Civil rights activists protest Act 3 near New Orleans City Hall

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The Southern Poverty Law Center was joined by several civil rights organizations on Saturday for the “Vote No on Act 3” rally, just steps from the New Orleans City Hall.

Organizers say the rally was aimed to inform and educate Louisiana residents about the harms of the proposed Act 3 legislation and encourage them to vote against it.

The proposed constitutional amendment would lead to more juveniles being tried as adults in Louisiana. In 2024, Louisiana’s “Raise the Age” law was reversed, meaning 17-year-olds arrested for any crime will be tried as an adult.

Organizers say Act 3 would lift limitations for lawmakers and allow minors as young as 14 to be charged as an adult for “any crime,” instead of creating pathways to rehabilitate for the youth.

“If we want to add more penalties to our Constitution, for which young people can be charged for and tried for in adult courts, we’re not giving them a greater start in life, but we are further penalizing them for simply going through life, trying to understand life, but not teaching them the steps, not providing them the resources for that as well,” said Christopher Johnson, executive director of the Mobilizing Millennials Organization.

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