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Louisiana’s Democrat Governor Vetoes Campus Free Speech Bill

Louisiana’s Democrat Governor Vetoes Campus Free Speech Bill

“This bill is a solution in search of a problem”

Lawmakers in Louisiana thought the bill was needed but the governor disagrees.

The Daily Caller reports:

Louisiana Governor Vetoes ‘Overly Burdensome’ Campus Free Speech Bill

The Louisiana governor vetoed a campus free speech bill Tuesday, suggesting that guaranteeing free speech rights for students would be “overly burdensome.”

John Bel Edwards, the Democratic governor of Louisiana, decried the bill as a “solution in search of a problem,” according to Campus Reform. House Bill 269 had previously passed the Louisiana Senate by a 30-3 vote, and the State House of Representatives with a unanimous vote.

“This bill is a solution in search of a problem that creates a long, detailed structure for the evaluation of the freedom of expression on college campuses,” said Edwards in a statement regarding his decision. “However, this bill is unnecessary and overly burdensome to our colleges and universities as the freedoms this bill attempts to protect are already well-established by the bedrock principles” in both the state and national constitution.

The bill would have ensured that universities afforded “any person lawfully present on a campus” the right to political speech, so long as it was not disruptive. HB 269 also mandated a disciplinary hearing and allowed for potential punishment for those who impeded free speech.

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Comments

johnnytremain | June 29, 2017 at 2:29 pm

Any chance of an override?

    Edward in reply to johnnytremain. | June 30, 2017 at 9:09 am

    It would seem that the votes are there in both House and Senate, but will the LA politicians again vote the way they did the first time? That is always a question with Veto override votes. With 14 Democrats in the Senate, and three Nay votes, obviously some voted for the bill or failed to vote. They make up 36% of the Senate, so if the Democrats vote Party Unity, there will be no override on the Senate vote alone.

johnnycab23513 | June 29, 2017 at 10:34 pm

Yes, free speech is a problem to the democrat party!

healthguyfsu | June 29, 2017 at 11:32 pm

If I’m a conservative speaker, I am immediately seeking to book a speech at a public school in Louisiana. The governor will have no choice but to uphold the law if things get testy with the riff raff.

    Edward in reply to healthguyfsu. | June 30, 2017 at 9:03 am

    You are operating under the misconception that Edwards totally believes in the rule of law. He had a sterling example of that in Edwin Edwards, his father, – right?