Voters to decide 7 changes to state constitution in Tuesday’s election

Voters in the Tri-parishes will decide on seven state constitutional amendments on Nov. 4.

• Amendment one limits service on all state boards and commissions to three consecutive terms. Currently, membership on the state’s higher education boards and the Public Service Commission, the State Civil Service Commission, the State Police Commission and the Forestry Commission is not term-limited.

• Amendment two extends the length of time required to call a special session of the Legislature from five days to seven days.

• Amendment three allows the Legislature to appoint a temporary replacement for any legislator called to active military duty. Currently, districts cannot have representation if their state legislator is activated for military service.

• Amendment four increases the cap on the amount of money the state gives to parishes as their share of revenue from oil and gas severance taxes.

Since parishes are prohibited from levying severance taxes, the state gives up to 20 percent of state severance taxes on oil and gas extracted within a parish back to the local government. However, a cap is placed on the amount a parish can receive, currently $875,000.

The amendment raises that cap to $1.85 million, then to $2.85 million in 2010. After that, the amount rises with inflation.

• Amendment five allows seniors, the disabled, and some members of the military to keep a special property tax break on their homes if the house is sold.

Currently, they forfeit the tax break when selling a home. The amendment permits the special assessment to be transferred to the new house.

• Amendment six removes a provision requiring the state to offer a property owner right of first refusal to buy back property expropriated because the property was designated a threat to public health or safety.

• Amendment seven allows the state to invest state retiree health care and life insurance benefit trusts in stocks and equities. Currently, state law allows only state retiree pension funds to be invested, among a few other funds.

The Terrebonne Parish Council passed resolutions last week supporting amendments four and seven.