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)]
Franklin HB No. 553
Abstract: Provides geographic boundaries for election sections in the City Court of Lake
Charles and provides for the assignment of judgeships in those districts for election
purposes.
Statistical summaries of proposed law as well as maps illustrating proposed district
boundaries accompany this digest. (Attached to hard copies of the bill distributed during
session and available as a separate document on the Internet.)
Present law provides that the City Court of Lake Charles is domiciled in the city of Lake Charles
and that the territorial jurisdiction of the court extends through the city and ward or wards
wherein the city is located, as extended from time to time. Provides that the court has two city
judges and one city marshal. Proposed law retains present law.
Proposed law creates two election sections in the City Court of Lake Charles. Provides that one
judge shall be elected by the qualified electors of election section one, and one judge shall be
elected by the qualified electors of election section two. Provides that the judgeship designated
on the effective date of proposed law as Division A of the City Court of Lake Charles is assigned
to election section two for election purposes. Provides that the judgeship designated on the
effective date of proposed law as Division B of the City Court of Lake Charles is assigned to
election section one for election purposes.
Proposed law provides that the precincts for Calcasieu Parish referenced in proposed law are
those contained in the file named "2012 Precinct Shapefiles" published on the La. House of
Representatives website. Provides that the 2012 Precinct Shapefiles are based upon those Voting
Districts (VTDs) contained in the 2010 Census Redistricting TIGER/Line Shapefiles for the State
of La. as those files have been modified by the staff of the Legislature of La. to represent precinct
changes submitted through Aug. 8, 2012, to the Legislature of La. by parish governing authorities
pursuant to the provisions of present law (R.S. 18:532 and 532.1).
Proposed law provides that when a precinct referenced in proposed law has been subdivided by
action of the parish governing authority on a nongeographic basis or subdivided by action of the
parish governing authority on a geographic basis in accordance with the provisions of present law
(R.S. 18:532.1), the enumeration in proposed law of the general precinct designation shall
include all nongeographic and all geographic subdivisions thereof, however such subdivisions
may be designated. Provides that the territorial limits of the election sections as provided in
proposed law shall continue in effect without change regardless of any changes made to the precincts by the parish governing authority.
Population data in the summaries accompanying this digest are derived from 2010 Census
Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171), Summary File for Louisiana. Population data, statistical
information, and maps are supplied for purposes of information and analysis and comprise no
part of proposed law.
(Amends R.S. 13:1952(13))