The ongoing regular session of the Louisiana Legislature, scheduled to adjourn no later than 6 p.m. on June 1, remains just as fluid as it was last week. That’s when lawmakers, in fewer numbers than usual (21 out of 39 in the Senate and 58 out of 105 in the House), reconvened the session only to once again temporarily adjourn until an unspecified date.
Legislative leaders hope to return sometime in early May, but that reentry is contingent upon the COVID-19 outbreak and the ability of hospitals to handle the pace. For now, state officials are striking a positive tone in relation to those hopes while underscoring just how serious and unpredictable the coming weeks could be if recommended guidelines are not followed.
So if you’re looking for concrete news out of the Capitol’s two chambers, you’ll have to wait a little longer. If you’re looking for a silver lining to that reality, then look at our legislative situation this way: by no means are we alone, writes Jeremy Alford in his new opinion piece.
As of this past weekend, there are 29 other state legislatures that have delayed their sessions, with Oklahoma lawmakers returning to work this past Monday. Uncertainty represents the unifying state policy theme everywhere from Alabama and Arizona to Hawaii and Wisconsin.
Read Alford’s full column for more about how states and lawmakers are dealing with setbacks caused by the pandemic.
Jeremy Alford publishes LaPolitics Weekly, a newsletter on Louisiana politics, at LaPolitics.com. Follow him on Twitter, or on Facebook. He can be reached at JJA@LaPolitics.com.
