The Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs on April 30 reported favorably on Senate Bill 8, a proposed constitutional amendment by Sen. Morris that would allow the Legislature to add positions to the state’s unclassified service by statute. The committee vote on the motion to report the bill with amendments was 5 in favor and 2 opposed.

The amendment adopted in committee removes proposed changes to the composition of the State Civil Service Commission and instead focuses on giving the Legislature authority by law to designate officers, positions or employees as unclassified and to make those placements removable only by the Legislature.

Supporters, led by Sen. Morris, said the change is aimed at increasing government efficiency and giving the state more flexibility to recruit specialized workers. “I’m proposing that the legislature has the ability to pass laws to, declassify employees if it so chooses,” Morris said during committee discussion. Morris and other proponents pointed to reforms in other states and argued the constitution currently prevents the Legislature from making such statutory changes.

Opponents and dozens of public witnesses urged caution. Douglas Bordelon, a long‑time state employee and human‑resources practitioner, warned the measure “may achieve its short term goal of increasing administrative flexibility, but it would also likely be disastrous for public servants and for the public sector.” Steven Procopio of the Public Affairs Research Council and other witnesses urged a comprehensive study and a clear implementation plan modeled on other states’ multi‑step reforms. “We support civil service reform. We’d like to work with you on that,” Barry Irwin of Leaders for Better Louisiana said, while urging more groundwork before a constitutional change.

Multiple witnesses described existing protections and processes under Louisiana State Civil Service. Adrienne Bordelon, who served as general counsel for state civil service, noted current counts and practical distinctions: “There are currently approximately 39,000 classified employees in the state of Louisiana. There are approximately 26,000 unclassified employees, for which 22,000 are in higher education.” She added that moving a job to the unclassified service would remove statutory minimum‑qualification requirements for that job.

State Civil Service Director Byron Decoteau told the committee the bill would permit the Legislature to carve out positions that are currently classified: “It opens up the ability to have the legislature, by law, create positions that are going to be in the unclassified service or basically say these positions in the classified service are now gonna be unclassified.” Decoteau and several witnesses emphasized the budgetary and management implications of creating large numbers of unclassified jobs, noting the potential cost of higher pay and the administrative burden of pay hearings.

Committee members pressed both sides on practical consequences and next steps. Some, including Sen. Jenkins, said the proposal needs broader study of pay, hiring, discipline and due‑process issues before being presented to voters. Sen. Morris said the constitutional language is necessary to allow the Legislature to act and that statutory safeguards could be added later.

The committee adopted Amendment 899 to remove language changing the commission’s composition and to clarify that the Legislature may, by specific law, place officers, positions or employees in the unclassified service and that those placements may not be revoked by the commission but only by legislative action. The committee then voted to report the bill favorably with the amendment; the roll call recorded five yes votes and two no votes.

What’s next: The bill is reported out of committee with amendments and would follow the normal legislative path for a constitutional amendment (passage by the Legislature and approval by voters if it continues to advance). Supporters and opponents both told the committee they want more structured study and public explanation before the measure reaches the ballot.

Ending: Committee testimony showed a split between advocates who framed SB 8 as a tool to modernize hiring and management and critics who said the change should be part of a comprehensive reform package, not a piecemeal constitutional grant of authority.