Senators decide against veto session

• By MARSHA SHULER
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Jul 19, 2008 - Page: 10A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Reprints
• Twitter
• Share

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

The Louisiana Legislature will not return to the State Capitol for a veto override session, Senate President Joel Chaisson II announced Friday.

Thirty-six of 38 sitting senators nixed the idea of an Aug. 2 session to try to undo actions taken by Gov. Bobby Jindal, Chaisson said in a news release.

All it takes is either the House or Senate to vote to scrap the idea by a majority vote. That’s 20 votes in the Senate and the 36 senators far surpassed that number.

A House official said state representatives had not yet turned in a sufficient number of ballots as of Friday. But because of the Senate’s action, it doesn’t make any difference if 53 representatives now say no.

Jindal issued the following statement late Friday through his press office: “We were happy to defend our veto decisions, but are pleased the Senate has decided not to pursue an override session.”

“This was a bipartisan decision by an overwhelming majority of senators,” said Chaisson, D-Destrehan, in statement.

 “Each senator recognized that there are more productive ways to address any differences of opinion with the governor over his line-item vetoes (in budget bills) than with a costly and time-consuming veto session.”

Some lawmakers voiced irritation at Jindal’s axing of $16 million in funding for some 250 projects and programs in their districts.

It would have taken a two-thirds vote in the House and Senate to override Jindal’s vetoes — a high hurdle to scale.

Jindal vetoed 29 bills approved during the regular legislative session that ended June 23. He also used his line-item veto power to scrap spending proposed by lawmakers in three money bills.

The appropriation vetoes brought a firestorm of criticism from legislators who said Jindal played favorites, did not treat similar projects equally and changed rules at the last moment.

The criticism came from Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike, including top Jindal floor leaders like Chaisson.

Sen. Robert Adley, R-Benton, said he voted to cancel the veto session because he didn’t want to give Jindal more fuel for a battle with the Legislature.