Paul Anger, 2nd Vice Chair, Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee
The Louisiana Legislature – not often a source of common sense, fairness or deep thinking -- will try its best this week to put lives in danger and enshrine discrimination into law.
As they convene to override a range of vetoes by Gov. John Bel Edwards, Republican members hope to galvanize enough mean spirits in their ranks to outlaw transgender girls from participating in organized sports in public schools.
That flies in the face of anti-discrimination policies adopted by the country’s sports governing organizations, including the National Collegiate Athletic Association. As a result, the Final Four men’s basketball championship scheduled for New Orleans’ Superdome next April could be yanked away by the NCAA. The state could lose hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity.
That’s for starters. Many of America’s largest companies have policies that protect the rights of transgender employees: AT&T, Coca-Cola, Delta Air Lines, FedEx, Exxon Mobil, Walt Disney, more. Over time, they’ll invest in states that don’t marginalize LBGTQ people or people of color. Georgia, for instance, has already felt economic repercussions from new voting restrictions that fall heavily on black citizens.
In Louisiana, Edwards vetoed the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, which essentially defined fairness as forcing transgender girls and women to the sidelines. Edwards said the measure “unfairly targets” those who “are going through unique challenges and offers solutions to an issue (the fear that transgender girls will dominate sports) that does not exist in Louisiana.”
Then there’s the gun issue.
Republicans who invoke the Second Amendment for any political reason want to allow people to carry concealed weapons without a permit or training, Wild West-style. The bill, says Republican Sen. Jay Morris, will benefit “law-abiding and freedom-loving citizens.” He really said that.
Let’s be clear about exactly what this bill would mean:
No permit required to carry a concealed weapon.
No training needed, either.
Police chiefs across Louisiana say this is nuts. They say it will lead to more accidental shootings, more weapons in the hands of those untrained or crazy, or both.
Members of the legislature convene at noon Tuesday. Let them hear from you – starting with the Jefferson Parish legislators listed below:
Contact Jefferson Parish State Reps by Phone
John Illg Jr. (R-Dist. 78) 504-736-7030, Debbie Villio (R-Dist. 79) 504-468-8603, Polly Thomas (R-Dist. 80) 504-837-6559, Charles Alexander Henry (R-Dist. 82) 504-655-6887, Kyle Green (D-Dist. 83) 504-349-8788, Tim Kerner (R-Dist. 84) 504-689-7725, Joseph Marino III (I-Dist. 85) 504-361-6013, Rodney Lyons (D-Dist. 87) 504-510-5417, Joe Stagni (R-Dist. 92) 504-465-3479, Stephanie Hilferty (R-Dist. 94) 504-885-4154, Mack Cormier (D-Dist. 105) 504-356-3013.
State Rep Emails
hse078@legis.la.gov, hse079@legis.la.gov, thomaspj@legis.la.gov, hse082@legis.la.gov,
hse083@legis.la.gov, hse084@legis.la.gov, marinoj@legis.la.gov, lyonsr@legis.la.gov,
stagnij@legis.la.gov, hilfertys@legis.la.gov, hse105@legis.la.gov.
Contact Jefferson Parish State Senators by Phone
Karen Carter Peterson (D-Dist. 5) 504-568-8346, Patrick Connick (R-Dist. 8) 504-371-0240,
Cameron Henry (R-Dist. 9) 504-838-5433, Kirk Talbot (R-Dist. 10) 504-736-7299, Gary Smith Jr. (D-Dist. 19) 985-764-9122.
State Senator Emails
connickp@legis.la.gov, henryc@legis.la..gov, petersonk@legis.la.gov, talbotk@legis.la.gov,