| Good Morning, With about three weeks left in the 2022 annual session, the Louisiana Legislature is leaning into its work. The bill that would forbid transgender athletes from participating in school sporting contests is scheduled to get a vote on the House floor this afternoon. Senate Bill 44, if OK’d as expected by the House, would have to return to the Senate to concur in a few language changes. But the legislation could be finally approved and sent to the governor by the end of the week. This is the same measure Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards vetoed last year, sparking the Republican majority legislature to return to Baton Rouge for an override session. That override effort failed by two votes. But earlier this year legislators overrode the governor’s veto of congressional redistricting maps, which some claim opens the door on future overrides. Leadership is hoping the Senate can approve on Wednesday the state operating budget for the year that begins July 1, then get the House’s concurrence on Friday. This timeline would require the governor to issue any vetoes – line-item in the budget, full rejection in other bills – before the legislators return home after the June 6 adjournment. Legislative leadership came to agreement on one of the key issues of the session by authorizing $300 million for a new bridge across the Mississippi River near Baton Rouge. The governor had wanted $500 million. He also wanted $2,000 per year pay raise for schoolteachers but only $1,500 is included in the budget, which has angered schoolteachers who plan to march on the State Capitol. The budget does, however, have pay boosts for local deputies and police officers that the governor wanted but the House majority did not. The Senate gave the raises but set them up like bonuses that lawmakers would have to renew next year. An anti-abortion measure last week angered lawmakers whose numbers overwhelmingly oppose abortion. House Bill 813 caught international attention when clearing committee because parts of the measure could have sent women to prison for terminating a pregnancy or taking the wrong birth control. HB813 sponsor Rep. Danny McCormick, R-Oil City, demanded lawmakers vote on his proposal, which would have put many legislators on record voting against an anti-abortion measure as they begin to campaign for reelection next year. The House stripped the bill of its onerous bits, then McCormick returned HB813 to the calendar effectively ending it for this session. On Monday, McCormick was scheduled to run a similar bill that didn’t criminalize women but would allow the state to ignore U.S. Supreme Court decisions. He then abruptly resigned the committee alleging his bill couldn’t get a fair hearing. In a late-session surprise, the Louisiana House has overwhelmingly approved a bill that would bar third graders with reading problems from moving to the fourth grade. Around 4,500 of Louisiana's third graders could be affected if the bill becomes law. As always, check throughout the day for the latest Louisiana political news at theadvocate.com/politics or NOLA.com/politics and on Twitter at @MarkBallardCNB, @tegbridges, @samkarlin, @blakepater, @WillSentell. Here are a dozen articles, commentaries and editorials that will catch you up for the week to come. One last item: Thank you to our subscribers. Your support means a great deal to us. If you're not yet a subscriber, we’ve got a special offer you can check out here. – Mark Ballard | 