Louisiana veto override session: State Senate sustains governor's veto on concealed carry

The Louisiana Senate rejected an attempt to override Gov. John Bel Edwards’ veto of a bill to allow for concealed carry of guns without a permit, apparently killing one of the two key bills in the state Legislature’s first-ever veto override session.

Connick, a key Republican in the veto session, had voted in favor of overriding Edwards on the other key bill for the session, which targets transgender athletes. But he read a vulgar message he received on the gun bill and said the Legislature should come together despite the divisive debate over both bills.

“We’re dividing our house and we’re going to collapse,” Connick said. “Let’s find a way to come together.”

Bernard said he changed his mind on the bill after talking to law enforcement; a host of sheriffs came out against the effort to override Edwards’ veto.

“I wouldn’t want to go to bed at night knowing I had created any additional layer of risk” for police, Bernard said.

The Senate took up both the transgender bill and gun bill shortly after convening the first-ever veto session at noon. Leadership has targeted those two as the key bills for the override session, but rank-and-file members are looking to override Edwards’ vetoes on other bills.

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