| Good Morning, Much of the last week was spent sorting through the fall-out of the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v Wade, which gave states the right to decide how to manage pregnancy terminations within their borders. Louisiana lawmakers passed sweeping legislation that coordinated the years of anti-abortion laws and a so-called “trigger” law that immediately banned abortions upon the high court’s ruling. As Louisiana enters an era in which abortion rights will be decided by a vehemently anti-abortion state government, a host of legal and practical questions have arisen about how the state’s suddenly viable strict criminal laws on abortion will be enforced and who will do the enforcing? Almost as big a news last week was the U.S. Supreme Court stepping in and halting a federal district court in Baton Rouge from redrawing congressional maps to include two of the six districts that minorities could have an opportunity of winning – instead of just one that the Republican majority in the Louisiana Legislature wants. The high court’s action delayed any near-term answers to resolving the systemic dilution of a political voice among Blacks, who make a third of the state’s population. The delay ensured that when Louisiana voters go to the polls in November their choices will be pretty much the same as they have been for the past decade in the five White majority congressional districts and one Black majority district. Meanwhile, Louisiana got a glimpse of just how voters will go about casting ballots in future elections. The state Voting Systems Commission got their chance to actually try out nine systems that would create a paper ballot for the voter to review before scanned into a locked box. The 13 members, who were supposed to sort through the alternatives and recommend what kind of system it wanted for Louisiana, basically forwarded nearly everything on the table: ballots marked by hand; ballots marked in a machine. The one thing commissioners did choose was how the votes would be tallied: Paper ballots will be scanned, counted and locked away for use in a recount, if ordered. They will not be counted by hand. The commission was born during the height of false claims that Donald Trump lost his presidential reelection because of widespread fraud. The panel held long hearings over many months to reach last week’s denouement in which commissioners would tell Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin how they would like to see Louisiana vote in the future. Ardoin needs to replace the 10,000 aging voting machines the state uses each election. The commission’s decision gives Ardoin an abundance of flexibility as he goes about the steps needed to let the $100 million or so contract for the new voting system. Also, looming in the near future is the possibility a veto override session, which would happen on July 16. Gov. John Bel Edwards signed 776 bills into law and vetoed 28 instruments. The letters to legislators saying done and done were sent June 27, two days before deadline. The question is whether a majority of lawmakers want to return after being in Baton Rouge pretty much nonstop since February and then whether a supermajority – 70 in the House, 26 in the Senate – can be persuaded to override the governor. 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, @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 | 
