Louisiana Senate kills bill to symbolically ban slavery in state Constitution

Louisiana's Senate killed a bill Monday that would have allowed voters to decide whether to symbolically ban slavery in the state Constitution more than 150 years after the Civil War.

Democratic Rep. Edmond Jordan's House Bill 211 to "abolish slavery and involuntary servitude forever" needed a two-thirds vote (26) in the Senate to put the proposed amendment on the ballot, but it failed on a 21-16 vote.

Though slavery was abolished in the U.S. in 1865, Jordan said the stain has remained in state constitutions where the current language says slavery and involuntary servitude are illegal but include exceptions for forced convict labor.

His bill had cleared the House on a 98-0 vote, but Senators questioned the need for the amendment since slavery is already outlawed.

Voters in Alabama, Oregon, Tennessee and Vermont amended their state constitutions in November to abolish those words and ban involuntary servitude and slavery. They follow Colorado, Nebraska and Utah, which have passed similar amendments in recent years.

Louisiana voters rejected a similar bill last year after Jordan himself said the amendment's language was confusing and urged its defeat.

"Hopefully we'll get it right this time," Jordan said earlier. "We need to send a message that we're trying to look toward the future and that we correct a historical wrong."

Despite acknowledging his bill is largely symbolic, Jordan said, "I can tell you that the benefits for the 35% of Louisiana's population that is African-American will be significant."

More: Louisiana moves a step closer to symbolically abolishing slavery in its state Constitution

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Louisiana Senate kills bill to symbolically ban slavery in Constitution