The upcoming special session will see a major debate over the reopening of Louisiana’s economy. Since the summer, many GOP lawmakers have vocally condemned Governor Edwards for acting unilaterally on pandemic restrictions, but at Tuesday’s press conference Edwards said you can’t manage a public health crisis by committee.
“That construct just doesn’t work, it won’t work and I can assure you that I will not be surrendering my authority that was given to me under the constitution to some council,” said Edwards.
But Republican House Speaker Clay Schexnayder believes the governor’s coronavirus rules have created an imbalance of power. Schexnayder says the 30-day special session will not end without a solution to this problem.
Edwards says he is not concerned about any such legislation getting out of the Legislature because it does not reflect the will of even a majority of either chamber.
Critics have attacked the Governor for issuing broad statewide orders instead of allowing parishes to set their own criteria for the reopening of businesses.
Edwards countered that “Every action I have taken has been consistent with the science and the data, consistent with the White House Coronavirus Task Force guidelines, yet you never hear them say that when they are being critical.”
One of the most prominent complaints appears to be about limitations of where bars can open and the fact they can only serve until 11 pm. Edwards said if the virus is too prevalent there are some things you just can’t do.
“One of those things happens to be having bars open without restrictions because we know that bar atmospheres are very conducive to the spread of the virus,” said Edwards.
Bars can only open in parishes with less than a five percent positivity rate on COVID tests, which excludes the vast majority of parishes at this moment.
The special session will kick off Monday and run for 30 days. It will also focus on the depleted unemployment insurance trust fund and Hurricane Laura recovery.
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