The Louisiana Legislature voted to put two amendments on the Nov. 2022 ballot last week.
Louisiana Increase Maximum Amount Invested in Equities for Certain State Funds Amendment (2022)
This amendment would increase the portion of money in certain state funds that could be invested in equities (stocks) from 35% to 65%. The increase would apply to the following funds:
- Louisiana Education Quality Trust Fund;
- Artificial Reef Development Fund;
- Lifetime License Endowment Trust Fund;
- Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge Trust and Protection Fund; and
- Russell Sage or Marsh Island Refuge Fund.
The amendment would also remove a provision in the constitution that limits the legislature’s ability to increase the amount of money in the Millennium Trust that may be invested in stock and instead allows the legislature to provide for investments by general law.
The legislature passed House Bill 154 on June 2 by a vote of 36-0 in the Senate and 100-0 in the House. In Louisiana, a two-thirds vote is needed in each chamber of the Louisiana State Legislature to refer an amendment to the ballot.
Louisiana Creation of the State and Local Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Commission Amendment (2022)
This amendment would create the State and Local Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Commission. The commission would be comprised of eight members. The purpose of the commission would be to provide streamlined electronic filing and remittance of all sales and use taxes. It would also be responsible for promulgating rules related to all sales and use taxes levied by any taxing authority in the state. The administration of the commission would be funded by sales and use tax revenue. The amendment would require a two-thirds (66.67 percent) supermajority vote by the state legislature to enact any laws related to the duties and funding of the commission. The commission would replace the Louisiana Sales and Use Tax Commission for Remote Sellers and the Louisiana Uniform Local Sales Tax Board after one year with all employees transferred to the new commission.
This amendment was introduced as House Bill 199 (HB 199) on March 26, 2021. On April 21, 2021, the House passed HB 199 in a vote of 97-4 with three absent. The Senate unanimously passed the bill with amendments on May 12, 2021. The House rejected the Senate’s amendments and a conference committee was called. Both houses adopted the conference committee’s version of the bill unanimously on June 3, 2021.
Potential 2021 and 2022 Louisiana ballot measures
There are eight other constitutional amendments for the 2022 ballot and three amendments for the 2021 ballot that have passed one chamber of the Louisiana Legislature. They would appear on the statewide ballot if passed in the second chamber.
Louisiana historical ballot measure statistics
From 2000 to 2020, a total of 132 constitutional amendments appeared on the statewide ballot in Louisiana. A total of 96 amendments appeared on the ballot during even-numbered years, and 36 amendments appeared on the ballot during odd-numbered years. The average number of amendments appearing on the statewide ballot was 10 in even-numbered years and 4 in odd-numbered years. Voters approved 71.88% (69 of 96) and rejected 28.13% (27 of 96) of the amendments during even years. Voters approved 69.44% (25 of 36) and rejected 30.56% (11 of 36) of the amendments during odd years.
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