BATON ROUGE, La. — The Louisiana House passed its version of a new congressional map Thursday, moving the state one step closer to finalizing its districts after weeks of debate. The approved plan removes one of the state’s two majority-minority districts, a move that follows a U.S. Supreme Court decision declaring the previous map unconstitutional.
Because the House version includes several amendments, the map now returns to the Senate for consideration. The current House plan supports a structure that maintains one Democratic-leaning district stretching from New Orleans to Baton Rouge, while keeping five districts as solid Republican strongholds. To achieve this, the map shifts certain parishes in both north and south Louisiana into different districts.
The proposal is facing significant pushback. Republican Rep. Clay Higgins, who represents South Louisiana's 3rd District, described the proposal as a "Frankenstein" map and claimed it was drawn behind closed doors. At the same time, Democrats continue to oppose the plan, stating that the removal of a majority-minority district weakens Black voting power in the state.
Legal challenges are also mounting. Plaintiffs involved in the Callais decision, which initially led to the redistricting process, have filed a new federal lawsuit. The suit asks the court to require state leaders to reveal a specific deadline for when these new maps will take effect. The plaintiffs argue that state officials have not publicly disclosed when the map must be finalized.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, who was in Bossier Parish today for the Spirit of Louisiana Awards at the Bossier Parish School for Technology and Innovative Learning, said he is waiting to see the final result of the legislature’s work.
"What we hope for, what we hope that this new map represents and reflects is an accurate depiction of the communities and that everybody is fairly represented," Johnson said. "So, again, you know, it's up to the state legislature, not Congress, to do that. I have my fingers crossed just like everyone else."
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