(The Center Square) — The Louisiana House of Representatives has passed a bill from Rep. Julie Emerson, R-Lafayette, which could overhaul Article 7 of the state’s constitution.
The bill passed 81-15 and will now head to the Senate. If it passes the Senate, it will require Gov. Jeff Landry’s signature and will be on the ballot for voter approval in March.
Article 7 defines the state’s taxation policy, the mechanisms for taxation and allows for certain tax exemptions, rebates or exclusions.
The rewrite will remove various exemptions and require that the Legislature secure a two-thirds vote in the House and Senate to approve any new exemptions. It will also consolidate various state funds, and use any savings to provide teachers with a permanent $2,000 pay raise.
Currently, teachers can acquire a stipend of $2,000. House Bill 5, which is tied to the constitutional amendment, will make this pay raise permanent. House Bill 5 was heard by the Education committee today, and was reported favorably.
Even with the pay raise, Louisiana teachers will still make $15,000 less than the national average.
Many of the other bills in the tax reform package are tied to the constitutional amendment. Without the passage of the Article 7 overhaul, many provisions in the other bills may be unable to pass.
Tied to the constitutional amendment are House Bills 5, 11, and 12. Provisions of the flat income tax rate and doubling the standard deduction for senior citizens are also tied to the Article 7 overhaul.
