BATON ROUGE - The state legislature has called for a special session to address issues related to the coronavirus, storm relief, and unemployment.

Lawmakers made the announcement late Monday afternoon. The session is set to begin Sept. 28 at 6 p.m. and must adjourn by 6 p.m. Oct. 27.

Read the full announcement below. 

The Louisiana State Legislature will convene the 2020 Second Extraordinary Session at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, September 28, 2020.

The Louisiana State Constitution provides the legislature with the authority to call itself into special session upon the written petition of a majority of the elected members of each house. A majority of the House and Senate members have authorized the petition, which also sets the agenda for the upcoming session. Lawmakers may file and consider bills on 70 items. House Speaker Clay Schexnayder says that the special session will focus on three main objectives – (1) Hurricane Laura disaster relief and recovery efforts, (2) on-going issues with COVID-19, especially relative to funding and the economy, and (3) the state’s Unemployment Trust Fund.

“No one could have predicted or planned for the health, economic and natural disaster devastation that 2020 has brought to our state and citizens. A special session is needed to address unforeseen problems related to the in person education of our children and their return to extracurricular activities, the survival of our economy and the opening up of business, and the recovery of the areas of our state devastated by Hurricane Laura.”

“A significant number of House members have also asked to address the continued proclamations issued by the Governor during the pandemic and what many see as an imbalance of power. This special session will not end without a solution to this problem.”

The 2020 Second Extraordinary Session will begin on September 28, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. and must adjourn by October 27, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. A copy of the special session call is attached and available on the Joint Legislative Website – www.legis.la.gov.