes necessary (26 in the Senate and 70 in the House) to override Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards vetoes weren’t there in either the House or Senate.

Sen. Rogers Pope, R-Denham Springs, said he wouldn’t vote to override Edwards on any bill. Surgery sidelined Sen. Bodi White, R-Central.

“To spend the money, to spend the time, I’m not willing to do that,” Pope told the newspaper.

Edwards vetoed 27 bills passed during the regular session and five spending measures in House Bill 1, the state budget.

One vetoed bill involved COVID-19 vaccinations that the governor said perpetuated the false narrative that the residents of Louisiana face vaccine mandates to enter government and school buildings. He said it also undermines public confidence in safe and effective vaccines.

Two bills he vetoed would have set up education savings accounts for students to attend non-public schools using public school funds. Edwards said he would work with one of the authors to improve her legislation aimed at helping special needs children, and she agreed.

Republican conservatives favor holding veto sessions in their continuing efforts to become a more independent lawmaking body.