2022 LA Legislative Scorecard 2021-
The following scorecard lists several key votes in the Louisiana State Legislature in 2021 and 2022 and ranks state representatives and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.
This is our first state-level Scorecard; the selected votes may not be reflective of legislators' overall records. Their cumulative scores will change as we add more votes. Please check regularly for updates.
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Senate Votes
SB118 would have allowed permitless carry of a handgun for any person who does not possess a concealed handgun permit but otherwise meets the eligibility requirements.
The Senate passed SB118 on June 1, 2021, by a vote of 27 to 9, prior to it being vetoed by the Governor. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because the fundamental right of the American people to keep and bear arms should not be infringed, as guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
HCR51 calls for a "convention of states" to amend the United States Constitution to establish a limitation on terms for members of Congress.
The Senate passed HCR51 on June 3, 2021, by a vote of 21 to 13. We have assigned pluses to the nays because term limits conflict with the right of the American people to choose their representatives. Moreover, states should act immediately to nullify all unconstitutional federal laws, rather than risk an Article V convention. Article V of the U.S. Constitution was designed to correct potential errors or defects in the Constitution, not the failure of elected officials to uphold their oath of office.
HB159 defines “domestic abuse” to include acts "intended to coerce, control, [or] punish" by a family or household member, and requires courts to elevate the importance of those factors in determining “the best interest of the child" before making custody decisions.
The Senate passed HB159 on June 7, 2021, by a vote of 36 to 0. We have assigned minuses to the yeas because redefining “domestic abuse” to include non-injurious forms of control or punishment and expanding the “best interest of the child” in custody cases undermines the family. The state has a constitutional duty to protect parental rights, along with the marital covenant, which entail a family’s authority to regulate self-governing behavior in the home. Under the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment, such rights shall not be denied or disparaged.
SB10 requires compulsory school attendance for all children beginning at age 5, including full-day kindergarten and a readiness assessment prior to entering first grade.
The Senate passed SB10 on June 9, 2021, by a vote of 38 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the nays because a child’s education is the responsibility of — and a fundamental right of choice retained by — a child’s parents or legal guardians, not the government. Forcing American citizens to furnish taxpayer money for a compulsory, failing, and government-run K-12 school system violates individual protections guaranteed by the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment.
HB149 would have specified that the Legislature may terminate the entire state of disaster, emergency, or public health emergency, or any section of subsection thereof, declared by executive order or proclamation of the Governor.
The Senate passed HB149 on June 10, 2021, by a vote of 21 to 11, prior to it being vetoed by the Governor. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because Article III, Section 1, of the Louisiana Constitution vests lawmaking power in the Senate and the House of Representatives, not the Governor. Each state, under Article IV, Section 4, of the U.S. Constitution, is guaranteed a republican form of government, which requires a limitation and separation of powers.
SB342 provides that it shall be unlawful for a physician or other person to perform an abortion, except in cases to “prevent the death or substantial risk of death” or the “loss of a life-sustaining organ” of a pregnant woman.
The Senate passed SB342 on June 5, 2022, by a vote of 29 to 4. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because states should act to ban abortion and secure the right to life for all persons. The right to life is the most fundamental, God-given, and unalienable right asserted in the Declaration of Independence and guaranteed by the 5th and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
