Legislators ask more time to comply with redistricting order
By JANET McCONNAUGHEY
Associated Press
Louisiana’s legislative leaders are asking for at least 10 more days to comply with a federal judge’s order to redraw congressional districts so two have Black majorities. And a federal appeals court has scheduled arguments July 8 about the judge’s ruling that the current map violates the Voting Rights Act. Senate President Page Cortez and House Speaker Clay Schexnayder say in a motion filed Monday that Judge Shelly Dick’s deadline of June 20 is impossible. A six-day session is scheduled to start Wednesday. The motion says legislative rules make it impossible for a bill proposed in one house to be acted on the other before a session’s seventh day. It asks a deadline of at least June 30.