Gov. John Bel Edwards of Louisiana may be considered a conservative Democrat. However, he nevertheless vetoed legislation this week which would have protected young women's sports, as Amanda Lindsley with KPLC News reported. As Landon reported, the governor also vetoed legislation which would have permitted residents to carry a concealed handgun without firearm training or a state-issued license.
The governor referenced the veto on Twitter with the same statement available in a newsroom release. "As I have said repeatedly when asked about this bill, discrimination is not a Louisiana value, and this bill was a solution in search of a problem that simply does not exist in Louisiana," it read in part.
Gov. Edwards' statement on his veto of Senate Bill 156, which sought to prevent transgender girls and women from participating on athletic teams or in sporting events designated for girls or women at elementary, secondary and postsecondary schools. #lagov #lalege pic.twitter.com/i8UPo5sko4
— John Bel Edwards (@LouisianaGov) June 22, 2021
Further, Edwards raised concerns that the NCAA would punish the state and not allow the 2022 Final Four to be played in New Orleans. "And while there is no issue to be solved by this bill, it does present real problems in that it makes it more likely that NCAA and professional championships, like the 2022 Final Four, would not happen in our state," the statement also read.
However, as I reported last month:
Earlier this week, the NCAA proved it wasn't going to punish states that passed laws to protect young women from competing in sports against biological men after all. Three of the states to be regional hosts for the postseason softball tournament include Alabama, Arkansas, and Tennessee. These states recently passed such legislation banning transgender athletes from competing with young women.
Lindsley also reported that how a veto override session would go:
House Speaker Clay Schexnayder (R-Gonzales) said he supports a veto override session between July 20 and July 24 in an attempt to override the governor’s veto of the bill. Under Louisiana’s constitution, a veto session is automatically scheduled when the governor shoots down legislation but the session is only held if there is a majority of the House and Senate agree to it.
If the veto session is held, a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate is required to override the governor.
That veto override session is additionally supported by the state's Republican Attorney General, Jeff Landry, as Jarmarlon Thompkins also with KPLC reported:
The passage of the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act (SB156) was a common-sense approach by the Legislature to protect women. The Governor’s disrespect for women by vetoing this bipartisan bill was both disappointing and irresponsible. With growing support from citizens and legislators all across the state, the Louisiana Legislature has the opportunity to right this wrong. I join my fellow citizens in supporting the Legislature’s duty to protect women and hold a veto session.
Gov. Edwards isn't the only one who is disappointing the conservative movement, though. Opposition to such legislation also comes from Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH). Andrew J. Tobias reported on Friday for Cleveland.com on such opposition.
As Gov. DeWine said in a brief statement:
This issue is best addressed outside of government, through individual sports leagues and athletic associations, including the Ohio High School Athletic Association, who can tailor policies to meet the needs of their member athletes and member institutions.
The American Principles Project, which keeps track of such legislation, released a statement from their president, Terry Schilling. The statement in part called DeWine's opposition "nothing less than a cowardly capitulation to the woke left."