Bill to make it easier to send juveniles to adult prisons goes to a vote

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - One week into Governor Jeff Landry's special session on taxes, a bill that has nothing to do with the topic is up for a vote.

"This would allow us, if we need to in the future, add more offenses that would be serious, violent and worthy of transfer to an adult court," said State Senator Heather Cloud.

Cloud's bill would expand the crimes where children could be tried as adults. You would decide whether or not to take the current provision out of the state constitution. If voters say yes, then state lawmakers will have the power to make any changes to the crimes listed. It is a bill Governor Landry's administration supports.

"To be able to address and adapt our code to account for these instances in the future without having to go through a full-blown constitutional amendment every single time we want to make a change," said Christopher Walkers, Executive Council for Governor Jeff Landry.

Carjacking, drive-by shooting, and aggravated arson are just some of the crimes being considered to add to the list, but there is this question.

"I don't understand why, at this time, we're taking up this issue. We will be in session in less than five, six months," said State Sen and President Pro-Tem Regina Barrow.

Barrow questioned why the bill is being brought up during a special session on taxes. She also questioned what this could do to juvenile court.

"While it may have been a heinous crime, what were some of the conditions and the judge, the juvenile judge can look at that case, one by one because we cannot do this as a blanket across the board in terms of how each crime should be actually treated," Barrow added. "For us to be putting all of our children into this one bowl where we're going to say, now you're going to go to adult court and you'll be charged as an adult and then have to go and be with adults. That to me is beyond humane."

If the bill passes, the measure to remove it from the constitution would be on the ballot in either March or November 2025.to read the bill.