Sen. Yvonne Colomb, D-Baton Rouge, moved, in effect, to kill Senate Resolution 3, which calls for Brown’s expulsion, within hours of the opening of the 2017 Legislature’s special session Monday evening.   

That action came mere hours after Sen. Dan Claitor, R-Baton Rouge, Sharon Hewitt, R-Slidell, and Sen. Beth Mizell, R-Franklinton, announced they would be introducing a resolution to expel Brown.  

Claitor told colleagues he would be “happy to debate” the issue, but said the proper place for that would be in committee. Colomb’s motion was defeated 31-3, with Brown, Colomb and Sen. Regina Barrow, D-Baton Rouge, dissenting.  

Colomb immediately introduced her own resolution proposing disciplinary action against Brown, but with a lesser penalty: a six-week suspension a $2,500 fine and enrollment in a six-month domestic violence course. 

Sen. J.P. Morrell, D-New Orleans, moved to indefinitely postpone the Colomb resolution. Colomb asked colleagues that she be given the same courtesy afforded Claitor’s resolution and to let her alternative resolution advance to the Select Committee on Discipline and Expulsion. 

“A vote for my suspension resolution is just giving us another opportunity to debate this bill,” she said. “It’s a big decision to put a member out of this body. It’s something that we’ve never done before.” 

The Senate sided with her, 18-17. 

The select committee will meet Wednesday to authorize subpoenas or production of documents concerning the incidents.  It will convene again Monday to hear the competing resolutions. 

Article III, Section 7 of the Louisiana Constitution allows each house of the Legislature to punish its members for “disorderly conduct or contempt,” and can expel a member with a two-thirds vote. It also allows lawmakers to issue subpoenas to summon witnesses.