Louisiana Legislative Authority to Add or Remove Unclassified Civil Service Positions Amendment (April 2026)

Louisiana Legislative Authority to Add or Remove Unclassified Civil Service Positions Amendment
Election date April 18, 2026
Topic Civil service and State legislative authority
Status On the ballot
Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment	Origin State legislature

The Louisiana Legislative Authority to Add or Remove Unclassified Civil Service Positions Amendment is on the ballot in Louisiana as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on April 18, 2026.

A "yes" vote supports amending the constitution to allow the Louisiana State Legislature to add officers, positions, and employees to the unclassified civil service, such as transferring them from the classified to the unclassified civil service.

A "no" vote opposes amending the constitution, thus maintaining that only the State Civil Service Commission may add or remove positions to the unclassified civil service.

Overview

What would the constitutional amendment do?

See also: Text of measure

The constitutional amendment would allow the Louisiana State Legislature to add officers, positions, and employees to the unclassified civil service, such as transferring them from the classified civil service to the unclassified civil service. The legislature would also be allowed to remove them from the unclassified civil service.

As of 2025, the seven-member State Civil Service Commission determines whether positions are classified or unclassified. The constitutional amendment would allow the commission to continue placing positions in the unclassified service, but the commission would no longer be allowed to move positions out of the unclassified service. That authority would belong solely to the state legislature.

What is the State Civil Service Commission?

The State Civil Service Commission in Louisiana is a seven‑member body that oversees the state’s classified civil service system. According to Article X of the Louisiana Constitution and Section 3 of the Civil Service Article, six commissioners are appointed by the governor (each selected from a list of three nominees submitted by presidents of major private universities), and the seventh serves as an elected employee representative from the classified service. Each commissioner serves a six‑year term.

The Commission functions as a review board that adopts and enforces rules as legally binding for most state agencies. It holds monthly public meetings and hearings, adjudicates employee appeals relating to discipline, dismissal, or discrimination, and ensures that hiring, promotion, classification, and compensation decisions are based on merit rather than political influence. The Commission also has authority to subpoena, investigate alleged rule violations, and order corrective actions including reversing unlawful personnel decisions.

How did this measure get on the ballot?

See also: Path to the ballot

For the Louisiana State Legislature to refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot, a two-thirds (66.67%) vote is required during one legislative session. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

The amendment was introduced by State Sen. Jay Morris (R-35) as Senate Bill 8 (SB 8) on March 11, 2025. The Senate voted 28-8 to approve the amendment on May 14. On June 9, the House voted 70-28 to approve the amended version of SB 8. As the House amended SB 8, concurrence was needed in the Senate. On June 11, the Senate voted 28-9 to approve SB 8.

Text of measure

Ballot question

The ballot question is as follows:

“

Do you support an amendment to allow the legislature to remove or add officers, positions, and employees to the unclassified state civil service?

”

Full text

The full text of the constitutional amendment is available here.

Constitutional changes

See also: Article X, Louisiana Constitution

The ballot measure would amend Section 2 of Article X of the Louisiana Constitution. The following underlined text would be added and struck-through text would be deleted:

Note: Hover over the text and scroll to see the full text.

Section 2.

(A) Classified Service. The state and city civil service is divided into the unclassified and the classified service. Persons not included in the unclassified service are in the classified service.

(B) Unclassified Service. The unclassified service shall include the following officers and employees in the state and city civil service:

(1) elected officials and persons appointed to fill vacancies in elective offices;

(2) the heads of each principal executive department appointed by the governor, the mayor, or the governing authority of a city;

(3) city attorneys;

(4) registrars of voters;

(5) members of state and city boards, authorities, and commissions;

(6) one private secretary to the president of each college or university;

(7) one person holding a confidential position and one principal assistant or deputy to any officer, board, commission, or authority mentioned in (1), (2), (4), or (5) above, except civil service departments;

(8) members of the military or naval forces;

