(The Center Square) — Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry vetoed 31 bills from the session that wrapped up in May and signed 792 measures into law.
Here is the rundown of some of the most important legislation he rejected:
House Bill 154 from Rep. Mandie Landry, D-New Orleans, was set to criminalize deepfakes of political candidates, a technique used to to deceive voters with false impersonations or depictions of said nominee through audio or video manipulation using AI.
Landry explained in a letter regarding his veto that he rejected the bill because of concerns it would suppress some First Amendment rights.
SB 97 by Sen. Royce Duplessis, D-New Orleans, was similar to HB 154, requiring someone to disclose the use of deepfake technology in election related media. Landry vetoed it for the same First Amendment reasons.
A bill that garnered a lot of attention when Landry didn’t sign it into law was HB 423. Authored by Rep. Michael Melerine, R-Shreveport, this legislation would have revised the collateral source doctrine which allows civil juries to have access to the “sticker price” of medical bills and the amount actually paid by the insurance company.
Supporters of the bill, like the Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch, say this would’ve not only kept insurance companies from paying out less, but prevented frivolous lawsuits in the name of transparency.
Landry argued that HB 423 would take money away from responsible people who pay for health insurance and reward those who don’t pay premiums.
Rep. Delisha Boyd, D-New Orleans, sponsored HB 391. This was perhaps the most likely to get vetoed, as it would’ve allowed the governor to pardon certain offenders convicted of marijuana possession without a recommendation from the State Pardon Board.
In his veto letter, Landry called it “An attempt to have Louisiana accept President Biden’s invitation to the states to join his soft-on-crime, no-consequences-for-criminals agenda.”
Landry would’ve had total authority for pardons if he would’ve signed the bill into law and only those found with less than 14 grams of marijuana would’ve been eligible.
HB 934, sponsored by Rep. Jeremy LaCombe, R-Livonia, said when the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries leases land for a carbon sequestration projects, 30% of the lease proceeds must go to the parish. Landry liked the idea but argued funds of this nature should only be reallocated by a public vote.
This rule already applies when other state agencies engage in such leases according to LaCombe.
HB 116 by Rep. Dixon McMakin, R-Baton Rouge, subjects personnel records of public employees to inspection by members of the public, except evaluation reports and information that could have put an employee in danger.
Landry felt this was a violation of privacy for these employees.
Rep. Tammy Phelps, D-Shreveport, sponsored a bill that would have required local school districts to create systems to track parental complaints.
Landry rejected HB 340 because he felt it was a redundant and unnecessary measure.
HB 898 by Rep. Mandie Landry, D-New Orleans, would have required disclosure of electioneering communications along with the contributions and expenditures of a political campaign.
Electioneering communications are advertisements for a candidate.Landry felt the definition and technical guidelines in the bill are confusing and would disrupt current campaign finance laws. Of the bills Landry vetoed, over half were sponsored by Democrat representatives and senators.
