The Louisiana legislature decided to override Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards’ veto of a measure that would forbid minors from transitioning medically.
According to NOLA, the proposal would prohibit doctors “from giving hormone treatments and puberty blockers to children as well as from performing surgical procedures for gender transformation.” It is sponsored by Republican State Representative Gabe Firment. The state legislature approved the bill in June, but Governor John Bel Edwards promptly vetoed it.
Before being authorized by the State Senate, the override of the governor’s veto was approved this week by a vote of 75 to 23. Paula Davis of Baton Rouge as well as Joe Stagni of Kenner, two House Republicans, were not present when the vote was taken. Firment said that the state really needed to enact the legislation because he was concerned that youngsters from other southern states might go to Louisiana for transgender medical treatment.
“If we don’t approve this bill, Louisiana will end up becoming the location of these irreversible, life-changing medical experiments on children from all across the South,” according to Firment.
Democrats, on the other hand, said that Republicans were fabricating a problem that was unnecessary to solve.
“The measure, according to the bill’s proponents, is required to prevent doctors from harming our children by executing these sex change operations.” Representative Jason Hughes, a Democrat from Louisiana, claimed that “this is just not happening there.”
John Bel Edwards, the governor, vowed to challenge the bill in court.
He stated, “Today, I was overridden for the second time on a law that does gratuitous injury to a very tiny demographic of vulnerable children, their families, and their medical professionals. I anticipate that the courts will also strike down this unlawful statute.”
This year, Louisiana will hold a gubernatorial election, and current polls show that Republican AG Jeff Landry, Edwards’ opponent, is far ahead, The Shreveport Times reports.
“According to a recent independent survey conducted in Louisiana’s governor’s race, Republican AG Jeff Landry is now in a ‘commanding position’ with a significant advantage over all of his Republican competitors and the race’s lone Democrat.”
According to Doug Kaplan, business president, the survey was done by Florida’s Kaplan Strategies and is unrelated to any particular political campaign. “One of just three governorship campaigns nationwide,” he added, “this is a good opportunity for us to raise our profile.” The other two states holding races are Kentucky and Mississippi.
