This is the Louisiana Radio Network Legislative Report, I’m Andrew Greenstein.
Today begins the second week of the session, and one of the bills that Governor Landry would like to see approval on is a proposed constitutional amendment that would give a governor the ability to recommend the removal of an elected judge or district attorney.
Under the proposal by West Monroe Senator Jay Morris, once the governor makes a recommendation to remove a judge or a D-A for incompetence or misconduct, the state Senate would have to affirm the governor’s removal recommendation by a two-thirds vote.
Jesse Manley, the interim executive director of Court Watch NOLA, opposes the legislation. He says the problem he has with that is that since judges and district attorneys are elected, it would allow the governor and the Senate to disregard the will of the voters.
During the State of the State address last week, Landry called out incompetent judges. He used the murder of tourist Jacob Carter in the French Quarter by a teenager as an example. The teen was wearing a disabled ankle monitor and was unsupervised by the Orleans Parish Juvenile Court. But Manley says Morris’ bill is an unnecessary step in holding judges accountable.
Cut 6 (09) “…to be misconduct.”
For the legislation to pass, it will need two-thirds approval in the House and Senate and then approval from the voters.
Another constitutional amendment that is expected to stir debate is a proposal by Baton Rouge Representative Dixon McMakin that would ask voters if the Board of Regents should be abolished. That board oversees higher education. McMakin says higher ed scores consistently rank low, so why keep doing things as they’ve always been done? Higher ed leaders wonder who will handle the many responsibilities the board takes care of.