(9) teaching and professional staffs, and administrative officers of schools, colleges, and universities of the state, and bona fide students of those institutions employed by any state, parochial, or municipal agency;

(10) employees, deputies, and officers of the legislature and of the offices of the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, each mayor and city attorney, of police juries, school boards, assessors, and of all offices provided for in Article V of this constitution except the offices of clerk of the municipal and traffic courts in New Orleans;

(11) commissioners of elections, watchers, and custodians and deputy custodians of voting machines;

(12) railroad employees whose working conditions and retirement benefits are regulated by federal agencies in accordance with federal law; and

(13) the director, deputy director, and all employees of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

Additional positions may be added to the unclassified service and those positions may be revoked by rules adopted by a commission. Additional officers, positions, and employees may be added to the unclassified service in the state civil service by law and such additional officers, positions, and employees may be removed from the unclassified service only by law.

Support

Supporters

Officials

• State Sen. Jay Morris (R)
• State Rep. Beau Beaullieu (R)
• State Rep. Tehmi Chassion (D)

Arguments

• State Sen. Jay Morris (R-35): "If you believe in democracy or republicanism — [because] we’re a republic — then the Legislature should have some ability to alter how our civil service system works. Right now we can’t do anything because the constitution prevents it.”

Opposition

Opponents

Officials

• State Rep. Matthew Willard (D)

Organizations

• Louisiana Progress

Arguments

You can share campaign information or arguments, along with source links for this information, at editor@ballotpedia.org.

Campaign finance

See also: Campaign finance requirements for Louisiana ballot measures

Ballotpedia did not identify ballot measure committees registered to support or oppose the ballot measure.

	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Support	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
Oppose	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
Total	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

Background

Louisiana civil service

The Louisiana State Constitution defines the state civil service as "all persons holding offices and positions of trust or employment in the employ of the state, or any instrumentality thereof, and any joint state and federal agency, joint state and parochial agency, or joint state and municipal agency, regardless of the source of the funds used to pay for such employment." The constitution divides civil service employees as classified and unclassified and provides that all positions not listed under unclassified are classified positions. Unclassified civil service employees include:

• 1: elected officials and persons appointed to fill vacancies in elective offices;
• 2: the heads of each principal executive department appointed by the governor, the mayor, or the governing authority of a city;
• 3: city attorneys;
• 4: registrars of voters;
• 5: members of state and city boards, authorities, and commissions;
• 6: one private secretary to the president of each college or university;
• one person holding a confidential position and one principal assistant or deputy to any officer, board, commission, or authority mentioned in (1), (2), (4), or (5) above, except civil service departments;
• 7: members of the military or naval forces;
• 8: teaching and professional staffs, and administrative officers of schools, colleges, and universities of the state, and bona fide students of those institutions employed by any state, parochial, or municipal agency;
• 9: employees, deputies, and officers of the legislature and of the offices of the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, each mayor and city attorney, of police juries, school boards, assessors, and of all offices provided for in Article V of this constitution except the offices of clerk of the municipal and traffic courts in New Orleans;
• 10: commissioners of elections, watchers, and custodians and deputy custodians of voting machines; and
• 11: railroad employees whose working conditions and retirement benefits are regulated by federal agencies in accordance with federal law.

The State Civil Service Commission regulates and administrates the state civil service system. Going into the election, six members of the Louisiana State Civil Service Commission were appointed by the governor. The presidents of Centenary College, Dillard University, Loyola University, Tulane University, Xavier University, and Louisiana College each nominated three individuals. The governor selected one member from each of the presidents' nominations. The members needed to each be from one of the state's six congressional districts. The seventh member is an employee representative that is elected by other state employees. Going into the election, the appointments were not subject to confirmation by the Louisiana State Senate.

Historical ballot measures

A total of 48 constitutional amendments appeared on the statewide ballot in Louisiana during odd-numbered years from 2003 through 2023. Of the 48 amendments, 33 (68.75%) were approved and 15 (31.25%) were defeated.

