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HLS 26RS-292 RE-REENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 4
BY REPRESENTATIVE MCMAKIN
CONSTITUTION/CONVENTION: Provides for calling a constitutional convention
1 AN ACT
2 To provide for the House Committee on House and Governmental Affairs and the Senate
3 Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs to meet to propose a plan for the
4 calling of a constitutional convention for the purpose of framing a new constitution;
5 to provide for legislative findings; to provide for criteria for the committees to
6 consider in formulating a proposal, including the time and place for the convention,
7 the delegates of the convention, the organization and staff of the convention, that the
8 constitution as adopted by the convention be submitted to the qualified electors for
9 adoption, the application of specified laws to delegates and staff of the convention,
10 the disbursement and use of funds for the convention, and the effective date of the
11 new constitution if approved by the electorate; to provide for an effective date; and
12 to provide for related matters.
13 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
14 Section 1. Legislative findings. The legislature finds that:
15 (A) It has been over fifty years since the Constitution of Louisiana became effective
16 at midnight on December 31, 1974, and during these years the document which constitutes
17 the state's basic law has been amended two hundred twenty-one times. At more than
18 seventy-five thousand words, the Constitution of Louisiana is one of the top five largest
19 constitutions in the nation.
20 (B) The constitution today contains too many provisions that restrict the legislature
21 from effectively addressing state and constituent needs, and the document also includes
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1 extensive provisions that are so detailed as to be statutory rather than constitutional in nature
2 and, as a result, require continual constitutional amendment when change is needed.
3 (C) The state constitution needs to be streamlined to the fundamental and
4 foundational law of the state, including the basic principles of the state, the structure of
5 government, and the fundamental rights of citizens. Other extremely detailed provisions in
6 the constitution should be transitioned out of the constitution and made statutory to allow
7 for flexibility and innovation in legislative solutions to problems of the present and the
8 future.
9 Section 2. The House Committee on House and Governmental Affairs and the
10 Senate Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs shall meet prior to the 2027 Regular
11 Session of the Legislature to prepare legislation for introduction in the 2027 Regular Session
12 of the Legislature to provide for the calling of a constitutional convention. The committees
13 shall consider including in the proposed legislation the following proposals:
14 Proposal 1. Call for convention; delegates. (A) The constitutional convention shall
15 convene on Monday, April 10, 2028, at 12:00 noon, which shall be held for the purpose of
16 framing a new constitution for the state of Louisiana.
17 (B)(1) There shall be ninety-three delegates to the convention who shall be selected
18 as follows:
19 (a) Two delegates shall be elected from each of the districts from which members
20 of the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana are elected as provided in R.S. 24:35.1.
21 (b) One delegate shall be elected from each of the districts from which
22 commissioners of the Public Service Commission are elected as provided in R.S. 45:1161.4.
23 (c) Ten delegates shall be appointed by the governor, none of whom shall be the
24 governor, the governor's spouse, or a member of the governor's executive staff.
25 (2) Each delegate to the convention shall be an elector of the state of Louisiana, shall
26 be at least eighteen years of age, and shall be a resident of the state of Louisiana. In
27 addition, each delegate elected from a district shall be a resident of the district from which
28 he is elected at the time he qualifies as a candidate for election as a delegate. Any public
29 official of the governmental subdivisions of the state, whether holding office by election or
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1 appointment, if otherwise qualified, shall be eligible for election or appointment as a
2 delegate of the convention.
3 (3) The secretary of state shall issue a commission to each delegate.
4 (4)(a) The service of a legislator or other public official or public employee as a
5 delegate to the convention and the employment or appointment of any public official or
6 public employee to the staff of the convention and his service on such staff shall not be
7 construed to constitute dual officeholding or dual employment within the prohibitions of Part
8 III of Chapter 2 of Title 42 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950.
9 (b) The service of a judge as a delegate to the convention shall not be construed as
10 grounds for recusal.
11 (c) Each delegate shall be considered to be an elected official within the scope of and
12 subject to the provisions of the Code of Governmental Ethics, Chapter 15 of Title 42 of the
13 Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950. Each staff member of the convention shall be
14 considered to be a public employee within the scope of and subject to the provisions of the
15 Code of Governmental Ethics, Chapter 15 of Title 42 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of
16 1950. For purposes of Chapter 15 of Title 42 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, the
17 agency and the governmental entity of delegates and staff members of the convention shall
18 be the convention. For purposes of any other office or employment of any such delegate or
19 staff member, the provisions of Chapter 15 of Title 42 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of
20 1950 shall remain applicable.
