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Regular Session, 2010
HOUSE BILL NO. 720
BY REPRESENTATIVE RICHMOND
REAPPORTIONMENT: Requires the legislature to examine the use of the last known
residency of those who are incarcerated for purposes of legislative reapportionment
and redistricting
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 18:1906, relative to the population data used for reapportionment2
and redistricting; to require the legislature to examine how the inmate population is3
allocated for such purposes; to require certain reports; and to provide for related4
matters.5
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:6
Section 1. R.S. 18:1906 is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows: 7
§1906. Tabulation for reapportionment; legislature8
A. In accordance with Article III, Section 6(A) of the Constitution of9
Louisiana, the tabulation of population for each decennial census on the basis of10
which the legislature shall reapportion the representation in each house shall be the11
tabulation of population reported and transmitted by the United States Bureau of the12
Census to the governor and the legislature within one year after the census date,13
under the provisions of Public Law 94-171. Such tabulation of population shall be14
the sole basis for the establishment of legislative districts, and no other or subsequent15
tabulation of population shall be considered or utilized in such reapportionment.16
B.(1) However, the legislature shall examine the issue of allocating each17
inmate included in the population in the prisons within the state to the last known18 HLS 10RS-854 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 720
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residential address of the inmate for purposes of legislative reapportionment and1
redistricting.2
(2)(a) The Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall provide to the3
Committee on House and Governmental Affairs and the Committee on Senate and4
Governmental Affairs an annual report on the inmate population of the state. The5
report shall include:6
(i) Information on the total number of inmates and their locations.7
(ii) Information regarding the number of inmates for which the department8
has a last known residential address.9
(iii) For those inmates for which the department has a last known residential10
address, detailed information regarding the state, parish or county, and if applicable,11
municipality of each such inmate's last known residential address.12
(iv) Any other information that either the Committee on House and13
Governmental Affairs or the Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs deems14
necessary.15
(b) The Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall submit the report16
required pursuant to this Subsection to the Committee on House and Governmental17
Affairs and the Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs no later than January18
first of each year.19
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Richmond HB No. 720
Abstract: Requires the legislature to examine how the inmate population is allocated for
legislative reapportionment and redistricting and requires the Dept. of Public Safety
and Corrections to annually submit certain reports regarding the inmate population
to the House and Senate governmental affairs committees.
Present law provides that in accordance with present constitution (Art. III, §6), the tabulation
of population for each decennial census for legislative reapportionment shall be the
tabulation of population reported and transmitted by the U.S. Census Bureau to the governor
and the legislature within one year after the census date, under the provisions of Public Law
94-171. Specifies that such tabulation of population shall be the sole basis for the HLS 10RS-854 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 720
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establishment of legislative districts, and no other or subsequent tabulation of population
shall be considered or utilized in such reapportionment.
Proposed law retains present law but requires the legislature to examine the allocation of
each inmate included in the state's prison population at the last known residential address of
the inmate for purposes of legislative reapportionment and redistricting. Further requires the
Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections to provide to the House and Senate governmental
affairs committees each Jan. 1, a report on the state's inmate population which includes (a)
information on the total number of inmates and their locations; (b) information regarding
the number of inmates for which the department has a last known residential address; (d) for
those, detailed information regarding such inmate's last known residential address; and (e)
any other information either of the governmental affairs committees deems necessary.
(Amends R.S. 18:1906)