HLS 12RS-1037 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2012
HOUSE BILL NO. 524
BY REPRESENTATIVE TIM BURNS
BOARDS/COMMISSI ONS: (Constitutional Amendment) Provides relative to membership
of constitutional boards and commissions with members from congressional districts
A JOINT RESOLUTION1
Proposing to amend Article VIII, Sections 5(B)(1), 6(B)(1), and 7(B)(1) and Article X,2
Sections 3(A) and 43(A) and to add Article VIII, Section 8(D) of the Constitution of3
Louisiana, to provide relative to the membership of constitutional boards and4
commissions that have members who are selected from congressional districts; to5
retain the existing number of members; to provide for implementation of6
membership from reapportioned congressional districts; to provide for submission7
of the proposed amendment to the electors; and to provide for related matters.8
Section 1. Be it resolved by the Legislature of Louisiana, two-thirds of the members9
elected to each house concurring, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the state of10
Louisiana, for their approval or rejection in the manner provided by law, a proposal to11
amend Article VIII, Sections 5(B)(1), 6(B)(1), and 7(B)(1) and to add Article VIII, Section12
8(D) of the Constitution of Louisiana, to read as follows:13
§5. Board of Regents14
Section 5.15
* * *16
(B)(1) Membership; Terms. The board shall be composed of fifteen17
members, of whom two members shall be from each congressional district and one18
the remaining member or members shall be from the state at large appointed by the19
governor, with consent of the Senate, for overlapping terms of six years, following20
initial terms which shall be fixed by law. The board should be representative of the21
state's population by race and gender to ensure diversity.22
* * *23 HLS 12RS-1037 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 524
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§6. Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System1
Section 6.2
* * *3
(B)(1) Membership; Terms. The board shall be composed of fifteen4
members, of whom two members shall be from each congressional district and one5
member the remaining member or members shall be from the state at large,6
appointed by the governor with consent of the Senate. The members shall serve7
overlapping terms of six years, following initial terms fixed by law.8
* * *9
§7. Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and10
Mechanical College; Board of Supervisors of Southern University and11
Agricultural and Mechanical College 12
Section 7.13
* * *14
(B)(1) Membership; Terms. Each board shall be composed of fifteen15
members, of whom two members shall be from each congressional district and one16
member the remaining member or members shall be from the state at large,17
appointed by the governor with consent of the Senate. The members shall serve18
overlapping terms of six years, following initial terms fixed by law.19
* * *20
§8. Boards; Membership; Compensation; Congressional District Members21
Section 8.22
* * *23
(D) Congressional District Members. In order to implement the provisions24
of Subparagraphs 5(B)(1), 6(B)(1), 7(B)(1), and 7.1(B)(1) of this Article, beginning25
on January 3, 2013, and beginning every ten years thereafter on the day the members26
of congress from newly reapportioned congressional districts take office, any27
vacancy that occurs on the respective board from a congressional district from which28
there are two or more board members shall be filled by appointment of an individual29 HLS 12RS-1037 ORIGINAL
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from a congressional district from which there are less than two members. After the1
membership includes two members from each congressional district, the next2
vacancy shall be filled by an appointment from the state at large.3
Section 2. Be it resolved by the Legislature of Louisiana, two-thirds of the members4
elected to each house concurring, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the state of5
Louisiana, for their approval or rejection in the manner provided by law, a proposal to6
amend Article X, Sections 3(A) and 43(A) of the Constitution of Louisiana, to read as7
follows:8
§3. State Civil Service Commission 9
Section 3.(A) Composition. The State Civil Service Commission is10
established and shall be domiciled in the state capital. It shall be composed of seven11
members who are electors of this state, four of whom shall constitute a quorum. No12
more than At least one appointed member shall be from each congressional district.13
In order to implement this requirement, every ten years beginning on the day the14
members of congress from newly reapportioned congressional districts take office,15
any vacancy that occurs on the commission shall be filled from a congressional16
district from which there is no commission member. Only when the membership17
includes a member from each congressional district may a vacancy be filled by an18
appointment from the state at large.19
* * *20
§43. State Police Commission21
Section 43.(A) Composition. The State Police Commission is established22
and shall be domiciled in the state capital. It shall be composed of seven members23
