State Bond Commission approves placing Bossier City charter propositions on March ballot amid legal dispute

The State Bond Commission voted Dec. 12 to place three Bossier City charter propositions, including a prospective three-term limit for the mayor and council, on the March 29, 2025 ballot after hearing more than an hour of legal and public testimony.

The commission’s staff summarized the procedural history: a citizens’ coalition filed petitions in 2023 seeking retroactive term limits, the petition was certified by the registrar of voters, and a writ of mandamus followed when the city council did not add the item as required. That case is on appeal at the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals. The charter commission appointed by the city council later submitted its own proposed charter changes, including a prospective term-limits amendment that would apply to terms starting January 2025. Staff said the propositions before the commission meet technical requirements for ballot placement.

Why it matters

The two competing approaches differ on retroactivity. The coalition’s petition would make prior service count toward lifetime limits, which backers say would prevent long-tenured incumbents from seeking reelection. The council-backed charter commission’s…