Senators refuse to ban Louisiana felons running for office

BATON ROUGE - Senators have blocked re-enactment of a prohibition that would have convicted felons waiting years after serving their sentences before they could run for office in Louisiana.



The House had overwhelmingly agreed to the constitutional amendment by Rep. Greg Miller, a Norco Republican, which would have required felons to wait eight years.



But the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee rejected the proposal Wednesday, with two senators voting for it and three voting against it.



Louisiana had an amendment barring felons from running for office for 15 years. The Louisiana Supreme Court overturned the provision in 2016, saying voters approved a version different from the one passed by lawmakers.



The House agreed to re-enact the 15-year buffer last year, but that bill also failed in the Senate.