Legislators propose 22 amendments for Louisiana
(Special to the American Press)
Louisiana legislators have filed 22 proposed state constitutional amendments during the 2025 legislative session. However, only a handful of those amendments may end up on the ballot and one has already been withdrawn.
Some of those proposals are duplicates and others were losers from the moment they were filed. Those that haven't been heard by a committee face tough futures. Others are rewritten amendments that voters rejected on March 29.
Senate Bill 8 would make it easier to fire state classified employees who are protected by civil service. It is awaiting a vote by the full Senate.
The new city of St. George in East Baton Rouge Parish would be allowed to create a school system by SB 25. It passed the Senate 26-5 and was sent to the House.
The state's homestead exemption that gives homeowners a $75,000 tax exemption could be increased by $22,500 by parish governing authorities by SB 56. It is still in committee. House Bill 271 would allow parish governing authorities to increase the homestead by $5,000. It was approved 9-5 in one committee and sent to a second committee.
Another bill, SB 57, would remove income limitations on freezing the homestead exemption property assessment for persons ages 65 or older. It is awaiting a Senate vote. SB 115 authorizes a new assessment level for homeowners who meet the federal poverty guidelines. It is awaiting a final Senate vote.
The House has HB 269 that increases the homestead income special exemption level from $100,000 annually to $200,000 for those 65 and older, veterans and the disabled. It is still in committee. HB 300 is a similar amendment.
Judges have to retire at age 70 and SB 86 would repeal the retirement age for judges. That has been tried more than once and been defeated by the state's voters. The amendment failed 12-25, its first vote in the Senate. The House has a similar bill, HB 63, that is still in committee.
The spending of any foreign money in state elections is prohibited by SB 109. It passed the Senate 34-5 and is in a House committee.
HB 294 says 20% of all severance taxes should be sent to parishes and eliminates dollar amounts. It is awaiting House final passage.
An amendment that limits government spending, HB 295, has passed one committee and is in another one.
Fire protection officers employed by an airport authority would become eligible for state supplemental pay under provisions of HB 349. It is still in committee.
Two new members would be added to the five-member Louisiana Public Service Commission by HB364. They would be appointed by the governor. It is still in committee.
Parishes would be authorized to exempt business inventory taxes from property taxes by HB 366. They would receive state funding if they exempt those taxes. It has passed the House unanimously and is in the Senate.
HB 448 would prohibit nonprofit organizations from receiving a property tax exemption on property used for commercial purposes, even if it relates to the income-tax-exempt purposes of the organization. The bill is still in committee.
Solar facilities would have limited eligibility from participating in the Industrial Tax Exemption Program by HB 464. It is still in committee.
School systems would be able to provide salary increases for teachers and other school employees under HB 466, which is not an amendment. It is awaiting House final passage. Three education trust funds would be eliminated by HB 473 in order to fund teacher and support raises required in HB 466. The amendment is awaiting a final vote in the House.
Constitutional amendments would be limited to one object under provisions of HB 471. It is still in committee.
The Revenue Stabilization Trust Fund would be eliminated and its funds would be transferred to the Budget Stabilization Fund (the rainy day fund) by HB 678. It is awaiting House final passage. The goal is to provide legislators with additional budget funds.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Reports: Virginia Democrats outdoing Republicans in raising campaign contributions
Democratic House of Delegates hopeful Kimberly Pope Adams raised the second-highest amount in Virginia of contributions to House campaigns for the latest campaign reporting period, according to the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project. Pope Adams, who has already locked up the Democratic nomination in the 82nd House District, reported a total of $262,048 in money raised for the April 1-June 5 window, based on data from the Virginia Department of Elections that was compiled by VPAP. That trailed only House Speaker Don Scott of Portsmouth, who raised just over $344,000 for the period. Political watchers were keeping a close eye on this round of reports, the last before the crucial June 17 party primaries across Virginia. Like Pope Adams, Scott already has the Democratic nod sewn up. He also does not appear to have any GOP opposition this year. The only House primary next week in the Tri-City area is in District 75 where three Democrats are vying to oppose Republican incumbent Carrie Coyner. In that contest, Lindsey Dougherty continues to outdistance Dustin Wade and Stephen Miller-Pitts. For the reporting period, Dougherty raised $171,695, compared to $136,276 for Wade and $4,471 for Miller-Pitts. As of June 5, Wade showed more than $100,000 in cash on hand over Dougherty and five times more than Miller-Pitts. VPAP