SLS 10RS-815 ORIGINAL
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
Regular Session, 2010
SENATE BILL NO. 652
BY SENATOR HEBERT
VOTERS/VOTING. Requires that propositions placed on a ballot be worded in plain simple
grammar in the form of a question. (8/15/10)
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 18:1299.1, relative to elections; to provide that any question or2
proposition to be voted on must also include a question in simple language directed3
to the voter with regard to the passage or rejection of the proposition; and to provide4
for related matters.5
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:6
Section 1. R.S. 18:1299.1 is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows: 7
ยง1299.1. Statement of question or proposition to be voted on; question directed to8
voter; statement length9
A. The preparation of the statement of any question or proposition to be10
submitted to the voters at an election shall be the responsibility of the governing11
authority or other entity calling the election or submitting the question or12
proposition. The statement of the proposition shall also include a simple and13
unbiased concise summary in easily understood language which sets forth the14
substance of the proposition. The statement of the proposition, including the15
summary, shall not exceed four hundred words in length. Such summary and shall16
be placed at the beginning of the statement of the proposition. The statement of the17 SB NO. 652
SLS 10RS-815 ORIGINAL
Page 2 of 2
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
proposition shall also contain a question directed to the voter with regard to the1
passage or rejection of the proposition in easily understood language; for2
example, "Do you wish to legalize gambling in this state? Yes or no." The3
statement of the proposition, including the summary and question to the voter,4
shall not exceed four hundred words in length. The question directed to the5
voter shall not exceed twenty words in length, and shall appear last in the6
statement of the proposition.7
B. The secretary of state shall be responsible for ensuring that the statement8
of the proposition contains the summary and the question directed to the voter as9
provided in Subsection A of this Section.10
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Alden A. Clement, Jr.
DIGEST
Present law provides that the preparation of the statement of any question or proposition to
be submitted to the voters at an election is the responsibility of the governing authority or
other entity calling the election or submitting the question or proposition. Present law
provides that the statement of the proposition is to include a simple and unbiased concise
summary in easily understood language which sets forth the substance of the proposition.
Present law further provides that the statement of the proposition, including the summary,
cannot exceed 400 words in length. Present law provides that this summary is to be placed
at the beginning of the statement of the proposition.
Proposed law retains present law.
Proposed law further provides that the statement of the proposition must also include a
question directed to the voter with regard to the passage or rejection of the proposition,
phrased in easily understood language, an example of which would be, "Do you wish to
legalize gambling in this state? Yes or no." Proposed law provides that the question
directed to the voter cannot exceed 20 words in length.
Present law provides that the secretary of state is responsible for ensuring that the statement
of the proposition contains the summary provided for by present law.
Proposed law retains present law and further provides that the secretary of state is also
responsible for ensuring that the question directed to the voter as provided for by proposed
law is also contained in the statement of the proposition.
Effective August 15, 2010.
(Amends R.S. 18:1299.1)