Gov. Jeff Landry has vetoed a controversial measure targeting control of Louisiana’s advocacy organization for entrepreneurs, known as Nexus Louisiana.
The surprise legislation authored by Sen. Regina Barrow, D-Baton Rouge, got its start as a sickle cell anemia bill, and would have substantively changed the makeup of the Research Park board of directors, which oversees Nexus Louisiana.
Senate Bill 192 was recrafted in the final days of the session in a meeting of the House Committee on Health and Welfare, without any effort to collaborate with the existing leadership. At that time, references to the Louisiana Sickle Cell Commission were removed in their entirety.
As written, it would have reduced the board of directors from a range of nine to 12 members to seven to nine. It was also designed to give Barrow and Rep. C. Denise Marcelle of Baton Rouge control over two of those appointments for what is intended to be a statewide advocacy organization and resource for entrepreneurs.
It also called for reducing the maximum number of appointees representing the business sector from seven to two.
Watch for more details in Daily Report AM.