who are electors of this state, four of whom shall constitute a quorum. No more than24
At least one appointed member shall be from each congressional district. No25
appointed member shall concurrently serve on another board or commission whose26
purpose is similar to that of the State Police Commission. In order to implement this27
requirement, every ten years beginning on the day the members of congress from28
newly reapportioned congressional districts take office, any vacancy that occurs on29 HLS 12RS-1037 ORIGINAL
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the commission shall be filled from a congressional district from which there is no1
commission member. Only when the membership includes a member from each2
congressional district may a vacancy be filled by an appointment from the state at3
large.4
* * *5
Section 3. Be it further resolved that this proposed amendment shall be submitted6
to the electors of the state of Louisiana at the statewide election to be held on November 6,7
2012.8
Section 4. Be it further resolved that on the official ballot to be used at the election,9
there shall be printed a proposition, upon which the electors of the state shall be permitted10
to vote YES or NO, to amend the Constitution of Louisiana, which proposition shall read as11
follows:12
Do you support an amendment, relative to the membership of constitutional13
boards and commissions that have members who are selected from14
congressional districts, to retain the existing number of members and to15
provide for implementation of membership from reapportioned congressional16
districts by filling vacancies first from under-represented districts and then17
from the state at large? (Amends Article VIII, Sections 5(B)(1), 6(B)(1), and18
7(B)(1) and Article X, Sections 3(A) and 43(A); Adds Article VIII, Section19
8(D))20
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)]
Tim Burns HB No. 524
Abstract: Relative to the membership of constitutional boards and commissions that have
members who are selected from congressional districts, retains the existing number
of members and provides for implementation of membership from reapportioned
congressional districts by filling vacancies first from under-represented
congressional districts and then from the state at large.
Present constitution, relative to the Board of Regents, the LSU board of supervisors, the
Southern University board of supervisors, and the University of La. system board of
supervisors, provides that each board shall have two members from each congressional HLS 12RS-1037 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 524
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district and one from the state at large appointed by the governor, for a total of 15 members
per board. Proposed constitutional amendment retains the total membership at 15 but
provides that two members shall be from each congressional district and the remaining
member or members shall be from the state at large.
Present constitution, relative to the Board of Supervisors of Community and Technical
Colleges, provides that the board has 15 members appointed by the governor of which two
members shall be from each congressional district and the remaining member or members
shall be from the state at large. Proposed constitutional amendment retains present
constitution.
Proposed constitutional amendment, relative to the Board of Regents, the LSU board of
supervisors, the Southern University board of supervisors, the University of La. system
board of supervisors, and the Board of Supervisors of Community and Technical Colleges,
provides that to implement the requirement for membership from congressional districts,
beginning on Jan. 3, 2013, and beginning every 10 years thereafter on the day the members
of congress from newly reapportioned congressional districts take office, any vacancy that
occurs on the board from a congressional district from which there are two or more board
members shall be filled by appointment from a congressional district from which there are
less than two members and after the membership includes two members from each
congressional district, the next vacancy shall be filled by an appointment from the state at
large.
Present constitution, relative to the State Civil Service Commission and the State Police
Commission, provides that each board has seven appointed members with not more than one
from each congressional district. Proposed constitutional amendment retains seven
appointed members but provides that at least one member shall be appointed from each
congressional district. Further provides that every 10 years, beginning on the day the
members of congress from newly reapportioned congressional districts take office, any
vacancy that occurs on the commission shall be filled from a congressional district from
which there is no commission member. Only when the membership includes a member from
each congressional district may a vacancy be filled by an appointment from the state at large.
Provides for submission of the proposed amendment to the voters at the statewide election
to be held Nov. 6, 2012.
(Amends Art. VIII, §5(B)(1), 6(B)(1), and 7(B)(1) and Art. X, §§3(A) and 43(A); Adds Art.
VIII, §8(D))