[StBernard] 18 Days Until History is Made!

[Westley Annis]

Don't miss this week's LAGOP Action Report! The latest news and updates from the LAGOP.

2012 LA Constitutional Amendments 

Constitutional Amendment #2:

Article by Governor Bobby Jindal-

"Here in Louisiana, we love our sportsmen's paradise, we love our culture, and we love our freedom. But, years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that the government could restrict the gun rights of law abiding citizens.

 We saw it after Katrina. Folks were in their homes with no electricity, no power, no 911 service, and reports of looters going door to door. That's a time when our families need the right to defend ourselves.

 But, instead of protecting freedom, government officials went door to door, confiscating guns from law-abiding citizens.

 We just can't let that happen again. It's time we protected freedom. It's time we protected gun rights. It's time we passed Amendment 2 to our Constitution, so that we have an ironclad guarantee of freedom here in Louisiana."

To read the full article by Governor Jindal, click here <http://lagop.us1.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=81f80dfae08a15f3629eabdeb&id=6d2023ae60&e=e293a5ac38> .

Article by Baton Rouge Business Report Editor  Rolfe McCollister- 

This amendment says, “The right of each citizen to keep and bear arms is fundamental and shall not be infringed. Any restriction on this right shall be subject to strict scrutiny.” The NRA supports No. 2, and says, if approved, “Louisiana will have the strongest guarantee of the Right to Keep and Bear Arms in the nation.” Many refer to what happened after Katrina, when guns were confiscated from law-abiding citizens, leaving them defenseless against looters, who were often armed. (The confiscated guns were never returned.) While we already have strong gun laws, the Louisiana Supreme Court has ruled that a majority in the Legislature may restrict gun rights if they consider it reasonable. Some say that will never happen here, but passage of this amendment will ensure that possession of firearms is a fundamental right protected in Louisiana. 

To read Rolfe McCollister's take on the constitutional amendments, click here <http://lagop.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=81f80dfae08a15f3629eabdeb&id=de70fd609d&e=e293a5ac38> . 

To see the LAGOP's State Central Committee Endorsement Resolution, click here <http://lagop.us1.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=81f80dfae08a15f3629eabdeb&id=50cbc27839&e=e293a5ac38> . 

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Constitutional Amendment #5:

Article by State Representative Toni Ligi, District 79- 

The reputation of our state and the great majority of honest, hard working public officials has been tarnished by the acts of public officials who betray public trust.

For the past five years, I have worked toward getting Amendment No. 5 on the ballot. This amendment, if passed, will give the legislature the authority to enact laws that will provide for forfeiture of the publicly funded portion of the pension of a public official who has breached public trust. The legislature is currently prohibited from doing so by our constitution.

The passage of this amendment and enactment of legislation pursuant thereto will send a strong message that public corruption will not be tolerated and highlight the obligation of public trust placed in public officials. Rep. Simone Champagne, who co-authored the amendment, and I appreciate the action of our Louisiana Republican Party in publicly supporting this amendment.
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Local Constitutional Amendment on School Board Term Limits:

This amendment will limit a school board member to three consecutive 4-year terms, for a maximum of 12 years. It is a prospective amendment meaning that each sitting school board member would have three additional terms after serving out their current term. This proposal aligns school board members with the term limits of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), the Louisiana Legislature, and other governmental entities. It has been endorsed by the LAGOP, LABI, the Pelican Institute, BESE, Blueprint Louisiana, the Council for a Better Louisiana, and other pro-education reform groups. Each school district will get to vote on the law individually, and we are strongly encouraging it to be passed in every district. The only opposition to this amendment comes from liberal teacher's unions and those who are satisfied with the status quo of education in our state.

We fought hard for bold reform during the previous legislative session and hope you join us again in supporting this amendment. 

To see the LAGOP's State Central Committee Endorsement Resolution, click here <http://lagop.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=81f80dfae08a15f3629eabdeb&id=4e614068cc&e=e293a5ac38> . 

To read the bi-partisan, PAR guide to constitutional amendments, click here <http://lagop.us1.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=81f80dfae08a15f3629eabdeb&id=d0bead03d0&e=e293a5ac38> .  

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Early Voting Begins Tuesday!

 <http://gallery.mailchimp.com/81f80dfae08a15f3629eabdeb/images/vote_button.jpg> 

 
Early voting begins Tuesday, October 23rd, and goes until Tuesday, October 30th. We strongly encourage you to early vote at one of the locations listed here <http://lagop.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=81f80dfae08a15f3629eabdeb&id=2d9d1b6491&e=e293a5ac38> . You can avoid the lines and traffic associated with the Presidential election by voting early. Times are typically from 8:30am until 6:00pm and all locations are closed on Sunday, October 28th. Click here <http://lagop.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=81f80dfae08a15f3629eabdeb&id=1e8663ffd5&e=e293a5ac38>  to see a list of locations in your parish, and contact us with any questions or problems.