Louisiana House votes to end days honoring Lee, Confederates

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana’s House of Representatives has voted to officially remove Robert E. Lee Day and Confederate Memorial Day from a list of state holidays. The bill by New Orleans Democratic Rep. Matthew Willard goes next to the state Senate. The two holidays haven’t been observed in Louisiana for years. They are among a list of holidays that can be proclaimed by the governor. Willard’s bill removing them from the list had passed the House Judiciary Committee 12-0 last month. It passed in the House on Monday by a vote of 62-20 with 23 members absent or not voting.