Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal said Wednesday that he will sign a proposed bill requiring presidential candidates to present a birth certificate before having their name added to the state’s ballot.
The bill, which has yet to reach the Republican governor’s desk, received national attention after Arizona governor Jan Brewer vetoed a similar bill, calling it a “distraction.”
Mr. Jindal seems to feel differently.
“If the Legislature passes this bill,” Mr. Jindal said, “I’d sign it.” And if legislators “pass another bill that simply restates the Constitution, of course I’d sign it. If they pass a bill restating the Bill of Rights, of course I’d sign it.”
The Louisiana Republican’s comment comes in the wake of a number of states attempting to pass similar legislation. It also follows renewed focus on the issue as Donald Trump, a potential Republican presidential candidate, has questioned the validity of President Obama’s birth certificate.
Mr. Jindal made it clear that he does not doubt Mr. Obama’s citizenship. “I absolutely believe he’s a citizen. Let’s be clear, my disagreements with this president are not about his citizenship or where he was born,” he said.
