Louisiana voters approve four constitutional amendments

Voters in Louisiana were asked to consider four amendments to the state constitution Saturday and gave their nod to all of them.

With votes from all precincts in the state counted, these were the results:

Amendment 1: Judicial discipline – YES 53%

The amendment will give the governor and lawmakers influence over how judges are disciplined. Plus, the Louisiana Supreme Court also will be able to punish judges without any outside input.

Tough-on-crime proponents pushed this proposal as a way to hold accountable judges deemed too lenient with criminal sentencing. It will also put more power over the judiciary in the hands of the executive and legislative branches, to the objection of those who believe the process should be free from political influence. 

Currently, the nine-member Louisiana Judiciary Commission handles allegations of judicial misconduct. It reviews complaints and investigates claims of inappropriate behavior then makes discipline recommendations for judges to the Louisiana Supreme Court when needed. 

The commission’s present lineup consists of three judges the Louisiana Supreme Court picks, three attorneys chosen by state appellate judges and three other members district judges select who are not judges, attorneys or elected officials.

The amendment adds five more seats to the commission. The governor gets to make one selection, and the Louisiana House speaker and Senate president each have two appointees. Unlike the judiciary’s choices, there are no professional requirements for the appointments the legislative leaders and the governor make.

This change to the constitution also allows the Louisiana Supreme Court to discipline judges without a recommendation from the judicial commission. 

Amendment 2: Budget wait time – YES 66%

In their 2023 session, legislators took until the final day to hammer out details for the state budget, giving most members less than 30 minutes to review the $52 billion spending plan before its approval. Several mistakes were left in the legislation, and many lawmakers said they had little idea of what they were voting on.

Amendment 2 requires the Legislature wait 48 hours when changes are made to the proposed state budget before they can take final votes. There are already legislative procedural rules in place that call for a two-day waiting period, but lawmakers can waive them with a two-thirds vote in each chamber. Now that the built-in delay is in the constitution, it cannot be bypassed.

In addition, lawmakers must now receive a summary report that explains changes made to a budget bill at least 48 hours ahead of a vote.

Amendment 3: State budget extension – YES 58%

This companion measure to Amendment 2 allows the Legislature to extend a lawmaking session up to six days, but only if the additional time is needed to approve the state budget.

Until now, lawmakers had to adjourn by their pre-determined deadline even if they hadn’t passed a budget. Then a special session would have to be called just to approve the spending plan, which had to repeat the entire legislative process  – including public hearings and committee votes. 

Amendment 4: Local property tax debt – YES 55%

Local governments have been able to seize and auction property when its owner is past due on their taxes, but the owner could reclaim their holdings if they made good on their delinquent bills and any associated interest and penalties.

This process has been in place for ages, but it could clash with a U.S. Supreme Court decision last year involving a similar tax sale system in Minnesota. Supporters of the amendment wanted to pull the applicable section out of the Louisiana Constitution and give property owners more time to avoid seizures and tax sales.

There were opponents of this change, who believe it might discourage investors who buy properties through tax sales. Also, they’ve noted there have been no court challenges to Louisiana’s existing law.

The approval of Amendment 4 puts in place a new tax sale process, which the Legislature has already approved. It takes effect Jan. 1, 2026, and lawmakers can make changes in future sessions now that the statute is no longer in the constitution. 

Voters statewide have backed all five amendments to the Louisiana Constitution put before them this year. On the Nov. 5 ballot, they supported the dedication of offshore wind energy revenue for the state toward coastal restoration projects.

The next set of proposed constitutional changes will appear on a March 29 special election ballot. The seven proposals stem from last month’s special legislative session on tax policy and other matters.