reported Dougherty raising the sixth-highest amount of contributions for the period, and Wade the 12th. Dougherty and Miller-Pitts ran against Coyner in the 2019 and 2023 elections, respectively. The 75th District covers all of Hopewell and portions of Chesterfield and Prince George counties. More: The primary menu for June 17: Heavy on the state races and a first time for Petersburg In the 82nd District [Petersburg, Surry County, portions of Dinwiddie and Prince George], Pope Adams continues to run away from GOP incumbent Kim Taylor in campaign contributions. For the latest reporting period, Pope Adams' total was more than four times that of Taylor, who listed receiving $64,489 in donations. Her cash-on-hand amount of $289,468 was eight times more than Taylor's $34,502. The race is a rerun of 2023's race, one of the top three most expensive contests in recent Virginia political history. Taylor squeaked out a victory over Pope Adams by only 53 votes following a recount, and Democrats are clocking the 2025 race as pivotal in holding their slim majority in the House for the next two years. Pope Adams' contributions included $25,000 from the Clean Virginia Fund on April 23, $7,500 from the Jane Fonda Climate PAC on May 14, and three $5,000 donations from Elizabeth Simons on May 29, The Next 50 PAC on April 30 and Fund Her PAC on April 29. Taylor's largest contributions for the period were $20,000 from the Dominion Energy PAC on May 8, $10,000 from the Wren Williams for Delegate campaign on April 24, and identical $7,500 amounts from Friends of Scott Wyatt on April 2 and Chris Runion for Delegate on June 5. The reports indicate Taylor getting three donations of $100 or less, and Pope Adams receiving 1,461. More: House GOP incumbent lauds endorsement from local Democratic group. Democrats cry 'foul' In the 75th District primary, Dougherty received two contributions totaling $80,000 from the super PAC Secure Progress and $35,000 from the campaign of Democratic Del. Dan Helmer. Wade's top donations were $5,000 from himself and two donations from Anita Thurston totaling $4,500. Miller-Pitts' sole contribution of over $100 for the period was $250 from Rhonda Clanton-Davis. Coyner, a Republican seeking her fourth term in the House, received $69,056 in contributions over the period. Her largest donations were $10,000 from Carolyn Williams, $7,500 from Strong Start PAC, and three of $5,000 each from Thomas McInerney, Vision Management Services, and Clean Virginia Fund. Records indicate her having $315,350 in cash on hand as of June 5. The district traditionally leans Republican. Coyner has won re-election with as much as 55% of the vote, but Democrats still target her as vulnerable. In Petersburg, history is being made with the first-ever Democratic primary for the constitutional officer Commissioner of the Revenue. Incumbent Brittani Flowers is being challenged by Mary 'Liz Stith' Howard for the right to be the Democrat on the November ballot. Five years ago, the Virginia General Assembly voted to allow any local-office candidate [except School Board] to seek official party backing. The law went into effect last year, as Petersburg Vice Mayor Darrin Hill received the Democratic nomination for his Ward 2 seat by acclimation. The commissioner primary is the first contested one in Petersburg. Campaign records show Flowers receiving just shy of $3,000 in contributions for the reporting period. Her largest donations were $500 from former state Senate candidate Waylin Ross and $300 from Bernard Flowers Jr. Howard did not record any contributions for the reporting period. Petersburg City Councilor Marlow Jones, who is running as an independent for Virginia's lieutenant governor, raised $700 in donations during the latest reporting period. Five hundred dollars came from three contributions of more than $100. The remaining $200 was split among five contributions of less than $100. To see the latest donation data for any race this year, click on the VPAP website. Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@ or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI. This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Virginia primary 2025: Campaign finance reports show money pouring in
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
House to vote on repealing DC local laws on noncitizen voting, policing, immigration enforcement
The Brief House Republicans are voting on three bills that would override D.C. laws on noncitizen voting rights, limiting police powers, and restricting immigration enforcement cooperation. One bill, HR 884, repeals D.C.'s 2022 law allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections. HR 2056 would dismantle D.C.'s sanctuary city protections by mandating cooperation with federal immigration authorities. WASHINGTON - The House of Representatives are voting Tuesday on three Republican-backed bills that would override several local D.C. laws. The bills would roll back D.C. efforts expand voting rights for non-citizens, restrict police and force the District to work with immigration enforcement efforts on a federal level. D.C. passed the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act in 2022, granting noncitizens in D.C. the right to vote in local elections. That includes mayoral races, D.C. Council positions, attorney general, ANC members, attorney general and D.C. ballot measures. Noncitizens can also run for elected office in the D.C. government. HR 884 would repeal the act, removing voting powers from noncitizens. