The summary of constitutional amendments that are to be voted on Saturday, Sept. 30, is presented in the order that the amendments will appear on the ballot. To read the complete text of each proposed amendment, go to www.legis.state.la.us.
Proposed Amendment No. 1
To change the name from the Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Fund to the Coastal Protection and Restoration Fund; to provide that the eligible federal revenues received by the state generated from Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas activity shall be credited to the Coastal Protection and Restoration Fund and used only for purposes of coastal wetlands conservation, coastal restoration, hurricane protection, and infrastructure directly impacted by coastal wetland losses.
Proposed Amendment No. 2
Requires twenty percent of the proceeds of tobacco securitization to be deposited in the Coastal Protection and Restoration Fund, with a portion to be used for barrier island stabilization and preservation, and repeals the Louisiana Coastal Restoration Fund.
Proposed Amendment No. 3
To authorize the legislature to establish regional flood protection authorities and provide for its governing authority, powers, duties, and functions, for the governing authority of levee districts within the territorial jurisdiction of the regional authority, and authorizing ad valorem taxes subject to voter approval.
Proposed Amendment No. 4
To provide that compensation paid for the taking of, or loss or damage to, property rights affected by the construction, enlargement, improvement, or modification of hurricane protection projects, including mitigation related thereto, shall be limited to the compensation required by the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution; to provide an exception for the taking of buildings or structures destroyed or damaged by an event for which a presidential declaration of major disaster or emergency was issued, if the taking occurs within three years of such event; and to authorize the legislature by law to provide procedures and definitions for these requirements.
Proposed Amendment No. 5
To prohibit the expropriation of property by the state or a political subdivision of the state for predominant use by or transfer to a private person or entity under certain circumstances; to define "public purpose" relative to the expropriation of property; to provide exceptions for the operation of public ports and airports and for the expropriation of property for industrial development purposes; and to provide for items included in just compensation to be paid to the owner of the expropriated property.
Proposed Amendment No. 6
To prohibit, except in limited instances, the transfer or lease of property expropriated by the state or its political subdivisions to any person without first offering the property to the original owner; to provide that unused expropriated property declared surplus property to be first offered to the original owner prior to sale to the general public by competitive bid.
Proposed Amendment No. 7
To authorize the investment in equities of up to thirty-five percent of the Medicaid Trust Fund for the Elderly.
Proposed Amendment No. 8
To authorize the continuation of the homestead exemption and the special assessment level where the homestead has been destroyed or is uninhabitable due to a declared disaster or emergency.
Proposed Amendment No. 9
To provide that no law, unless enacted by two-thirds of the elected members of each house of the legislature, requiring increased expenditures for any purpose shall be applicable to any city, parish, or other local public school board until approved by school board resolution or until, as long as, the legislature appropriates funds to the school board for the purpose and only to the extent and amount of such funds or until a law provides for a local source of revenue to the school board for the purpose and the school board is authorized to levy and collect such revenue and only to the extent and amount of such revenue; and to provide for exceptions to such prohibitions on increasing the financial burden of city, parish, and other local public school boards.
Proposed Amendment No. 10
To authorize the investment in stocks of up to thirty-five percent of the state-funded permanently endowed funds of public or private colleges and universities.
Proposed Amendment No. 11
To extend the homestead exemption to property owned by a revocable trust, in addition to the existing application to property owned by an irrevocable trust.
Proposed Amendment No. 12
To provide for the filling of vacancies in the lieutenant governor’s office and other statewide elective offices; to provide that if more than one year remains in the term, the person nominated by the governor and confirmed by the legislature to serve as lieutenant governor or the first assistant in other statewide elected offices, shall fill the vacancy only until the office can be filled at the next regular statewide or congressional election or until the governor is required to call a special election.
Proposed Amendment No. 13
To provide that a person shall have been admitted to the practice of law for ten years preceding election to the supreme court or a court of appeals and for eight years preceding election to a district court, family court, parish court, or court having solely juvenile jurisdiction; and to decrease the requirement that a person be domiciled in the respective district, circuit, or parish from two years to one year preceding election. Effective January 1, 2008, and applicable to any person who is elected to the office of judge on or after Jan. 1, 2008.