The Capitol buzzes over expected moves today to override Gov. Bobby Jindal’s veto of the 4-cent tobacco tax renewal. The governor’s office is lobbying House Republicans among the bare 70 that initially passed the bill. Democratic leaders say they are holding their line and have a chance to pick off one or two Republicans. The renewal passed with 29 Senate votes, three to spare for an override. Capitol sources expect the upper chamber to vote first, today perhaps, and leave the question to the House. Rep. Steve Carter, R-Baton Rouge, is the only one of those voting yea the first time who says he is siding with the governor against the override, and three other Republican yea votes are seen as possible switches. Two Democrats who were absent the first time are expected to vote to override, and there’s talk that two Republicans who voted against the tax renewal may switch sides on the override vote. If all of the above comes to pass, there will be 70 votes to override the governor. The tax generating $12 million a year does not expire until July 12, so its renewal or repeal will have no effect on the budget under consideration. Nor is an override expected to affect the governor’s power on any pressing issue, especially the budget. But as political theater, it is dominating the Capitol stage this week.
— Two rows of seats in the Senate’s side gallery today are filled with older gentlemen in red blazers and military caps, watching debate. Their collective presence expresses the statement that the Marines have landed and are out to retake their bridge—or their bridge’s name, at least. Retired Marine veterans have been lobbying the Senate to rename the new bridge over the Mississippi River, changing it from the John James Audubon Bridge to the John A. Lejeune-Robert H. Barrow Bridge, in honor of two Marine Corps commandants who were born in the parishes on opposite sides of the bridge, Pointe Coupee and West Feliciana. House Bill 200 by Rep. Tom McVea, R-St. Francisville, flew through the House but hit a barricade in Senate Transportation Committee, where Chairman Joe McPherson, D-Woodworth, at the urging of the Zachary Taylor Parkway Commission members and others, amended the bill to retain Audubon’s name and to establish a monument at the foot of the bridge to honor Lejeune and Barrow. Then the Marines swung into action and began calling senators. Sen. Neil Riser, R-Columbia, is confident that members will be true to the corps. The bill is on the Senate calendar, awaiting action.
(John Maginnis will publish a daily update on the legislative session at 3 p.m., available to LaPolitics Weekly subscribers on the Subscribers Only page at LaPolitics.com. You can register your user name and password on the Lapolitics home page.)
