Focus on Governing: Louisiana

Fascinating conversations are taking place in Louisiana right now as it relates to the future of the state constitution. Lawmakers have agreed for years that revisions need to be made to shorten the charter that was adopted in 1974 and has been amended over 200 times. Where things get more difficult is finding consensus on what items might get changed so that the state can hold a statewide convention to rewrite the document.

Changing the state constitution requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers of the Legislature and approval from voters in a statewide election. Governor Jeff Landry and legislative leaders are hoping to find the consensus needed by taking items from the constitution and moving them into “statute” thus ensuring state law and protections remain in place for the time being. Some lawmakers cite the 200+ amendments as examples of policies that should be removed from the constitution and enshrined in law via statute.

Changing a statute only requires a simple-majority vote from the state House and Senate. This would allow lawmakers to change or repeal those items in the future more easily – without needing a vote of the people, which is how they change them now. A change that could come in handy when the Governor and the legislature need to make tough decisions about funding cuts during next year’s session when they will have to address a $650 million budget deficit. Lawmakers could use the re-write to move some areas of the state budget that are currently protected by the constitution into statutes – thus giving themselves more options for funding cuts. 

A few things need to happen before the ultimate decision is left to the voters. First, the legislature must secure a two-thirds majority vote to hold a statewide constitutional convention to rewrite the document. Rep. Beau Beaullieu, R-New Iberia, is drafting the legislation which must 1) include the rules for how the convention will operate and 2) be filed by an April 2^nd deadline. There are only a few days left for lawmakers to decide on the rules of the road for the convention.

Rep. Beaullieu has indicated he would like the convention to take place before session ends in early June. The final decision on the matter would rest with voters on the November 5^th ballot. 

Will 2024 finally be the year state leaders find enough common ground to approve a rewrite? Learn more here.