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Regular Session, 2013
HOUSE BILL NO. 436
BY REPRESENTATIVES GAROFALO, ARMES, ARNOLD, BARRAS, BERTHELOT,
STUART BISHOP, BROSSETT, BURFORD, CARMODY, CHAMPAGNE,
CONNICK, DANAHAY, GEYMANN, GREENE, HARRIS, HARRISON,
HAVARD, HENRY, HODGES, HOLLIS, HOWARD, KATRINA JACKSON,
JAMES, LAMBERT, NANCY LANDRY, LEOPOLD, MILLER, JAY MORRIS,
JIM MORRIS, POPE, PYLANT, REYNOLDS, RICHARD, ROBIDEAUX,
SCHEXNAYDER, SCHRODER, SEABAUGH, SMITH, TALBOT, THIERRY,
AND THOMPSON
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
BUDGETARY PROCEDURES: (Constitutional Amendment) Provides relative to final
passage of the general appropriation bill
A JOINT RESOLUTION1
Proposing to amend Article III, Section 2(A)(3)(a) and (4)(a) of the Constitution of2
Louisiana, to provide for requirements of consideration of the general appropriation3
bill; 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) and (4)(a) of the Constitution of Louisiana, to read as9
follows:10
§2. Sessions11
Section 2.(A) Annual Session.12
* * *13
(3)(a) All regular sessions convening in even-numbered years shall be14
general in nature and shall convene at noon on the second Monday in March. The15 HLS 13RS-923 REENGROSSED
HB NO. 436
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legislature shall meet in such a session for not more than sixty legislative days during1
a period of eighty-five calendar days. No such session shall continue beyond six2
o'clock in the evening of the eighty-fifth calendar day after convening. No new3
matter intended to have the effect of law shall be introduced or received by either4
house after six o'clock in the evening of the twenty-third calendar day. The general5
appropriation bill shall not be considered on third reading and final passage in the6
House of Representatives after six o'clock in the evening of the forty-second7
calendar day except by a favorable record vote of two-thirds of the elected members8
of each house and shall not be considered on third reading and final passage in the9
Senate after six o'clock in the evening on the sixtieth calendar day except by a10
favorable record vote of two-thirds of the elected members of each house. No other11
matter intended to have the effect of law, except a measure proposing a suspension12
of law, shall be considered on third reading and final passage in either house after six13
o'clock in the evening of the fifty-seventh legislative day or the eighty-second14
calendar day, whichever occurs first, except by a favorable record vote of two-thirds15
of the elected members of each house. 16
* * *17
(4)(a) All regular sessions convening in odd-numbered years shall convene18
at noon on the second Monday in April. The legislature shall meet in such a session19
for not more than forty-five legislative days in a period of sixty calendar days. No20
such session shall continue beyond six o'clock in the evening of the sixtieth calendar21
day after convening. No new matter intended to have the effect of law shall be22
introduced or received by either house after six o'clock in the evening of the tenth23
calendar day. The general appropriation bill shall not be considered on third reading24
and final passage in the House of Representatives after six o'clock in the evening of25
the seventeenth calendar day except by a favorable record vote of two-thirds of the26
elected members of each house and shall not be considered on third reading and final27
passage in the Senate after six o'clock in the evening on the thirty-fifth calendar day28
except by a favorable record vote of two-thirds of the elected members of each29 HLS 13RS-923 REENGROSSED
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house. No other matter intended to have the effect of law, except a measure1
proposing a suspension of law, shall be considered on third reading and final passage2
in either house after six o'clock in the evening of the forty-second legislative day or3
fifty-seventh calendar day, whichever occurs first, except by a favorable record vote4
of two-thirds of the elected members of each house.5
* * *6
Section 2.(A) Be it further resolved that this proposed amendment shall be submitted7
to the electors of the state of Louisiana at the statewide election to be held on November 4,8
2014.9
(B) Be it further resolved, that notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (A) of10
this Section, this proposed amendment shall not be submitted to the electors of the state of11
Louisiana unless the proposed amendments of the Constitution of Louisiana contained in the12
Joint Resolutions which originated as House Bill Nos. 434 and 435 of this 2013 Regular13
Session of the Legislature are concurred in by both houses of the legislature and the bills14
which originated as House Bill Nos. 1, 437, 456, 474, 571, 620, 653, and 696 of this 201315
Regular Session of the Legislature are enacted into law.16
Section 3. Be it further resolved that on the official ballot to be used at the election,17
there shall be printed a proposition, upon which the electors of the state shall be permitted18
to vote YES or NO, to amend the Constitution of Louisiana, which proposition shall read as19
follows:20
Do you support an amendment to require final passage of the general21
appropriation bill at an earlier calendar date in the legislative session than the22
date required for final passage of other legislative instruments unless23
authorized by two-thirds vote of each house of the legislature? (Amends24
Article III, Section 2(A)(3)(a) and (4)(a))25 HLS 13RS-923 REENGROSSED
HB NO. 436
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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)]
Garofalo HB No. 436
Abstract: Provides for the timing of the final passage of the general appropriation bill
different from other legislative bills.
Present constitution provides for the last day for final passage of matters intended to have
the effect of law, with the exceptions of matters intended to suspend a law, as follows:
(1)In a regular session in even-numbered years, in which the legislature meets no more
than 60 legislative days in 85 calendar days, final passage must occur by 6:00 p.m.
of the 57
th
legislative day or the 82
nd
calendar day, whichever occurs first.
(2)In a regular session in odd-numbered years, in which the legislature meets no more
than 45 legislative days in 60 calendar days, final passage must occur by 6:00 p.m.
of the 42
nd
legislative day or the 57
th
calendar day, whichever occurs first.
Proposed law retains present constitution and further provides for the last day for final
passage of the general appropriation bill as follows:
(1)In a regular session in even-numbered years, final passage in the House of
Representatives must occur by 6:00 p.m. of the 42
nd
calendar day and in the Senate
by 6:00 p.m. of the 60
th
calendar day.
(2)In a regular session in odd-numbered years, final passage in the House of
Representatives must occur by 6:00 p.m. of the 17
th
calendar day and in the Senate
by 6:00 p.m. of the 35
th
calendar day.
Provides for submission of the proposed amendment to the voters at the statewide election
to be held Nov. 4, 2014.
Further provides the proposed constitutional amendment shall not be submitted to the
electors of the state of Louisiana unless the proposed amendments of the Constitution of
Louisiana contained in the Joint Resolutions which originated as House Bill Nos. 434 and
435 of this 2013 Regular Session of the Legislature are concurred in by both houses of the
legislature and the bills which originated as House Bill Nos. 1, 437, 456, 474, 571, 620, 653,
and 696 of this 2013 Regular Session of the Legislature are enacted into law.
(Amends Const. Art. III, §2(A)(3)(a) and (4)(a))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill.
1. Allows for final passage of the general appropriation bill after the date in the
proposed constitutional amendment with a favorable vote of 2/3 of the elected
members of each house.
2. Provides that the proposed constitutional amendment shall not be submitted to
the electors of the state until other certain House Bills are concurred in by both
houses of the legislature or enacted into law.