La. Legislature forced into special session

By: ELIZABETH
WEST
Managing Editor

A mere 30 minutes following the end of Louisiana’s 2017 regular session last Thursday, the House of Representatives found itself in a special session after lawmakers failed to agree on a budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1.
During the last 20 minutes of the regular session, House Republicans continued to block Speaker Pro Tempore Walt Leger, D-New Orleans, from bringing the budget to a vote.
Appropriations Committee Chairman Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, who authored House Bill 1 blames Governor John Bel Edwards for the State not having a budget that is agreed upon by both the House and the Senate.
Following the regular session, Henry told reporters, “He seems to be one of the few governors that uses the threat of special sessions to try to get his agenda passed, instead of actually working with members to get a vote on it.”
Gov. Edwards however blamed “a few” in the House for the Legislature’s failure to reach an agreement before the regular session ended on June 8.
“We just witnessed an epic failure in leadership,” Gov. Edwards said in an address he made at the end of the regular session. “The budget agreement was not met, and we’re now headed into an unnecessary and costly special session where the options before them won’t be any different than they were this time.”
However, no matter who is to blame for the budget not being passed, the House must approve a budget no later than Monday, June 19.