After the Louisiana Supreme Court on Tuesday ended a lawsuit challenging the validity of one of four proposed constitutional amendments on the March 29 ballot, it is now up to voters whether to approve the mass of changes to state tax law that are part of the measure, our media partners at The Advocate report.
The lawsuit filed in February argued the ballot language for Amendment 2 was biased, misleading, in violation of state law and didn’t comply with constitutional requirements for proposed amendments. The plaintiffs, two teachers and a pastor, asked the court to block Amendment 2 from taking effect, the newspaper reports.
The opinion from the court says it is not addressing the actual content of the amendment, just the ballot language:
"The wisdom of the proposed changes is not before the court. That will be decided after investigation, debate, and a vote of the people. The issue is whether the question has been legally presented to the voters," the opinion states.
"We do not find the ballot proposition misleading or biased in the manner the legislature sought to proscribe."
To read The Advocate story with full details, click here.
Here's a statement from William Most, lead attorney on the lawsuit:
“This ruling is a setback for transparency and accountability in our democracy. We’re disappointed by the Louisiana Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss this case without a hearing. This ruling continues to leave voters in the dark about the true impacts of Amendment 2.
"The dissenting justices raised serious concerns about transparency and fairness, and we’re weighing our options to ensure voters have the clarity they deserve as they head to the polls. As Chief Justice Weimar said in dissent, ‘this process erodes respect for the fairness and impartiality of the system of justice’. For the people of Louisiana, we remain committed to ensuring voters understand the sweeping changes Amendment 2 would make to our constitution if passed.”
Here's the opinion if you'd like to read it yourself:
