We're one week into February, and Governor Jeff Landry has yet to issue a call to convene a special legislative session dealing with crime. It's a session he promised would happen, and one analyst believes he'll soon fulfill that promise.
"We're going to get a call from the governor," LAPolitics.com publisher Jeremy Alford said, noting that Landry's call could come in the next couple of weeks.
Alford says Landry is expected to seek a rollback of criminal justice reforms implemented during the John Bel Edwards administration, including laws dealing with mandatory minimums, judicial discretion, and juvenile crime age limits. Landry's call is also expected to include the expansion of the death penalty, a measure that Alford says has support from members of the pro-life movement.
"I spoke with Gene Mills, the president of the Louisiana Family Forum," Alford said. "He represents pastors and reverends from around the state. They are in support. They are ready to back Jeff Landry on this issue. They are ready to see executions restart in Louisiana."
Alford believes Landry will ask lawmakers to address crime in New Orleans.
"We'll probably see maybe some issues with the French Quarter and New Orleans and what the governor is doing with the state police troop," Alford said.
Alford added that Landry could include another hot topic in his agenda.
"We're starting to hear that their could be some insurance issues related to fraud, which gets them--kind of--into the crime conversation,"Alford said, telling WWL's Tommy Tucker that Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple asked Governor Landry to include this issue in his call for the special session. "I think part of this is that there was supposed to be a special session this year just on insurance issues. That looks very unlikely now despite expectations heading into the new year.
Alford says he doesn't expect Landry to get too deep into the insurance issue during the special session. Still, Alford believes lawmakers will be happy if Landry asks them to address insurance fraud.
"I think lawmakers, particularly in coastal areas, are eager to get some type of momentum on insurance issues heading into the regular session," Alford said.
