Edwards to Lay Out Legislative Goals Monday

Governor Edwards will lay out his legislative agenda Monday at the Baton Rouge Press Club, exactly one week before the start of the 2020 session.

Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat expects the Governor will continue pushing a minimum wage increase and equal pay for women, Democratic priorities, but also tout a major bipartisan policy.

“Something like early childhood education, which is popular with Republicans and Democrats, something he can score some points with the public, and something the state needs,” says Pinsonat.

The Governor’s budget recommends a 25 million dollar increase in early childhood education spending.

Lawsuit reform is expected to dominate the upcoming session. Pinsonat says despite his past opposition, he feels Edwards has little choice but to come out with some compromise offers today.

“He’s going to be trying to find something that both sides can live with, and if he can’t then I think he will stick with his trial lawyers and veto it,” says Pinsonat.

Pinsonat says a substantial number of this year’s new class of lawmakers won their seats on the back of promises to vote for lawsuit reform.

Pinsonat says Edwards will likely call for a number of spending increases today, but his ambitions may be more hampered by this year’s more Republican legislature.

“How far will Republicans go, or how far will the Governor go to stop Republicans if he doesn’t like where they are going to spend money, and that is one of the issues that will dominate the session.

The Revenue Estimating Conference has yet to agree to a revenue forecast for the budget.