BATON ROUGE- Louisiana's lawmakers are readying to choose their leaders as the new term in office begins.
    
The House and Senate meet Monday morning, ahead of the inauguration ceremony where Democrat John Bel Edwards will be sworn in as Louisiana's governor.
    
The Senate is expected to maintain its current president, Republican John Alario, but use a new secret ballot process to cast votes.
    
The House is on track to have a rare, contested vote for speaker that will test the limits of Edwards' power, as he tries to get a Democrat elected to the job in the majority Republican chamber.
    
Edwards backs Rep. Walt Leger for House speaker, while GOP leaders have rallied behind Republican Rep. Cameron Henry.
    
House Clerk Alfred "Butch" Speer says the last contested speaker's election was in 1984.