21 (d) Each delegate to the convention and each staff member of the convention shall
22 be considered to be a public officer, public official, public employee, or person in a position
23 of public authority for purposes of the application of the provisions of the Louisiana
24 Criminal Code.
25 (e) No delegate shall accept or deposit a contribution as defined in R.S. 18:1483 and
26 no campaign fundraising function shall be held for or by a delegate during the period of time
27 from Monday, April 10, 2028, through Sunday, October 15, 2028.
28 (f) The provisions of the Public Records Law shall apply to the convention, its
29 committees, and delegates to the same extent and with the same limitations as applicable to
30 records of the legislature and members of the legislature.
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1 (g) The provisions of the Open Meetings Law shall apply to the convention and its
2 committees in the same manner as applicable to the legislature and either house or
3 committees thereof.
4 (5) Any attorney at law serving as a delegate to the convention or as a member of
5 the staff of the convention shall be entitled to the absolute right of the continuance of any
6 case in which he is bona fide counsel of record in any court of the state during his attendance
7 upon the sessions of the convention or meetings of its committees of which he is a member.
8 (C)(1)(a) The election for the delegates to the convention shall be held at the open
9 primary election to be held on Saturday, March 25, 2028. The governor shall make
10 proclamation and give notice of the election to be held in accordance with R.S. 18:402(E)(1).
11 Each person desiring to become a candidate for election as a delegate from a district shall
12 qualify as a candidate from the district in which he resides by filing a notice of candidacy
13 beginning Wednesday, December 15, 2027, and ending Friday, December 17, 2027.
14 (b) For the delegates to be elected from each of the districts from which members
15 of the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana are elected, the two delegates that receive the
16 highest number of votes shall be elected. If more than two candidates receive the highest
17 number of votes, the candidates who received the same number of votes shall be selected by
18 a public drawing of lots conducted by the State Board of Election Supervisors from among
19 the candidates who received the same number of votes in the election.
20 (c) For the delegates to be elected from each of the districts from which
21 commissioners of the Public Service Commission are elected, the candidate that receives the
22 highest number of votes shall be elected. If more than one candidate receives the highest
23 number of votes, the delegate shall be selected by a public drawing of lots conducted by the
24 State Board of Election Supervisors from among the candidates who received the highest
25 number of votes in the election.
26 (d) The public drawing of lots shall be conducted at the state capitol on a day and
27 at a time fixed by the board within one week after the results of the election become official.
28 The candidates involved shall be given at least three days' written notice of the time and
29 place of the public drawing of lots.
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1 (2) A candidate for delegate who qualifies to be elected from a district from which
2 members of the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana are elected shall be considered a local
3 candidate and shall qualify with the clerk of court for the parish in which the candidate is
4 registered to vote. The candidate shall pay a qualifying fee of three hundred dollars. In
5 addition to this fee, a candidate shall pay an additional qualifying fee of twenty-five dollars,
6 which additional fee shall be deposited into the Campaign Sign Recycling Fund as provided
7 in R.S. 18:454.
8 (3) A candidate for delegate who qualifies to be elected from a district from which
9 commissioners of the Public Service Commission are elected shall be considered a state
10 candidate and shall qualify with the secretary of state or a person in his office designated to
11 receive qualifying papers. The candidate shall pay a qualifying fee of four hundred fifty
12 dollars. In addition to this fee, a candidate shall pay an additional qualifying fee of twenty-
13 five dollars, which additional fee shall be deposited into the Campaign Sign Recycling Fund
14 as provided in R.S. 18:454.
15 (4) The election shall otherwise be held and the results shall be promulgated in
16 accordance with the Louisiana Election Code. All qualified electors shall be entitled to vote
17 without regard to party affiliation. The costs of the election shall be paid as provided in the
18 Louisiana Election Code for elections in which a constitutional amendment appears on the
19 ballot.
20 (5) Delegates shall be elected by the qualified electors participating in the election
21 in the manner provided in Subpart F of Part IV of Chapter 5 of the Louisiana Election Code
22 for the election of candidates.
23 Proposal 2. Vacancies. (A) In the event of the resignation, death, or inability to
24 serve due to a documented illness of an elected delegate, whether before or during the
25 convention, the governor shall fill such vacancy by appointment of a person from the same
26 district from which the delegate was elected who possesses the provided qualifications.
27 (B) In the event of the resignation, death, or inability due to a documented illness
28 of an appointed delegate to serve, whether before or during the convention, the vacancy shall
29 be filled in the same manner and subject to the same qualifications as the original
30 appointment.
