Governor Jeff Landry has called for a special session for lawmakers to debate his tough-on-crime legislation. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat said the session will begin on Monday, February 19th, and will consist of 24 topics.
“Things that the governor and Republicans across the country are trying to do to make it harder to get out of jail, to spend more time in jail, to not commit a crime and then be back on the street the next day, the soft on bail approach,” said Pinsonat.
Pinsonat said Landry is attempting to reverse former Governor John Bel Edwards’ Criminal Justice Reforms passed in 2017.
Pinsonat said the tough-on-crime approach is a nationwide trend among Republicans to reserve Democratic policies that shortened prison sentences and also allowed those accused of a crime the ability to not put up money for bail.
“Currently we let them out without any bail, and this is an attempt to reverse all of those tendencies and all of those policies that Republicans have been very critical of the last three or four years,” said Pinsonat.
Among Landry’s legislation is expanding ways the state can carry out the death penalty. Pinsonat points out that when it comes to the death penalty it’s the courts that ultimately protect prisoners when it comes to their civil rights.
“It can be done but you still have the courts that are still the ultimate protectors of the laws we’re attempting to pass,” said Pinsonat.
The special session will begin on February 19th and is scheduled to end Wednesday, March 6th. The Regular Session begins on March 11th and adjourns on June 3rd.
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