Vagueness raises red flags for some about proposed constitutional convention

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - What’s the rush? That’s what some people are asking about a proposed constitutional convention during the last few weeks of this year’s legislative session.

Governor Jeff Landry’s push for such a convention has raised a few eyebrows.

Those who were here for the 1974 Constitutional Convention remember it being a slow process, allowing plenty of input from the people.

Dustin Granger is an advocate for a fair convention.

“Last time we had a constitutional convention, it was over a three-year period to get public input on it and to have the public have a chance to elect delegates for the convention. This time it looks like they are trying to rush it through,” said Granger.

“Talk to the people and tell us what your plan of action is. Because they haven’t done that it makes me worry that this could be a potential power grab by the governor,” he said.

Granger says the constitution provides protections for health money, public education, and the homestead exemption. And he’s afraid there’s an attempt to get rid of those protections ahead of next year’s fiscal session.

“In the fiscal session, there’s a lot of plans to have major tax breaks to wealthy individuals and industries and it looks to me like they want to get rid of those protections and use that to fund some of those very large tax breaks,” said Granger.

Granger thinks the rush and lack of public input suggest they are planning some things that are very unpopular.

We reached out to Governor Landry’s office for an interview or comment from the governor and have not received a response.

The following quote is what he said at the beginning of this session.

“So, let’s rise to that challenge. Let’s create a constitution that is streamlined and emblematic of the core principles that define who we are as a people,” said Landry.

HB 800 to provide for a constitutional convention is pending in the House and Governmental Affairs Committee.

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