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1 Proposal 3. (A) Except as provided in Subsection B of this Proposal, the convention
2 shall have full authority to frame a new constitution for the state which shall be submitted
3 to the electors of the state for their approval or rejection at the open general election to be
4 held on Saturday, December 16, 2028.
5 (B) The proposed revision of the constitution shall provide that provisions of the
6 Constitution of Louisiana of 1974, as amended, that are not included in the new constitution
7 for the state shall be continued as statutes in a statutory title of the Louisiana Revised
8 Statutes of 1950, as amended, dedicated to that purpose, which shall be established as Title
9 57.
10 (C) Any action by the convention in contravention of the provisions of this Proposal
11 shall be null and void and of no effect.
12 (D)(1) Any action to determine a question of the construction or validity of the Act
13 calling the constitutional convention, to determine the scope of authority of the convention,
14 or to determine the conformity of any action of the convention with the provisions of the Act
15 shall be brought in the Nineteenth Judicial District Court subject to direct appeal to the
16 Louisiana Supreme Court. The matter shall be tried by preference over other matters, and
17 the court shall render a decision as soon as practicable.
18 (2) If the action is to determine the validity or conformity of an action of the
19 convention, such action shall be brought within fifteen days of the action of the convention.
20 Proposal 4. Severability. (A) The provisions of the proposed revision of the
21 constitution shall be severable. If any provision of the proposed revision of the constitution
22 is deemed null and void and of no effect by final judgment of a court of competent
23 jurisdiction after adoption by the convention but prior to its submission to the electors, then
24 the provision deemed null and void shall be removed from the proposed revision of the
25 constitution by the secretary of state and the remainder of the proposed revision of the
26 constitution shall be submitted to the electors in accordance with the Act calling the
27 constitutional convention.
28 (B) If any provision of the revision of the constitution, or the application thereof, is
29 deemed invalid after ratification by the electors, such invalidity shall not affect other
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1 provisions, items, or applications of the revision which can be given effect without the
2 invalid provision, item, or application.
3 Proposal 5. Convention organization. (A)(1) The delegates to the convention shall
4 convene in the House Chamber in the state capitol on Monday, April 10, 2028, at 12:00
5 noon. The secretary of state shall preside until the chairman has been elected. The secretary
6 of state, or a designee of the secretary of state, shall attend the opening of the convention,
7 call the roll of the delegates, and administer the following oath to the delegates:
8 "I, . . ., do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the constitution and laws of
9 the United States and the constitution and laws of this state and that I will faithfully and
10 impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent on me as a delegate to the
11 convention, according to the best of my ability and understanding, and that I will observe
12 and obey the limitation of authority contained in the Act under which this convention has
13 assembled. So help me God."
14 (2) No delegate shall be qualified to serve as such unless and until the delegate has
15 taken and subscribed to the oath.
16 (B) After the oath has been administered, the delegates shall proceed to effect the
17 permanent organization of the convention and shall:
18 (1) Elect from among their number a chairman and a vice chairman.
19 (2) Elect from among their number an executive committee, the membership of
20 which shall be determined by the delegates but which shall include the chairman and vice
21 chairman.
22 (3) Select a chief clerical officer of the convention from among the chief clerical
23 officers of the House of Representatives and the Senate and their assistants, who shall not
24 be a delegate and whose duties shall be provided by the rules of procedure for the
25 convention.
26 (4) Take such other actions as they deem necessary to effect a permanent
27 organization of the convention.
28 (C) The elections shall be conducted in the method provided for the election of
29 candidates as provided in R.S. 18:511 and 512.
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1 Proposal 6. (A) The convention shall establish fourteen committees, one committee
2 for each article of the Constitution of the State of Louisiana of 1974, which shall be charged
3 with the duty of reviewing and recommending changes to the article of the Constitution of
4 the State of Louisiana of 1974 to which it is assigned and one executive committee as
5 provided in Paragraph (B)(2) of this Section. No committee of the convention, including the
6 executive committee, shall exceed seventeen members and the rules shall so provide. No
7 committee of the convention may establish subcommittees, and the rules shall so provide.
8 (B) After completing organizational activities, the convention shall meet in
9 committees, in accordance with the schedule adopted by the House Committee on House and
10 Governmental Affairs and Senate Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs. Each
11 committee that meets shall provide a report of its activities to the full convention no later
12 than Friday, September 15, 2028.
