Waiting for a constitutional convention, Louisiana Republicans refuse to pass proposed amendments

Published: April 17, 2024

Updated: April 21, 2024

By: Elizabeth White LSU Manship School News Service

BATON ROUGE Republicans on a House committee refused Wednesday to pass proposed constitutional amendments, preferring to wait for a constitutional convention sought by Gov. Jeff Landry.

Nine constitutional amendments were on the House and Governmental Affairs Committee’s agenda, but only two passed. The other seven were deferred due to member concerns over how they would be implemented if the Legislature authorized a limited constitutional convention in late May and early June.

House Bills 48 and 49 were the only two constitutional amendments that advanced. Rep. Tony Bacala, R-Prairieville, sponsored both, and they stemmed from the chaotic way that major budget decisions were made in the last half hour of last year’s legislative session.

HB 48 would require that House-Senate conference committee reports for bills appropriating money be posted 48 hours before they are voted on. It passed through the committee 9-6.

Read more at The Reveille.