The Louisiana Legislature is considering convening a special session for congressional redistricting this fall in anticipation of a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court on the map lawmakers approved last year, but a decision on whether those districts will stand is not expected to come until next year. (Julie O'Donoghue/Louisiana Illuminator)
The Louisiana Legislature is considering convening a special session for congressional redistricting this fall in anticipation of a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court on the map lawmakers approved last year, but a decision on whether those districts will stand is not expected to come until next year.
State House Speaker Rep. Phillip DeVillier, R-Eunice, has asked lawmakers to keep their schedule flexible between Oct. 23 and Nov. 13, which is just days after the Supreme Court justices are scheduled to hear arguments in Louisiana v. Callais, a case that could lead to the overturning of Louisiana’s congressional maps.
Rep. Beau Beaullieu, R-New Iberia, chairman of the House and Governmental Affairs Committee that oversees redistricting, said the speaker wants lawmakers to be available in case they need to take action in response to the court’s ruling. A decision is not expected until months after arguments, perhaps as late as June of next year, prompting some lawmakers to call the planning premature.
“First of all, there can’t even be a special session until the courts rule,” Rep. Jack McFarland, R-Jonesboro, said, “and if they don’t rule in October, then why would you have a special session?”
DeVillier did not respond to a request for comment.
Several lawmakers interviewed for this report said they believed calls to prepare for a special session come from Gov. Jeff Landry, rather than legislative leaders.
Landry spokeswoman Kate Kelly declined to comment.
The jump to tackle redistricting is in line with other states with Republican governors and party majorities in their legislatures that have announced their intent to draw new districts that favor Republicans ahead of the 2026 congressional midterm elections.
Rep. Edmond Jordan, D-Baton Rouge, chairman of the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus, said not only would it be too soon to hold a special redistricting session without a Supreme Court ruling, it would also be disingenuous. He referenced a separate redistricting lawsuit, Nairne v. Louisiana, in which Black voters sued over new state House and Senate maps that did not increase the number of majority Black districts despite an increase in Louisiana’s Black population percentage.
A U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals panel upheld a district judge’s ruling that found the maps violated the Voting Rights Act, but the state won’t have to update until the outcome of the Callais case is determined.
“I think if we’re going to [ask for a] stay on the state court case pending the ruling of the Supreme Court in the federal court case, it seems to make sense that we would hold off on the congressional maps pending the decision of the Supreme Court,” Jordan said.
In the Callais case, in which non-Black voters sued over the creation of a second majority-Black congressional district, the Supreme Court has indicated it will consider the constitutionality of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Its provisions prohibit actions and policies that restrict a person’s right to vote based on their race, color or membership in a language minority group.
Justices were expected to rule on the case in the spring. But in a rare move, they scheduled additional arguments in October. The delay meant not only that a new congressional map, if necessary, would not be in place until the 2028 election, but that the legislature would be delayed in crafting new state House and Senate districts.
“They want to slow roll this and take full advantage of these unconstitutional maps,” Jordan said, referring to the legislative district maps. “But then, when it comes to try to implement maps that are constitutional, that would be fair and just for African Americans in this state, they want to slow roll it and play judicial games with us.”
“We’re not naive about this,” Jordan added. “We’re certainly cognizant of what’s happening and … voters in Louisiana need to wake up and pay attention to what’s happening.”
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