13 (C) The full convention shall convene beginning Saturday, September 16, 2028, to
14 consider as a committee of the whole the report of each committee. The chairman and vice
15 chairman of the convention shall serve as chairman and vice chairman of the committee of
16 the whole. The convention shall complete its work no later than Sunday, October 15, 2028.
17 Proposal 7. Legal advisor; staff; budget; committees. (A)(1) The attorney general
18 or a designee of the attorney general shall be the legal advisor to the convention.
19 (2) Staff support for the convention shall be provided by the staffs of the House of
20 Representatives, the Senate, the legislative fiscal office, the legislative auditor's office, and
21 other legislative agencies. In addition, as soon as possible after the members of the
22 executive committee are selected, the executive committee shall request the provision of
23 professional, research, technical, and clerical employees from any public or private sources
24 the committee deems necessary to accomplish the work of the convention.
25 (B) The staff of the constitutional convention may include but shall not be limited
26 to the following who shall not be delegates to the convention or registered as a legislative
27 or executive branch lobbyist with the Louisiana Board of Ethics on or after Thursday,
28 January 1, 2026, as provided in Chapter 1 of Title 24 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of
29 1950 or in Chapter 1 of Title 49 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950:
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1 (1) A director of research who shall possess such qualifications as determined by the
2 executive committee.
3 (2) Research assistants in such number and possessing such qualifications as
4 determined by the executive committee.
5 (3) Personnel from the faculty of in-state law schools as requested by the executive
6 committee.
7 (4) Such other staff as the executive committee deems necessary.
8 (C) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, if a staff member provided
9 to the convention is engaged in regular, bona fide employment, the staff member may
10 continue to be paid and receive the usual compensation and benefits from his employer while
11 the staff member is engaged in the work of the committee or the convention.
12 (D) As soon as possible after the members of the executive committee are elected,
13 the executive committee shall prepare a budget of anticipated expenses of the convention
14 based on the amount of the appropriation for the convention and any other funds of the state
15 general fund available for expenditure.
16 (E) The executive committee shall appoint the chairman, vice chairman, and the
17 membership of each committee.
18 (F) Unless the legislature is in session, the House Chamber, the Senate Chamber,
19 and the legislative committee rooms in the state capitol shall be available for use by the
20 convention and its committees. If the facilities at the state capitol are not available or are
21 not sufficient for use by the convention or its committees, the convention or its committees
22 shall meet at a suitable location in the capital city, which location shall be determined by the
23 chairman of the convention, and public notice of the location shall be given and posted at
24 suitable locations in the state capitol. The convention shall have full authority to use the
25 facilities and services of any board, commission, department, or agency of the state or of any
26 political subdivision of the state, and all such entities shall cooperate with the convention to
27 the fullest extent in furnishing services, facilities, and employees upon request. In addition,
28 the convention may use the facilities and services of other persons and organizations.
29 Proposal 8. Compensation of delegates. The delegates to the convention shall
30 receive the same per diem and travel allowances provided for members of the legislature
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1 pursuant to R.S. 24:31 and 31.1 for their attendance at the convention or any committee
2 thereof. No delegate shall receive a per diem or travel allowance for any day for which the
3 delegate also received a per diem or travel allowance for his duties for other public service.
4 No delegate may accept any compensation from any other source for work performed as a
5 delegate to the convention. However, if a delegate is engaged in regular, bona fide
6 employment, should the delegate's employer choose to continue to pay the usual
7 compensation while the delegate is engaged in the work of the convention, such delegate
8 may accept that compensation, notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary.
9 Proposal 9. Appropriation; use of funds. (A) Any appropriation for the expenses
10 of the convention shall be used solely to defray the necessary expenses of the constitutional
11 convention, including the payment for supplies, materials, equipment, printing, and
12 reproduction of materials, and all other necessary expenses incurred in connection with the
13 convention and its work.
14 (B) Any funds appropriated for the convention shall be withdrawn from the state
15 treasury in accordance with warrants signed by the chairman of the convention, and all
16 checks for the disbursement of funds shall be signed by the chairman and the vice chairman
17 of the convention or by the chairman or vice chairman and such other person as shall be
18 designated by the convention.
19 (C) Expenses of the convention shall not be paid for by and the convention shall not
20 accept any grants, moneys, aid, facilities, or services from private sources.
21 (D) The convention shall not be deemed to be a budget unit of the state and therefore
22 shall not be subject to the provisions of Chapter 1 of Subtitle I of Title 39 of the Louisiana
23 Revised Statutes of 1950. The financial books and records of the convention, however, shall
24 be subject to audit by the legislative auditor.
