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La. congressional districts on Monday docket
But a second group of “non-Af- General Liz Murrill said in a filing like the old one, with five U.S. Supreme Court to weigh if race or much majority-White districts and one rican Americans,” known as the to the Supreme Court. The state and Robinson litigants district. Callais litigants, then filed their politics was the main factor in redrawing majority-Black A group of Black voters, known own lawsuit, claiming the new map are now on the same side in press-
BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday will hear oral arguments in the long-running, backand-forth legal battle over whether Louisiana should have two majority-Black congressional districts. The justices will sort out inconsistent court rulings and issue a
decision that will shape politics in Louisiana for years to come. It also could dictate how legislatures across the nation balance the often conflicting requirements of the Voting Rights Act and the Equal Protection Clause. When Louisiana was required to draw new U.S. House districts due to population changes in the 2020 census, it originally passed a map
as the Robinson litigants, filed a legal challenge arguing the Voting Rights Act required two majorityBlack districts, because roughly a third of the state is Black and the districts could be configured to be compact while linking communities with similar interests. A federal judge agreed. Gov. Jeff Landry and the Legislature created a new map with two majority-Black districts.
relies primarily on race and is an illegal gerrymander under the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution. A special panel of three federal judges ruled in their favor. That has left Louisiana in a legal limbo that the state wants the Supreme Court to address. “To put the situation bluntly, the state is stuck in an endless game of ping-pong — and the state is the ball, not a player,” state Attorney
From the brink
Merger between nonprofits Save Our Cemeteries, Preservation Resource Center salvages mission BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer
For much of the past half century, visitors eager for a tour of one of New Orleans’ historic cemeteries could be guided by a volunteer from Save Our Cemeteries, a local nonprofit founded to preserve and restore the city’s unique burial grounds, revered for their aboveground tombs and ties to the Creole past. But earlier this year, financial issues prompted a change. Save Our Cemeteries has officially dissolved and is merging its operations into the Preservation Resource Center, a larger nonprofit that will take over the group’s cemetery tours and aims to keep alive the mission of preserving historic cemeteries. The merger, which became official in late
ä See CEMETERIES, page 3A
ing for two Black-majority districts. The Callais litigants say they will lean on the special panel’s rulings in arguing their case. “We’ll be focusing on the threejudge district court’s well-supported factual findings that the second Black-majority district is neither compact nor consistent with
ä See DISTRICTS, page 3A
ELECTION 2025 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
Voters to decide tax, justice system overhauls
Controversial changes, other local issues on Saturday ballot BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer
STAFF PHOTOS By BRETT DUKE
ABOVE: Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, closed to the public by the city in 2019 for badly needed repairs, has not yet reopened. BELOW: Jamie Barker, right, leads a tour through St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 in New Orleans.
On Saturday, residents in every parish will have the chance to vote on four proposed amendments to the Louisiana Constitution. The changes deal with courts, taxes, ä Critics how juveniles are fear treated in the crimAmendment inal justice system, 3 goes too and elections for far to curb judges. Three of the conjuvenile crime. PAGE 5A stitutional amendments have faced controversy — and court challenges. One of those, Amendment 2, is part of a push by Gov. Jeff Landry and the Legislature to overhaul Louisiana’s tax system. This month, every ballot includes the four proposed amendments, but some parishes will vote on local issues, too. There are 23 parishes that will consider just the amendments, while 41 parishes will also vote on local races or propositions. Voters can find out where to vote at geauxvote.com, on the GeauxVote mobile app or by calling their parish registrar of voters. Here are the four proposed constitutional amendments in the order they appear on the ballot.
Amendment 1 This amendment would give state lawmakers new, broader authority to create regional or statewide
ä See BALLOT, page 4A
WEATHER HIGH 77 LOW 62 PAGE 6B
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12TH yEAR, NO. 224