Four proposed amendments to Louisiana’s constitution await voters in the Oct. 14 statewide primary election. Voters will decide whether election officials can accept donations from nonprofit organizations, whether in-person religious services deserve an extra layer of constitutional protection, how the state should allocate surplus money, and whether cities should have the right to take away a lucrative property tax break from landlords that have serious code violations.
A new report by the Louisiana Budget Project explains and analyzes each amendment so voters can make their own decisions when they head to the polls.
Critics have long complained that Louisiana’s constitution is too long and that amendments often address issues that seem trivial to voters. This year is no different, except that several of the proposals reflect the political debates that roiled the state Capitol over the past four years.
This is the first of two reports on the 2023 constitutional amendments. In the coming weeks, LBP will provide a guide to the four amendments voters will see on their Nov. 18 general election ballots.