Louisiana voters approve 7 of 10 constitutional amendments

A ballot with 10 amendments to the Louisiana Constitution was placed before voters statewide on Tuesday’s ballot, and they gave their approval to seven of the proposals.

Half of the ballot items involved property taxes that help pay for many parish governments, sheriffs and public schools.

The voting margins listed were as of 11:15 p.m. Tuesday

Amendment 1: YES – 75%

Amendment 1 gives surviving spouses of deceased disabled veterans to transfer a property tax exemption to a new house. It is expected to affect only a small group of people as just 229 people claimed the existing exemption last year, according to a legislative fiscal analysis.

Amendment 2: NO – 58%

The rejection of Amendment 2 denies local governments the power to remove real estate value assessment deadlines. It would have allowed local governments to keep property tax rates lower for a longer period of time. Under the current system, local officials have said they feel pressure to sometimes raise rates prematurely because if they don’t, they lose the ability to do so in the future. Opponents argued the proposal would create more uncertainty for taxpayers about when their property tax bills would be raised and by how much. 

Amendment 3: YES – 68%

Voters chose to remove the power of judges to grant bail to defendants convicted of certain crimes with minors as victims. The applicable offenses include kidnapping, human trafficking, rape and other sex crimes. Post-conviction bail can be granted at a judge’s discretion before a convicted person reports to prison, such as when their case is on appeal or they are awaiting sentencing. Judges can grant bail except when someone is charged with a crime punishable by death, and there is a high degree of evidence of their guilt. 

Amendment 4: YES – 56%

The provisions of Amendment 4 apply to only two living former Louisiana governors — Democrat John Bel Edwards and Republican Bobby Jindal — and any future holders of the state’s highest office. The amendment prohibits any governor from running for office again once they serve more than one and a half terms, equal to six years. Neither Edwards nor Edwards has expressed interest in running for the office again. 

Amendment 5: NO – 62%

The proposition would have given the Louisiana Legislature the authority to prioritize how the state pays off the debt of its retirement systems when there are surplus funds in the state budget. The existing law that stays in effect requires surplus dollars to go toward the oldest debt first. 

Amendment 6: YES – 64%

Local governments can now increase the homestead exemption for many people 65 and older. Voters in the tax jurisdiction must also approve a tax break for seniors through a separate, local ballot initiative. 

Amendment 7: YES – 65%

The statewide vote clears the way for New Orleans to use $152 million in federal funds to replace lead pipes in its drinking water delivery system. Voter approval was needed because there were concerns a state law prohibits the use of that money on private property, though an opinion from Attorney General Liz Murrill had given the go-ahead to do so. The $152 million represents only a small fraction of the $1 billion-plus cost to remove lead pipes from the New Orleans water system. The city is under a 2037 federal deadline to complete the work. 

Amendment 8: YES – 63%

Several states have enacted laws that prohibit a “foreign adversary” or their representative from acquiring or expropriating property. Louisiana is the first to place the prohibition in its state constitution. A state law already prevents these nations from taking over property near military bases as well as buying or leasing any land or immovable property.   

The list of applicable countries currently includes China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia and the former Maduro regime in Venezuela. 

Amendment 9: YES – 59%

Voters approved an increase to the income threshold for people who qualify for a property tax freeze from $100,000 to $150,000. Impacted people are those 65 or older, disabled veterans, other residents who are totally and permanently disabled, and the spouses of military members killed or missing in action. The threshold will be adjusted to match inflation rates in future years. 

Amendment 10: NO – 53%

Voters statewide declined to give their approval for local governments to adopt property tax exemptions for owners who rehabilitate blighted properties. Improvements to derelict homes could have received a tax break of up to 75% of the property’s renovated assessed value for 20 years, and a 25% exemption would have been for remediating vacant land next to a home or business property.