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A bid to ban cockfighting in Louisiana failed in the House after a brief debate Thursday that focused more on legislative procedures than the merits of the issue. Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-New Orleans, tried to add the ban onto a bill that would expand the list of birds protected by state animal cruelty laws to cover swans, geese, ducks, ostriches and peacocks. The amendment failed, with 41 votes in favor and 49 against. The measure, House Bill 1146, then won House approval 101-1 and was sent to the Senate. Richmond was the lone “no” vote. Louisiana is one of the few states in the nation that allow cockfighting, which pits birds against each other generally with razor-like attachments, in a sort of animal combat. Backers call it an entertaining sport. Richmond and other critics contend it should be illegal. “Let’s finally do away with this barbaric way we treat animals in Louisiana,” he said. Even before Richmond made his push, Rep. Warren Triche, D-Thibodaux and sponsor of the bill, told House members that he would shelve his bill if opponents of cockfighting managed to add a ban to the legislation. Rep. Troy Hebert, D-Jeanerette, reminded colleagues of Triche’s pledge in urging them to oppose Richmond’s amendment. “Do you want to kill a good bill to protect birds and animals?” Hebert asked. Richmond has made several tries this session, including the first day of the gathering, to get bills to ban cockfighting into a House committee, where they would have a better chance to emerge. Critics contend that sending such proposals to the House Agriculture Committee all but nullify any chances for approval. Richmond said he did not want to hijack Triche’s bill. But until cockfighting opponents can get the issue into a friendlier committee, he said, “the only route is to do this.” “Vote for the amendment and we will go from there,” Richmond told the House. Triche said his bill expands the state’s list of protected birds from one approved by the Legislature in 1995. That law already gives parrots, parakeets, lovebirds, canaries, starlings, sparrows and others protection under Louisiana’s cruelty to animals law. Bids to ban cockfighting have also triggered controversy in the Senate, which is set to debate the issue next week. Here’s how the House voted Thursday in rejecting a proposed ban on cockfighting. A “no” vote is a vote to keep cockfighting illegal. The vote was on an amendment to House Bill 1146. Voting FOR a ban on cockfighting (41): Alexander, Ansardi, Badon, Barrow, Beard, Bowler, Bruneau, Burrell, K. Carter, Crowe, Curtis, Daniel, Downs, Farrar, Glover, Gray, E. Guillory, Harris, Honey, Jefferson, Katz, Kennard, LaFonta, Marchand, Martiny, Montgomery, Morrell, Pierre, Pitre, M. Powell, Quezaire, Richmond, Scalise, Schneider, Smiley, J. H. Smith, Toomy, Tucker, Waddell, Walsworth, Winston. Voting AGAINST a ban on cockfighting (49): Speaker Salter, Alario, Baldone, Baudoin, Bruce, R. Carter, Cravins, Damico, Dartez, DeWitt, Doerge, Dove, Durand, Fannin, Faucheux, Frith, Gallot, Greene, M. Guillory, Hammett, Heaton, Hebert, Hill, Hunter, Hutter, Johns, Kenney, LaFleur, McDonald, McVea, Morrish, Odinet, Pinac, T. Powell, Ritchie, Robideaux, Romero, G. Smith, J.D. Smith, J.R. Smith, St. Germain, Strain, Thompson, Townsend, Trahan, Triche, Walker, White, Wooton. Not voting (14): Arnold, Baylor, Burns, Cazayoux, Crane, Dorsey, Erdey, Geymann, Hopkins, Jackson, Klekley, LaBruzzo, Lambert, Lancaster. Source: Edited: Apr 28 2006 at 2:12 pm
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