BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Lawmakers have rejected a bid to rewrite part of Louisiana's constitution, for a second year.
Rep. Neil Abramson's proposal would have started a process leading to a constitutional convention, with a scope largely limited to budget and tax issues.
Abramson, a New Orleans Democrat, said too many rules that control government spending and tax policy are locked into the constitution, limiting lawmakers' ability to respond to financial problems.
Opponents, including Republican Rep. Jay Morris of Monroe, worried about the delegate-selection process and the influence of special-interest groups.
The House voted 52-47 Wednesday for Abramson's bill. It needed 70 votes to pass.
The issue won't go away, however. Several outside groups are trying to rally support for a constitutional convention among candidates in next year's election.
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House Bill 500: www.legis.la.gov
