Constitutional amendments explained

Stricter gun laws, Medicaid trust funds and tax exemptions on ballot

Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 1
Medicaid trust fund for the elderly

Yes vote —
Would disallow the governor or legislature from redirecting money from the Medicaid trust fund for the elderly to help balance the state budget.

No vote —
Leave the possibility that money could be taken from the fund to balance the state budget instead of being spent on healthcare for the elderly.

Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 2

Strict scrutiny standard for gun laws

Yes vote —

Would require stringent judicial review for laws restricting the right to keep and bear arms. The amendment would also make the right to keep and bear arms a fundamental right in Louisiana. In addition, a line in the Constitution would be deleted that says the right to keep and bear arms shall not prevent the passage of laws to prohibit the carrying of concealed weapons.

No vote —

Would keep in place existing language in the Constitution affirming that the right to keep and bear arms shall not be curtailed, but does not require strict scrutiny of arms laws. Also, the Legislature would still to be allowed to regulate concealed weapons.

 

Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 3

Earlier Notice of Public Retirement System Bills

Yes vote —

Would require bills changing the state’s public retirement systems be filed a month earlier than other legislation submitted prior to a legislative session. It also would require the public notice period for pre-filed retirement bills be extended by double of what is required now.

No vote —

Would mean bills changing public retirement systems would continue to be subject to the current pre-filing period and public notice requirements.

Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 4

Property tax exemption for spouses of certain disabled veterans

Yes vote —

Would allow a higher homestead exemption claim for the spouse of a deceased veteran who had a 100 percent service-connected disability rating even if the exemption was not in effect at the time the veteran died.

No vote —

Would mean the spouse could not claim a higher homestead exemption if the veteran died prior to it taking effect.

 

Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 5

Forfeiture of public retirement benefits for convicted public servants

Yes vote —

Would allow courts to deny a portion of public retirement benefits when sentencing a public servant convicted of a felony related to his or her office.

No vote —

Would leave the current system in place - meaning a public servant convicted of a felony related to his or her office would be allowed to keep the maximum public retirement benefits he or she has earned, except for court-ordered restitution and other circumstances already described in law.

Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 6

Property Tax Exemption Authority for New Iberia

Yes vote —

Would allow New Iberia to grant city property tax exemptions to any property owner annexed into the city after Jan. 1, 2013.

No vote —

Would disallow the city from granting those exemptions to property owners annexed into the city.

Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 7

Membership of certain state boards and commissions

Yes vote —

Would adjust the membership selection process based on the state’s new congressional districts for selection of members to constitutionally created boards and commissions.

No vote —

Would maintain the current membership selection process for constitutionally created boards and commissions based on a soon-to-be outdated number of congressional districts.

Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 8

Property tax exemption for non-manufacturing businesses

Yes vote —

Would allow local property tax exemption contracts to be granted to a targeted group of non-manufacturing businesses by the state Board of Commerce and Industry in participating parishes.

No vote —

Would mean non-manufacturing businesses targeted in the amendment would continue to be ineligible for property tax exemptions.

Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 9

Crime Prevention and Security Districts

Yes vote —

Would increase the number of times bills creating crime prevention and security districts must be advertised. Also, would require notice if parcel fees would be imposed and collected, if fees could be imposed or increased without an election, and the maximum amount of the fee.

No vote —

Would mean crime prevention and security district bills would continue to be subject to current public notice requirements.