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Senate committee advances Morris bill to let Legislature remove judges after impeachment-style vote
Summary
The Senate Judiciary C committee voted 5–1 on March 24 to move forward Senate Bill 123, sponsored by Sen. Morris, which adds a legislative-address removal process for judges and removes district attorneys and the governor from the original proposal. Supporters cite high-profile juvenile cases and family complaints; civil-rights groups and community advocates warned of overreach.
Senator John Morris, chairing the committee, told the Senate Judiciary C committee on March 24 that Senate Bill 123 is intended “to improve the safety and the rule of law in the state of Louisiana” by creating a legislative-address procedure to remove judges for malfeasance, gross misconduct or incompetence.
Morris offered Amendment 1211, which he said removes district attorneys from the bill and eliminates the governor’s direct role in suspending or removing judges. The amendment—adopted with no objection—also clarifies that removal would require a majority vote of the House and a two-thirds vote of the Senate, he said.
Supporters and the sponsor described a string of high-profile juvenile cases as justification for new authority. Morris read excerpts from a resignation and criticisms from former Supreme Court Justice Chet Traylor and recounted several criminal cases in which he said defendants were repeatedly released or not monitored, culminating in the 2024 murder of Jacob Carter. Reading a letter from Carter’s family, Morris quoted: “My family has literally been failed by every single institution that we have dealt with in the state of Louisiana.” He said the measure would create a legislative backstop when other accountability pathways fail.
Opponents, including Bruce Riley and Ronald Marshall and civil-rights advocates, urged caution. Bruce Riley said the Judicial Commission and existing impeachment and recall mechanisms should be fixed before adding a separate constitutional removal pathway. Sarah Whittington of the ACLU of Louisiana told the committee that Constitution Section 24 (impeachment) appears to cover state and district officers and asked whether the Senate has fully tested existing remedies before changing the law.
Senator Morris acknowledged the tension between branches of government but said the bill merely clarifies an existing ambiguity and provides an extraordinary remedy for particularly egregious cases. After debate, Senator Morris moved to advance SB123 with the adopted amendment. Senator Barrow objected and the committee called the roll. The committee voted 5–1 to move SB123 forward with amendments (Yes: Abraham, Cloud, Hodges, Kleinpeter, Morris; No: President Pro Tem Barrow).
The committee’s action sends the bill to the next legislative stage; it does not enact the measure. The sponsor said procedural details for investigations and trials could be addressed in follow-up legislation if needed.
