SB 123 Louisiana Senate · 2026 Regular Session

GOVERNOR: Constitutional amendment to require the governor to certify a legislative address removing certain judges for cause. (2/3 - CA13s1(A)) (EG2 INCREASE GF EX See Note)

This bill proposes a constitutional amendment in Louisiana that would allow the governor to recommend suspending or removing district attorneys and certain judges (district, juvenile, family, or municipal courts) for malfeasance, gross misconduct, or incompetence. If the governor recommends suspension, the Senate must approve it with a two-thirds vote; for removal, the Senate would hold a trial and require a two-thirds vote to remove the official. Removed officials would be permanently barred from holding any judicial office in Louisiana. The amendment requires voter approval in the April 2027 election and is currently pending committee review.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status passed 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

May 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Governor

Introduced Feb 23, 2026 Last action May 28, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB123 Original → SB123 Engrossed · 4 edits · Mar 30, 2026

MODERATE

The bill fundamentally shifts the power to remove judges from a unilateral executive action to a mandatory legislative process. Originally, the Governor could independently recommend suspending or removing judges and district attorneys; the Engrossed version requires the Governor to certify removal only after a specific legislative address is passed by the House and Senate. This change ensures judicial removals are subject to legislative approval rather than executive discretion.

Scope change

The scope of the bill expanded from allowing the Governor to act unilaterally to requiring a joint legislative address involving both the House and Senate before any judge or district attorney can be removed or suspended.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the Governor's ability to unilaterally recommend suspension or removal, replacing it with a requirement for a joint legislative address to trigger the process.

Added a specific procedural requirement that the cause for removal must be stated in the legislative journal and served on the judge before removal can be certified.

ELIGIBILITY

Expanded the list of officials subject to removal to include parish judges, court of appeal judges, and Louisiana Supreme Court justices, in addition to existing categories.

ENFORCEMENT

Changed the mechanism for removal from an executive recommendation to a mandatory certification by the Governor following a Senate trial and a specific voting threshold in both legislative chambers.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 30, 2026 · House May 27, 2026

How they voted

27–12

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 40

Mar 30, 2026

D Democratic12

1 Yea 11 Nay

91% Nay

R Republican28

26 Yea 1 Nay 1

92% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 27, 2026

House · Passed

House Vote: pass (63-35-7)

house

May 12, 2026

Introduced

Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

lower

May 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported with amendments (5-1). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

lower

May 5, 2026

Committee

Read by title, amended, recommitted to the Committee on Civil Law and Procedure.

lower

Apr 29, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported with amendments (8-5). To be recommitted to the Committee on Civil Law and Procedure.

lower

Apr 1, 2026

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on House and Governmental Affairs.

lower

Mar 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read by title, passed by a vote of 27 yeas and 11 nays, and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

Mar 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported with amendments.

upper

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary C.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors