A lawsuit has been filed challenging Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry’s plan to rewrite portions of the state constitution. The lawsuit was filed Monday by two teachers and a pastor, according to William Most, the lead attorney in the case. The lawsuit alleges that the proposed changes to the constitution, which were introduced during the November 2024 special tax session, would dramatically alter the constitution. According to the lawsuit, a single amendment, called House Bill 7, is being presented on the March 29 ballot and is misleading to voters. This comes after Landry’s failed attempt to hold a constitutional convention last year.Narrowing constitutional protections for church and union property; Limiting local control over sale taxes; Liquidating several education trust funds;Deleting a fund supporting infant mortality programs; Changing gendered pronouns in the constitution; Potentially increasing taxes on takeout food; and Removing constitutional authorization for farmers’ and fishermen’s programs. Those voting on the ballot would vote yes, or no, to these changes. Most say the lawsuit alleges that the ballot language violates state law, which requires this language to be “simple, unbiased, concise, and easily understood.”Those who filed the lawsuit believe that the bill’s language is “biased and misleading” because it obscures the impact of the proposed changes.The lawsuit claims that the ballot fails to communicate the range of the changes to the voter, specifically changes that a voter would find unappealing, like the elimination of constitutional protection for early child care, STEM initiatives and dyslexia training. According to the lawsuit, those program changes would impact more than 26,000 students across the state if the amendment is passed.WDSU has reached out to Gov. Landry’s office as well as Secretary of State Nancy Landry. Gov. Jeff Landy issued the following statement: “This lawsuit attempts to deny citizens their right to vote to grant teachers a permanent pay raise, lower income taxes for seniors, reduce the maximum income tax rate, and limit the growth of state government. Amendment 2 was thoroughly debated and passed by a bipartisan supermajority of both houses of the Legislature. I am confident that voters across Louisiana will see through this political charade and pass Amendment #2 overwhelmingly on March 29.”At the time of this publication, a response had not yet been received from Secretary of State Nancy Landry.
A lawsuit has been filed challenging Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry’s plan to rewrite portions of the state constitution.
The lawsuit was filed Monday by two teachers and a pastor, according to William Most, the lead attorney in the case.
The lawsuit alleges that the proposed changes to the constitution, which were introduced during the November 2024 special tax session, would dramatically alter the constitution.
According to the lawsuit, a single amendment, called House Bill 7, is being presented on the March 29 ballot and is misleading to voters.
This comes after Landry’s failed attempt to hold a constitutional convention last year.
- Narrowing constitutional protections for church and union property;
- Limiting local control over sale taxes;
- Liquidating several education trust funds;
- Deleting a fund supporting infant mortality programs;
- Changing gendered pronouns in the constitution;
- Potentially increasing taxes on takeout food; and
- Removing constitutional authorization for farmers’ and fishermen’s programs.
Those voting on the ballot would vote yes, or no, to these changes.
Most say the lawsuit alleges that the ballot language violates state law, which requires this language to be “simple, unbiased, concise, and easily understood.”
Those who filed the lawsuit believe that the bill’s language is “biased and misleading” because it obscures the impact of the proposed changes.
The lawsuit claims that the ballot fails to communicate the range of the changes to the voter, specifically changes that a voter would find unappealing, like the elimination of constitutional protection for early child care, STEM initiatives and dyslexia training.
According to the lawsuit, those program changes would impact more than 26,000 students across the state if the amendment is passed.
WDSU has reached out to Gov. Landry’s office as well as Secretary of State Nancy Landry.
Gov. Jeff Landy issued the following statement:
“This lawsuit attempts to deny citizens their right to vote to grant teachers a permanent pay raise, lower income taxes for seniors, reduce the maximum income tax rate, and limit the growth of state government. Amendment 2 was thoroughly debated and passed by a bipartisan supermajority of both houses of the Legislature. I am confident that voters across Louisiana will see through this political charade and pass Amendment #2 overwhelmingly on March 29.”
At the time of this publication, a response had not yet been received from Secretary of State Nancy Landry.
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