Louisiana Governor Pushes Controversial Conservative Agenda with Ten Commandments and Abortion Laws

In his first six months in office, Governor Jeff Landry has pursued an extensive conservative agenda impacting Louisiana’s cultural, social, and legal landscape.

From education to criminal justice reforms, Landry’s policies are significantly transforming the state’s public policies.

Ten Commandments in Schools

This week, Governor Landry signed a controversial law mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom across Louisiana.

“If you want to respect the rule of law, you’ve got to start from the original lawgiver, which was Moses,” Landry stated at the signing ceremony in Lafayette.

The law has sparked criticism from Democratic lawmakers and civil liberties groups, who argue that it could face legal challenges over its constitutionality.

This move reflects a broader shift in Louisiana’s cultural policies, aligning more closely with conservative states like Florida and Texas.

Louisiana’s Political Shift

A significant change in Louisiana’s political landscape occurred early in 2023 when a Democratic lawmaker in northeast Louisiana switched to the Republican Party, granting the GOP a supermajority in the House.

Coupled with the existing Senate majority and Landry’s election as governor, Republicans now hold a veto-proof majority in the legislature.

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who had endorsed Landry’s election campaign last year, wrote on his social media platform Friday that the entire country should follow Louisiana’s lead in allowing the Ten Commandments in public schools.

“This is a singular moment in Louisiana politics,” said Pearson Cross, a political science professor at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

“There’s an enormous appetite for conservative changes that couldn’t have been passed before.”

Criminal Justice Overhaul

Governor Landry has signed several controversial criminal justice bills into law. These include:

• Allowing nitrogen gas for capital punishment.
• Treating 17-year-olds charged with crimes as adults.
• Eliminating parole with few exceptions.
• Authorizing residents aged 18 and older to carry concealed handguns without permits.

Another notable law allows judges to order surgical castration for certain sex offenders who commit crimes against children.

This law, which goes into effect in August, is the first of its kind in the nation.

Abortion Medication Regulation

Landry has also targeted abortion rights. A recent law adds mifepristone and misoprostol, medications used to induce abortions, to the state’s list of controlled dangerous substances.

Possession of these medications without valid prescriptions could result in up to five years in prison.

While pregnant women are exempt from prosecution, the law has drawn criticism from medical professionals for restricting drugs used in various medical treatments.

Challenges and Concerns

Governor Landry’s administration has also faced scrutiny over issues related to government transparency and ethics.

A bill that aimed to limit access to public records from the governor’s office was withdrawn after public outcry.

Steven Procopio, president of the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, emphasized the importance of public access to government records.

“People were really upset with some of the broad attempts to undermine public records,” Procopio said.

He noted that while some of Landry’s proposals could positively impact the state, maintaining transparency is crucial for democracy.

Further, on the issue of the Ten Commandments law, Civil liberties groups are already lining up to challenge its constitutionality. And they have precedent on their side — back in 1980, the Supreme Court ruled that classroom displays of the Ten Commandments were unconstitutional.

The law also could face some liturgical challenges because the newly signed statute calls for posting the version of the Ten Commandments that Protestants use, which is slightly different from the versions that Catholics and Jews use.

As Governor Landry continues to implement his agenda, Louisiana remains at the forefront of significant cultural and political changes.

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