Session on Abortion Bill Veto Rejected
Louisiana’s efforts to ban abortions this year were apparently dealt a death blow Thursday when the Legislature voted against a special session to override Gov. Buddy Roemer’s veto of a strict anti-abortion bill.
Speaker Jimmy Dimos said at least 56 of the 105 members of the House of Representatives voted against a veto session that would have begun Aug. 18.
Senate President Sammy Nunez said at least 21 members of the 39-member Senate voted against the session.
Louisiana law requires the Legislature to decide whether it wants to call itself back into veto session when a governor vetoes legislation. Lawmakers had until Aug. 13 to vote on it, but Thursday’s action was definitive.
Roemer vetoed the anti-abortion bill July 27 on grounds that it did not have broad enough exceptions for rape victims. It was his second veto of an anti-abortion bill during the legislative session.
Get the L.A. Times Politics newsletter
Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond. In your inbox three times per week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
