Louisiana Governor Vetoes Anti-Lgbtq
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A package of anti-LGBTQ+ bills has been blocked from becoming law by Democratic Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards.
Republicans will likely continue to work hard to enact the legislation into Louisiana law. Multiple Republican state legislators anticipate convening for a veto session in mid-July to override the governor’s decision.
Unsurprisingly, Louisiana is experiencing a cultural divide over LGBTQ+-related legislation, as in other Republican-led statehouses nationwide. LGBTQ+ advocates contend that their community is being attacked dangerously and blatantly by bills aimed at transgender people.
According to data compiled by the Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights organization, more than 525 anti-LGBT+ bills have been introduced in 41 states this year alone.
Legislators passed a series of controversial bills in the last days of Louisiana’s legislative session, including a ban on gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, including puberty blockers, hormone treatments, and surgery.
Legislators passed a series of controversial bills in the last days of Louisiana’s legislative session, including a ban on gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, including puberty blockers, hormone treatments, and surgery.
Among the measures that require public school teachers to use pronouns and names that align with what students were assigned at birth is the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which bars public schools from having open discussions on sexual orientation and gender identity. Edwards vetoed each of the three bills.
By a majority vote, state lawmakers will decide whether to return to the Capitol for a veto session beginning on July 18. It is becoming increasingly likely that Louisiana will hold a legislative session of this nature this year, even though there have only been two such sessions since 1974. The gathering is expected to be attended by several Republican legislators from both chambers.
For a special session to override a governor’s decision, two-thirds of the House of Representatives and the Senate must approve it. Republicans currently control both chambers of Congress with a two-thirds majority.
Additionally, all three bills passed during the regular session with more than two-thirds of the votes – mainly along party lines.
One of the most discussed bills during the meeting was the ban on gender-affirming care, which has been available in the United States for over a decade and is endorsed by significant medical associations.
Misinformation, religious arguments, and hours of emotional testimony from the LGBTQ+ community marked it. An experienced Republican lawmaker cast a tie-breaking vote that killed the bill at one point.
However, it was resurrected and passed following intense pressure from Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, a leading candidate for the Republican nomination for governor, and the Louisiana Republican Party.
Laws limiting or prohibiting access to medical services that affirm gender for transgender children have been passed in at least 20 states, notably all three that border Louisiana. Lawsuits are pending against most of these states.
Louisiana legislators also passed a law prohibiting public school employees from discussing sexual orientation or gender identity in the classroom. It is similar to a law enacted in Florida last year, dubbed “Don’t Say Gay.” According to the Human Rights Campaign, three other states have enacted similar laws.
Legislators in Louisiana also mandated that kids be addressed by their birth names and pronouns in the classroom. Under the bill, a parent may give written consent for pronouns that do not correspond to the student’s at birth to be used. Teachers may override a parent’s request “if doing so would violate the employee’s sincerely held religious beliefs.”
As a result of these bills, Republicans claim to be protecting children. Those who oppose the proposal argue that it would increase the risk of stress, depression, and suicidal thoughts among those already vulnerable.
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Louisiana Governor Vetoes Anti-Lgbtq+ Legislation
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards recently vetoed anti-LGBTQ+ legislation that would have imposed several restrictions on gender-affirming health care. In a press release, Edwards stated that the bill was “unnecessary” and would have resulted in “unintended and adverse consequences.”
The legislation, known as HB 781, was sponsored by Republican Rep. Lance Harris and included several provisions to limit access to gender-affirming health care.
The bill would have required that any health insurance plan offered to the state’s public employees not cover gender-affirming procedures or treatments, including hormone therapy, gender-affirming surgery, and mental health counseling services.
The Implication of the Bill: Louisiana Governor Vetoes Anti-Lgbtq+ Legislation Including Gender-Affirming Care Restriction
The implications of HB 781 were far-reaching and would have profoundly impacted the LGBTQ+ community in Louisiana. By limiting access to gender-affirming care, the bill would have impeded people’s ability to transition and live authentically and put transgender and gender non-conforming people at greater risk of discrimination and violence.
