The Louisiana State Legislature referred two constitutional amendments to the ballot that voters will decide on Dec. 7.
Rep. Tony Bacala (R-59) sponsored both amendments, House Bill 48 and House Bill 49, in the State House.
House Bill 48, passed unanimously by the legislature, would add a 48-hour waiting period before a concurrence vote on an appropriations bill. The amendment would require that the legislature wait at least 48 hours after all legislators have been given a summary detailing proposed changes to a bill before concurring in a conference committee report or concurring in amendments to an appropriations bill. In Louisiana, appropriations bills must originate in the House but can be amended in the Senate.
House Bill 49 would allow the state legislature to, by a two-thirds vote, extend its regular session by two-day increments, up to a maximum of six days, in order to pass a bill appropriating money. Currently, even-year state legislative sessions are limited to 60 legislative days over 85 calendar days and odd-year sessions are limited to 45 legislative days over 60 calendar days. Current constitutional law prohibits the consideration of any matter having an effect of law except a measure proposing a suspension of the law beyond the 57th legislative day or the 82nd calendar day for even-year sessions and beyond the 42nd legislative day or the 57th calendar day for odd-year sessions, except by a two-thirds vote of the elected members of each house of the legislature.
The bill passed the House by a vote of 92-1 and the Senate unanimously.
The Louisiana State Legislature is set to adjourn on June 3, 2024. The legislature may refer additional measures to the November ballot or a special election ballot. As of May 24, six proposed constitutional amendments had been passed by one chamber and could be referred to the ballot if adopted in the second chamber.
A total of 112 constitutional amendments appeared on the statewide ballot in Louisiana during even-numbered years from 2000 through 2022. Of the 112 amendments, 77 (68.75%) were approved and 35 (31.25%) were defeated. During even-numbered years, in Louisiana, an average of nine constitutional amendments appeared on the ballot.
The current state constitution was adopted in 1974. From 1978 through 2023, 316 proposed amendments were on the ballot, and 216 (68.35%) were adopted by voters.
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