On his monthly radio show Ask the Governor, Governor John Bel Edwards was questioned about anti-LGBTQ legislation making its way through the legislature and if he plans to veto any of them. The governor wouldn’t say if he plans to or not, only…
“You just have to wait and see how it might be amended and so forth if it comes to my desk, what it actually says at that particular point and time. But I think it’s unfortunate,” said Edwards.
Haughton Representative Dodie Horton’s bill that passed in the House on a 67 to 28 vote prohibits discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in the classroom. Governor Edwards brought up the example of when the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in 2015.
“Are teachers going to be scared to cover it because they might get in trouble, they might lose their job? It’s history, it’s factual, that’s what happened. It probably causes many more problems than it solves because it solves exactly none,” said Edwards.
Two years ago, the governor vetoed anti-transgender legislation and a bill to allow for concealed carry. Lawmakers failed to reach a two-thirds majority to override the vetoes. Oil City Representative Danny McCormick often refers to his bill as “Constitutional Carry.” Edwards said he still believes in training and background checks for guns.
“If there’s a constitutional right to conceal carry you wouldn’t need a statute in order to make it happen, you would simply go to court. Not even the Supreme Court we have today has ever held that there’s a constitutional right to conceal carry,” said Edwards.
The session ends three weeks from today.
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