Legislatively-referred constitutional amendments, 1999-2023
Total number	Approved	Percent approved	Defeated	Percent defeated	Odd-year average	Odd-year median	Odd-year minimum	Odd-year maximum
48	33	68.757%	15	31.25%	4	4	0	15

Path to the ballot

Amending the Louisiana Constitution

See also: Amending the Louisiana Constitution

A two-thirds (66.67%) vote is required during one session of the Louisiana State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 70 votes in the Louisiana House of Representatives and 26 votes in the Louisiana State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot. Amendments can be referred to the ballot in odd-numbered years and even-numbered years in Louisiana.

Senate Bill 8 (2025)

State Sen. Jay Morris (R-35) introduced the constitutional amendment into the Louisiana State Legislature as Senate Bill 8 (SB 8) on March 11, 2025. The constitutional amendment moved through the legislature between March 11 and June 11. The following is the timeline of the constitutional amendment in the state legislature:

• March 11, 2025: State Sen. Morris introduced the constitutional amendment, SB 8, into the legislature.
• May 14, 2025: The Senate voted 28-8 to approve SB 8.
• June 9, 2025: The House of Representatives voted 70-28 to approve an amended version of SB 8.
• June 11, 2025: As the House amended SB 8, concurrence was needed in the Senate, which voted 28-9 to approve SB 8.

Partisan Direction Index = +90.3% (Republican)

Democratic Support

5.7%

Republican Support

96.0%

Louisiana House of Representatives

Voted on June 9, 2025

Votes Required to Pass: 70
	Yes	No	NV
Total	70	28	7
Total %	66.7%	26.7%	6.7%
Democratic (D)	2	24	6
Republican (R)	68	4	1

Louisiana State Senate

Voted on June 11, 2025

Votes Required to Pass: 26
	Yes	No	NV
Total	28	9	2
Total %	71.8%	23.1%	5.1%
Democratic (D)	0	9	2
Republican (R)	28	0	0

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Louisiana

See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in Louisiana.

How to vote in Louisiana

Poll times

In Louisiana, polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Central time for Tuesday elections. For Saturday elections, polls open at 7:00 a.m. If the polls close while a voter is in line, he or she will still be permitted to vote.

Registration

Check your voter registration status here.

To vote in Louisiana, one must provide documentary proof of United States citizenship and be a resident of the state and parish in which they register. A voter must be at least 18 years old by Election Day.

Registration completed via mail or in person must occur at least 30 days before Election Day. Registration completed online must occur at least 20 days before Election Day. Registrants must present a valid form of identification to register. Pre-registration is available beginning at age 16.

Voters may register in person at any Registrar of Voters office or any of the following places:

• Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles
• Louisiana Department of Social Services
• WIC offices
• Food stamp offices
• Medicaid offices
• Offices and agencies serving people with disabilities
• Military recruitment offices

Automatic registration

Louisiana does not practice automatic voter registration.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Louisiana has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

Louisiana does not allow same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

Louisiana law requires 20 days of residency in the state before a person may vote.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Louisiana state law requires a voter registration applicant to provide proof of citizenship to register to vote. As of June 2025, the state had not implemented the requirement.

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The site Geaux Vote, run by the Louisiana Secretary of State office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

Louisiana requires voters to present photo identification while voting.

Voters can present the following forms of identification. This list was current as of October 2025. Click here to ensure you have the most current information.

• Louisiana driver's license
• Louisiana special identification card
• LA Wallet digital driver's license
• Military ID that contains the name and signature of the applicant
• Other generally recognized picture identification card that contains the name and signature of the voter

Registered voters can bring their voter information card to the Office of Motor Vehicles to receive a free Louisiana special identification card.

See also

2026 measures

• 2026 ballot measures
• Civil service on the ballot
• State legislative authority on the ballot

Louisiana

• Louisiana ballot measures
• Louisiana ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• Louisiana Senate Bill 8 (2025)

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