25 Proposal 10. Submission of proposed constitution; election. (A) Upon completion
26 of its work, and not later than Sunday, October 15, 2028, the convention shall submit a
27 proposed draft of a new constitution for the state to the governor. The constitution as drafted
28 by the convention shall be submitted to the people for adoption or rejection. Immediately
29 upon receipt of the proposed draft of the new constitution for the state, and no later than
30 Monday, October 16, 2028, the governor shall by proclamation call an election to be held
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1 at the same time as the 2028 open general election to be held on Saturday, December 16,
2 2028, for the purpose of submitting the proposed draft to the people for adoption or
3 rejection.
4 (B) The election shall be held and the results shall be promulgated in accordance
5 with the Louisiana Election Code. All electors duly qualified to vote in the state at the time
6 of the election shall be entitled to vote without regard to party affiliation on the proposition
7 for or against adoption of the revision of the constitution proposed by the convention. The
8 costs of the election shall be paid as provided in the Louisiana Election Code for elections
9 in which a constitutional amendment appears on the ballot.
10 (C)(1) The convention shall submit to the electors of the state the proposal of
11 acceptance or rejection of the constitution and may direct the proper election officials to take
12 the necessary steps to effectuate such determination of the convention in presenting the
13 proposed constitution to the electors. The ballot language shall be as follows:
14 "Do you support the adoption of the proposed 2029 Constitution?
15 (Vote for one)
16 FOR adoption of the proposed 2029 Constitution. ____
17 AGAINST adoption of the proposed 2029 Constitution. ____"
18 (2) Adoption of the constitution shall require the favorable vote of a majority of the
19 electors voting on the proposition.
20 (D) Upon promulgation of the results of the election by the secretary of state, if the
21 constitution is ratified and adopted by the people, the governor shall proclaim the
22 constitution to be the Constitution of Louisiana. The constitution shall become effective at
23 midnight on Friday, December 31, 2028, except as otherwise provided in the constitution
24 adopted.
25 Section 3.(A)(1) Prior to the convening of the 2027 Regular Session of the
26 Legislature, the House Committee on House and Governmental Affairs and Senate
27 Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs, meeting jointly, shall propose the rules of
28 procedure for consideration, amendment, and adoption by the Legislature of Louisiana
29 during the 2027 Regular Session of the Legislature. The proposed rules shall be introduced
30 as a concurrent resolution in the 2027 Regular Session of the Legislature. If the legislature
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1 fails to adopt rules for the convention, the convention shall, upon convening, adopt rules
2 based upon the rules proposed by the joint committees.
3 (2) The rules proposed by the joint committees and adopted by the Legislature of
4 Louisiana shall be based upon the rules of the constitutional convention convened in 1973,
5 except as inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, and shall provide that on any question
6 of legislative procedure, when the rules are silent or inexplicit, Mason's Manual of
7 Legislative Procedure shall be considered as authority. The rules of procedure shall be
8 subject to later change by the delegates as provided therein. The rules shall provide that no
9 action shall be taken by the convention without the favorable vote of at least a majority of
10 the delegates and that no delegate shall be allowed to vote by proxy.
11 (B) Prior to the convening of the convention, the House Committee on House and
12 Governmental Affairs and Senate Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs shall,
13 meeting jointly, adopt a schedule for the convention. The schedule proposed by the joint
14 committees shall provide for meetings for the convention and its committees.
15 (C) Adoption of any proposal by the joint committees shall require a favorable vote
16 of a majority of the members of each legislative committee present and voting, each house
17 voting separately, a quorum of the joint committee being present.
18 Section 4. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
19 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
20 by the governor, as provided in Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
21 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
22 effective on the day following such approval.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 4 Re-Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session McMakin
Abstract: Requires the House and Senate committees on governmental affairs to meet prior
to the 2027 R.S. to prepare legislation for introduction in the 2027 R.S. to provide for the
calling of a constitutional convention and proposes provisions for consideration by the
committees.
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HB NO. 4
Proposed law requires the House and Senate committees on governmental affairs to meet
prior to the 2027 R.S. to prepare legislation for introduction in the 2027 R.S. to provide for
the calling of a constitutional convention. The committees shall consider including in the
proposed legislation the following proposals:
(1) Call the convention to convene at noon on April 10, 2028, to frame a new
constitution for the state.
(2) Provide for 93 delegates as follows: 83 elected delegates and 10 delegates appointed
by the governor.
