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Prepared by Jerry G. Jones.
Leger HB No. 1206
(KEYWORD, SUMMARY, AND DIGEST as amended by Senate committee
amendments)
COURTS: Provides for task force to study consolidation of the New Orleans traffic
and Municipal Courts
DIGEST
Present law provides for the Municipal Court and Traffic Courts of New Orleans and the
judgeships and clerks of court for each court and their respective salaries, terms of office,
qualifications, powers and duties, and employees and personnel. Present law further
provides for jurisdiction of the courts and procedures relative to trials and appeals, judicial
administrators, judicial expense funds and use of such funds, quarters for the court,
additional costs, and enumeration of fees and fines.
Proposed law retains present law and creates the New Orleans Municipal and Traffic Court
Task Force to study consolidation of the municipal and traffic courts. Provides for members
and responsibilities. Further requires the task force to submit a report of its findings and
recommendations 30 days prior to the start of the 2015 R.S. of the Legislature. Provides that
the task force shall expire on the first day of the 2015 Regular Session.
(Adds R.S. 13:2520)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Judiciary to the original bill.
1. Removed requirements which designated that the judge senior in point of service
would preside over Division "A" and all other judges would occupy other
divisions according to their respective periods of continuous service.
2. Removed provisions that abolished judgeships occupying Divisions "G" and "H"
upon expiration of their terms on Dec. 31, 2014.
3. Created the New Orleans Municipal and Traffic Court Task Force and provided
for its members and purpose and required the task force to submit a report of its
findings and recommendations 30 days prior to the start of the 2015 R.S. of the
Legislature.
4. Added provisions to prohibit a special election in the event there is a vacancy in
any judgeship until submission of the report by the task force.
5. Deleted provisions relative to the establishment of a separate account as the
consolidated expense fund.
6. Provided for the effective date for the creation of the task force upon signature
of the governor and provided that all other provisions relative to the consolidation
of the courts are to become effective Jan. 1, 2017.
House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill.
1. Provided that the senior and administrative judge of the municipal court shall
serve as the senior and administrative judge of the consolidated court as long as
he holds office and thereafter the judge with most seniority on the consolidated
court will become the senior and administrative judge during his tenure unless he
declines in which case the next senior judge will serve. Page 2 of 2
Prepared by Jerry G. Jones.
2. Changed the membership of the task force to add the chair of the Criminal Justice
Committee of the New Orleans City Council and the mayor of the city of New
Orleans or his designee.
3. Added a provision requiring the task force to provide for a reduction in judges
from eight judges to six judges.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Judiciary A to the
reengrossed bill
1. Deletes proposed law provisions amending multiple statutes to provide for
consolidation of the municipal and traffic courts beginning in 2017, and retains
language providing for creation of task force to perform a study and issuance of
report to legislature in 2015.