Highlighting the end of the 2024 legislative session in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, lawmakers concluded three months of intense debate and policy-making. This session, marked by the majority of GOP members, has ushered in a new era of conservative leadership under Republican Governor Jeff Landry, succeeding Democrat John Bel Edwards.
Throughout the session, a multitude of conservative policies have been passed, including a range of anti-LGBTQ+ bills, migrant enforcement measures, and the mandatory display of the Ten Commandments in public classrooms. Additionally, the reclassification of abortion-inducing drugs as controlled substances was approved.
Lawmakers also approved a $48 billion budget that included a $2,000 stipend for teachers, funding for criminal justice, and tough-on-crime measures in a special session. However, cuts to early childhood education programs raised concerns about access to daycare for hundreds of infants and toddlers.
Despite bipartisan support for measures addressing the property insurance crisis, a call for a constitutional convention, proposed by Landry, failed to gain enough backing. The regular session was deemed successful, with plans for future sessions to tackle issues like high crime rates and the redraw of Louisiana’s congressional map.