House approves constitutional amendment to let legislature move positions from classified to unclassified civil service

The Louisiana House approved a joint resolution to amend the state constitution to allow the legislature to add or remove positions from the unclassified state civil service.

Representative Beaulieu, the bill sponsor on the floor, described Senate Bill 8 as a constitutional amendment that would “allow the legislature to legislate with respect to civil service and allow the legislature to move positions from classified service to unclassified service.” Beaulieu said the change would give the elected legislature a role similar to other states and would not remove civil service protections already held by current classified employees.

Floor debate included multiple amendments and extended questioning. Representative Beaulieu offered an amendment to narrow the ballot language so the amendment would apply only to state civil service and not to the city civil service provisions historically applicable to New Orleans; the House adopted that amendment without objection. Representative DeWitt proposed an amendment to prevent officers, positions and employees of “regulatory, law enforcement, or fire protection agencies” from being moved to unclassified service; that amendment was discussed at length, produced questions about how “regulatory” would be defined and whether it would unintentionally cover many agencies, and ultimately failed in a recorded vote (8 yeas, 88 nays as recorded on the floor). Representative DeWitt later explained the intent of the amendment was to preserve classified status for employees who enforce laws and issue citations.

Members questioned whether passage would meaningfully change employees’ protections. Representative Beaulieu and other supporters said current classified employees retain protected status as a property right under Article X of the constitution and would not automatically lose civil service protection if a position were later removed from the classified service; the constitutional change would give the legislature authority to reclassify positions by statute. Opponents warned the change could politicize personnel decisions, lead to nepotism or chilling effects for regulatory or judicial roles, and urged a study or a measured statutory approach instead of a constitutional change.

Several committee and member-level exchanges cited examples and concerns: Representative DeWitt said agencies such as the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Department of Health, Department of Agriculture and Wildlife and Fisheries enforce laws and thus should remain classified; Representative Marcel and others asked whether unclassifying positions would increase political interference or create at-will employment in many roles. Representative Stagney strongly urged a no vote, arguing the civil service system has a 99% rate of upholding agency actions in disciplinary cases and noting awards and performance metrics the civil service system has received.

The House adopted the joint resolution on final passage by roll-call machine vote: 70 ayes, 28 nays. The resolution, if approved by voters as an amendment, would permit the legislature to enact statutes moving positions between classified and unclassified service; statutory follow-up would be required to change particular positions.