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton released a statement, pushing back at Congress' power of local D.C. matters. "Last Congress, Republicans introduced 14 bills or amendments to prohibit noncitizens from voting in D.C. or to repeal, nullify or prohibit the carrying out of D.C.'s law that permits noncitizens to vote," said Norton. "Yet, Republicans refuse to make the only election law change D.C. residents have asked Congress to make, which is the right to hold elections for voting members of the House and Senate." The Protecting Our Nation's Capital Emergency Act, would dismantle parts of D.C.'s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022. HR 2096 would allow D.C. police officers to negotiate disciplinary matters through collective bargaining. It would also restore a statute of limitation for claims against the Metropolitan Police Department. "This bill was introduced three days after House Republicans passed a continuing resolution that cut D.C.'s local budget by one billion dollars. That act of fiscal sabotage, which did not save the federal government any money, has led to a freeze on overtime, hiring and pay raises, and furloughs or layoffs may be next," said Norton. "Nine weeks ago today, the Senate passed the D.C. Local Funds Act to reverse the cut. The D.C. Local Funds Act is just sitting in the House. Like President Trump and the National Fraternal Order of Police, I call on the House to pass immediately the D.C. Local Funds Act." READ MORE: Congress' spending bill error leaves DC scrambling to cut $400M from budget HR 2056 would strike down D.C. policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. It would prohibit DC officials from "sending, receiving, maintaining, or exchanging with any Federal, State, or local government entity information regarding the citizenship or immigration status (lawful or unlawful) of any individual." The bill would effectively dismantle D.C.'s sanctuary city policies. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser made moves to quietly overturn a law that prevents local police from cooperating with ICE, including it in a provision of her 2026 budget proposal. Big picture view The D.C. Home Rule Act of 1973 allows the city to elect its own mayor and council. It's also allowed for D.C. to choose Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners to handle community concerns. Congress still maintains control over D.C., including the ability to review all local legislation and appoint the city's judges. D.C. has no voting member in Congress, though it has a nonvoting Delegate. In February, legislators from Utah and Tennessee introduced a bill to strip D.C. of its ability to govern itself. The bill is named after D.C.'s Mayor Muriel Bowser – the "Bringing Oversight to Washington and Safety to Every Resident (BOWSER) Act." The bill would eliminate D.C. Home Rule Act of 1973 and would place D.C. under the full control of Congress. The Source This story includes information from the US House of Representatives, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, and previous FOX 5 DC reporting.
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Thune not sure what authority Trump using to deploy Marines to Los Angeles
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) supports President Trump's deployment of federal resources to quell the riots in Los Angeles, but he's not sure what authorities Trump is relying on to deploy 700 active-duty Marines to a U.S. city. 'I don't know the particulars on what authorities exist there but my assumption is that the administration has been looking carefully at what he can and can't do under the law. Obviously, the 1798 Act is available to them if they choose to exercise it,' Thune said, citing the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which authorizes the president during a declared war, invasion or predatory incursion to detain and deport citizens of an enemy nation. Thune argued that a federal response was warranted because local authorities failed to contain property destruction and the threat of violence. 'In this case at least there were clear just failures on the part of state and local officials, which is why I think it required the president to take a federal response,' he told reporters. 'There was a security situation out there that needed to be addressed and I think ultimately the president's objective is to keep people safe.' The Pentagon on Monday ratcheted up the federal response to immigration enforcement protests by mobilizing 700 active-duty Marines. Trump has also deployed 4,000 National Guard soldiers to the area — doubling the 2,000 he initially mobilized. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) insist the situation was under control before the Trump administration escalated tensions by making a provocative show of force. Newsom accused Trump of 'intentionally causing chaos, terrorizing communities and endangering the principles of our great democracy.' He said Sunday that Trump had taken over the California National Guard because 'they want a spectacle.' Bass said over the weekend that deploying the National Guard was 'completely unnecessary' and would escalate tensions. She argued that the Los Angeles Police Department was 'well equipped' to handle protests of actions by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
