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Regular Session, 2014
SENATE BILL NO. 601
BY SENATOR AMEDEE
LOCAL OFFICIALS. Provides relative to the abolition of the position of police chief and
the police department of the town of Sorrento. (gov sig)
AN ACT1
To enact R.S. 33:381(C)(33), relative to the town of Sorrento; to provide for the abolition2
of the office of the chief of police and the police department; to provide for3
limitations and requirements on such abolition; to require voter approval; to4
authorize the municipality to contract for law enforcement services; to provide for5
an effective date; and to provide for related matters.6
Notice of intention to introduce this Act has been published.7
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:8
Section 1. R.S. 33:381(C)(33) is hereby enacted to read as follows:9
ยง381. Municipal officers10
* * *11
C.12
* * *13
(33)(a)(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the14
council of the town of Sorrento may, upon the recommendation of the mayor,15
adopt an ordinance calling for an election to abolish the office of chief of police,16
the police department, or both. The election shall be held in accordance with the17 SB NO. 601
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Louisiana Election Code.1
(ii) If a majority of the qualified electors voting at such election vote to2
abolish the office of chief of police, the office shall be abolished upon the end of3
the term of the chief of police in office at the time or when a vacancy occurs in4
the office, whichever occurs first; however, if at the time the election occurs the5
office is filled by an officer temporarily appointed, the abolition of the office6
shall become effective as provided by ordinance.7
(iii) If a majority of the qualified electors voting at such election vote to8
abolish the police department, the abolition of the department shall become9
effective as provided by ordinance.10
(b) If the office of chief of police is abolished or the municipal police11
department is abolished, or both, the mayor and council may contract, or enter12
into a cooperative endeavor, with any law enforcement entity or officer within13
Ascension Parish for police services for the town.14
* * *15
Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not16
signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature17
by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If18
vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become19
effective on the day following such approval.20
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Dawn Romero Watson.
DIGEST
Amedee (SB 601)
Present law provides that the officers of every municipality shall be a mayor, aldermen
(councilmen), a chief of police, a tax collector and a clerk.
Present law provides for at-large elections for the office of mayor and of police chief in all
municipalities. Further provides for exceptions with respect to the chief of police in certain
municipalities.
Present law (R.S. 33:362(C)) provides that any department of a municipality, other than the
police department in a municipality with an elected chief of police, shall be created,
abolished, merged, or consolidated by the board of aldermen, upon the written
recommendation of the mayor. SB NO. 601
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
Proposed law provides an exception to present law for the elective office of the chief of
police in the town of Sorrento. Provides that the Sorrento council (board of alderman), may,
upon the recommendation of the mayor, adopt an ordinance calling for an election to abolish
the office of chief of police, the police department, or both. Provides that the election shall
be held in accordance with the Louisiana Election Code.
Proposed law provides that, if a majority votes to abolish the office of the chief of police,
the office shall be abolished upon the end of the term of the chief of police in office at the
time or when a vacancy occurs in the office, whichever occurs first; however, if at the time
the election occurs the office is filled by an officer temporarily appointed, the abolition of
the office shall become effective as provided by the ordinance.
Proposed law provides that, if a majority votes to abolish the police department, the
department shall be abolished as provided by the ordinance.
Proposed law provides that, if the office of chief of police or the police department is
abolished pursuant to proposed law, the mayor and council may contract with any law
enforcement entity or officer within Ascension Parish for police services.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 33:381(C)(33))