(3) Provide for the nature of the service of delegates and staff of the convention.
(4) Provide for the qualification and election of delegates at the spring 2028 open
primary election by plurality vote. Provide that two delegates shall be elected from
each Senate district. Provide that one delegate shall be elected from each Public
Service Commission district. Provide for the method of qualifying for candidate and
associated qualifying fees.
(5) Grant to the convention the authority to frame a new state constitution. Provide that
the proposed constitution shall provide that provisions of the Constitution of
Louisiana of 1974, as amended, that are not included in the new constitution shall be
continued as statutes in a statutory title of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950
dedicated to that purpose. Provisions made statutory and contained in the dedicated
statutory title, which shall be established as Title 57, may only be changed by law
adopted by two-thirds of the elected members of each house of the legislature.
(6) Provide relative to litigation filed relative to the calling of and conduct of the
convention.
(7) Provide for organizational considerations, including the taking of oaths and
establishment of committees.
(8) Provide for the start of the convention on April 10, 2028, and completion of the
convention's work no later than Oct. 15, 2028.
(9) Provide for convention staff, budget, committees, meeting site, and other
considerations.
(10) Provide for the compensation of delegates and payment of convention expenses.
(11) Provide that the constitution proposed for submission be submitted to the people for
their adoption or rejection at a special election on Dec. 16, 2028.
(12) Provide that the constitution shall become effective at midnight on Dec. 31, 2028,
except as otherwise provided in the constitution.
Proposed law provides for the House and Senate committees on governmental affairs to
adopt rules of procedure for the convention based on the 1973 convention rules and a
schedule for the convention and convention committees.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
Timetable of Proposed Events for
Action Date
Qualification period for delegate candidates 12/15/2027-12/17/2027
Election of delegates 3/25/2028 (open primary)
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Action Date
Convention to convene 4/10/2028 (noon)
Convention committees to submit reports to the full
convention no later than
9/15/2028
Convention to submit draft constitution to the governor
no later than
10/15/2028
Election for submission of proposed constitution 12/16/2028 (open general)
Constitution becomes effective if adopted 12/31/28 (midnight)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on House and
Governmental Affairs to the original bill:
1. Change the relevant dates for the convention and related elections as follows:
Action Date - Original Date – Amendment
Qualification period for
delegate candidates
7/29/26-7/31/26 12/15/27-12/17/27
Primary election of
delegates
11/3/2026 3/25/28
General election of
delegates
12/12/2026 NONE
Convention to convene 12/29/2026 (noon) 4/10/28
Convention committees
to submit reports to the
full convention no later
than
9/29/2027 9/15/28
Convention to submit
draft constitution to the
governor no later than
10/29/2027 10/15/28
Election for submission
of proposed constitution
11/20/2027
(Gubernatorial
general)
12/16/28 (Open
general)
Constitution becomes
effective if adopted
12/31/27 (midnight) 12/31/28 (midnight)
2. Provide that election delegates shall be elected by plurality at the spring primary
election in 2028, instead of by majority vote at the fall primary and general
elections in 2026.
3. Specifically provide that when calling the special election for delegates, the
governor shall be subject to the procedures provided for in present law for calling
a special election.
4. Provide the method for qualifying for candidates for delegate and associated
qualifying fees.
5. Provide for the house and senate committees on governmental affairs to meet and
adopt rules and a schedule for the convention and committees of the convention,
instead of legislative staff preparing rules for adoption by the convention.
6. Provide that on the day after he receives the proposed constitution, the governor
shall call an election to submit the proposed amendment to the voters.
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The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Appropriations to the
engrossed bill:
1. Provide the procedure for the election of candidates for delegate from each
Senate district and from each Public Service Commission district.
2. Remove the requirement that provisions of the constitution continued as statutes
may only be changed by law adopted by two-thirds of the elected members of
each house of the legislature.
3. Provide for the house and senate committees on governmental affairs to meet
prior to the 2027 Regular Session of the Legislature, rather than prior to the
convening of the convention.
4. Require the house and senate committees on governmental affairs to propose
rules for the convention for adoption by the legislature during the 2027 Regular
Session of the Legislature, rather than require the committees to adopt rules for
the convention.
The House Floor Amendments to the reengrossed bill:
1. Instead of providing for the calling of a constitutional convention, provide for the
House and Senate committees on governmental affairs to meet prior to the 2027
R.S. to prepare legislation for introduction in the 2027 R.S. to provide for the
calling of a constitutional convention.
2. Provide proposals for consideration by the committees.
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