Lawmaker: If state has a veto, it needs a veto session

In 2014, state Rep Jerome Richard, I-Thibodaux, tried to cut the number of state consulting contracts and had the support of the entire Legislature, but not the governor’s support, he said.
Richard brought House Bill 31 to the 2015 session, hoping to change the fate of future bills, especially ones with overwhelming support.
HB 31 would remove the Legislature’s ability to opt out of a veto session. If a bill passes both the House and Senate by at least a two-thirds vote, and the governor vetoes the bill, then the Legislature would have to go back to Baton Rouge and decide whether to override the veto, Richard said.
The state constitution already allows the Legislature to override a veto.
Richard was the guest speaker at Monday’s St. Mary Industrial Group luncheon meeting at the Petroleum Club of Morgan City. Richard serves on the legislative Transportation, Highways and Public Works Committee, Education Committee and Labor and Industry Relations Committee.
In 2014, HB 142, Richard’s bill to cut the number of private state consulting contracts, passed the senate after Richard had tried to do so for four years, he said. Richard worked with State Treasurer John Kennedy on the bill.
However, Gov. Bobby Jindal vetoed the bill. Jindal called Richard to tell him he was going to veto HB 142 but gave no reason why he did so, Richard said. The bill had passed unanimously in the Legislature.
HB 142 would have cut 10 percent of the 20,000 state consulting contracts. The roughly $500 million in savings from cutting those contracts would have been dedicated to higher education, Richard said.
“This is money that Nicholls could be getting right now and LSU as well,” Richard said.
Higher education is getting cut each year by $600 million, he said. Richard believes the state has a spending problem, which has caused the state’s dismal budget situation that includes a $1.8 billion shortfall, he said.
In 2008, when former Gov. Kathleen Blanco left office, the state had a $1.2 billion budget surplus despite just a $19 billion budget, Richard said. Today, the legislature has a $26 billion budget yet has a $1.8 billion shortfall, Richard said.
“What’s wrong with that picture? We don’t prioritize spending,” Richard said.
The state could adequately fund higher education if the state prioritizes spending appropriately, he said.

This story was written by Zachary Fitzgerald of The Daily Review staff. Reach him at zfitzgerald@daily-review.com.