(NewsNation) — Teenagers arrested for crimes in Louisiana could be tried as adults in more cases than before if voters approve a state constitutional amendment proposal in March.
The state’s legislature approved a bill on Nov. 22 that would remove the existing list of crimes in the state constitution for which minors can be tried as adults and would give legislators the authority to determine which crimes warrant adult sentencing.
The bill received 70 votes in the House, the minimum required to advance to voters.
Registered voters will see the following question on their March 29 ballot: “Do you support an amendment to provide the legislature the authority to determine which felony crimes, when committed by a person under the age of seventeen, may be transferred for criminal prosecution as an adult?”
If the ballot measure passes, state lawmakers must enact new laws to address how courts could send juveniles to adult detention centers.
Earlier this year, lawmakers passed legislation that lowered the age in which the courts treat defendants as adults from 18 to 17. That means all 17-year-olds in the criminal justice system will be treated as adults.
Under current state law, 15- and 16-year-olds face adult prison sentences for violent crimes involving murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, rape, armed robbery, kidnapping, aggravated battery and a few others.
Senate Bill 2, which passed the House 70-25 and the Senate 28-10, applies to felony crimes, but before a last-minute change, it would have applied to all crimes.
Sponsor of the legislation state Sen. Heather Cloud said she would like to make the law applicable to carjacking, drive-by shootings and human trafficking, the Louisiana Illuminator reported, while state Rep. Debbie Villio said she was interested in adding fentanyl offenses.
