HERE’S WHY OVERRIDING GOVERNOR’S VETOES WON’T BE SO EASY FOR REPUBLICANS

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Lawmakers have to vote on whether they want to hold a veto override session this month but the fight to victory may not be as easy as some Republicans may hope.

Legislators have until midnight on Thursday, July 15, to submit their ballots or not. The problem for Republicans won’t be the simple majority needed to hold the session. Instead, they may have some trouble getting the supermajority needed to overturn any veto.

It would be the first veto override session held since the new Louisiana Constitution was ratified in 1974. The session could be triggered if a simple majority in both chambers call for it, something Republicans are almost certain will happen.

“We’ve learned it’s highly likely that we’ll go into a veto override session,” said Rep. Blake Miguez (R-Erath).

But overriding any of the governor’s vetoes will not be so easy. Over in the Senate, Republican Ronnie Johns (R-Lake Charles) recently announced he will not be attending the session due to a knee replacement surgery. His doctor has ordered him not to travel for a minimum of four weeks. Johns recently told reporters that “missing the veto session is one of the hardest decisions I’ve made in my 22 years of service to our state.”

“Which leaves the exact amount required to veto override at 26 votes,” added Miguez.

And Republicans in the House only hold 68 of the 70 seats needed for a supermajority to override any vetoes.