HLS 12RS-1279 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2012
HOUSE BILL NO. 667
BY REPRESENTATIVE KATRINA JACKSON
LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS: (Constitutional Amendment) Provides for the convening of
the regular legislative session in the first year of the regular term of office
A JOINT RESOLUTION1
Proposing to amend Article III, Section 2(A)(3)(a) of the Constitution of Louisiana, to2
change the day of the convening of the legislature in annual regular session in certain3
years; to provide for submission of the proposed amendment to the electors; and to4
provide for related matters.5
Section 1. Be it resolved by the Legislature of Louisiana, two-thirds of the members6
elected to each house concurring, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the state of7
Louisiana, for their approval or rejection in the manner provided by law, a proposal to8
amend Article III, Section 2(A)(3)(a) of the Constitution of Louisiana, to read as follows:9
§2. Sessions10
Section 2.(A) Annual Session.11
* * *12
(3)(a) All regular sessions convening in even-numbered years shall be13
general in nature and shall convene at noon on the second Monday in March, except14
that a regular session convening in the first even-numbered year of a regular term of15
office shall convene at noon on the fourth Monday in March. The legislature shall16
meet in such a session for not more than sixty legislative days during a period of17
eighty-five calendar days. No such session shall continue beyond six o'clock in the18
evening of the eighty-fifth calendar day after convening. No new matter intended19
to have the effect of law shall be introduced or received by either house after six20 HLS 12RS-1279 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 667
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o'clock in the evening of the twenty-third calendar day. No matter intended to have1
the effect of law, except a measure proposing a suspension of law, shall be2
considered on third reading and final passage in either house after six o'clock in the3
evening of the fifty-seventh legislative day or the eighty-second calendar day,4
whichever occurs first, except by a favorable record vote of two-thirds of the elected5
members of each house.6
* * *7
Section 2. Be it further resolved that this proposed amendment shall be submitted8
to the electors of the state of Louisiana at the statewide election to be held on November 6,9
2012.10
Section 3. Be it further resolved that on the official ballot to be used at the election,11
there shall be printed a proposition, upon which the electors of the state shall be permitted12
to vote YES or NO, to amend the Constitution of Louisiana, which proposition shall read as13
follows:14
Do you support an amendment to change the date the legislature convenes in15
regular session in the first year of a regular term of office from the second16
Monday in March to the fourth Monday in March?(Amends Article III,17
Section 2(A)(3)(a))18
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)]
Katrina Jackson HB No. 667
Abstract: Postpones the convening of a regular session in the first year of a term of office
from noon on the second Monday in March to noon on the fourth Monday in March.
Present constitution, relative to the holding of regular legislative sessions in even-numbered
years, provides that the legislature convenes at noon on the second Monday in March for not
more than 60 legislative days during a period of 85 calendar days.
Proposed constitutional amendment moves the convening of the session in the first even-
numbered year of a regular term of office to noon on the fourth Monday in March and
otherwise retains the present constitution. HLS 12RS-1279 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 667
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Provides for submission of the proposed amendment to the voters at the statewide election
to be held Nov. 6, 2012.
(Amends Article III, §2(A)(3)(a))