SLS 14RS-1800 ORIGINAL
Page 1 of 5
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
Regular Session, 2014
SENATE BILL NO. 672
BY SENATORS WHITE AND CLAITOR
SCHOOLS. Provides relative to the membership and election of members of the East Baton
Rouge Parish School Board. (gov sig)
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 17:57, 58, and 58.2(A), (B), and (C), relative to the East Baton2
Rouge Parish School Board; to provide for the membership of the board, for districts,3
and for election of the members; and to provide for related matters.4
Notice of intention to introduce this Act has been published.5
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:6
Section 1. R.S. 17:57, 58, and 58.2(A), (B), and (C) are hereby amended and7
reenacted to read as follows:8
§57. Representation of municipalities on parish boards9
Whenever Except as provided in R.S. 17:58 through 58.2, whenever a10
parish contains a municipality, the population of which is more than one-half of that11
of the entire parish, the municipality shall have representation on the parish school12
board proportionate to its population.13
§58. East Baton Rouge Parish School Board; membership; terms14
A.(1) Until a single-member district plan is developed and approved in15
accordance with the provisions of R.S. 17:58.2 Excluding the Baker municipal16
school system, the Zachary Community School Board, and the Central17 SB NO. 672
SLS 14RS-1800 ORIGINAL
Page 2 of 5
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
Community School Board, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board shall1
continue to consist of twelve members be comprised of seven members elected at2
the congressional elections as provided in R.S. 17:58.2. Of the seven members,3
one member shall be elected at large by the qualified electors of the entire East4
Baton Rouge Parish School Board district.5
(2) Each member of the board elected to office shall continue in office until6
the expiration of the term for which he was elected and until his successor is7
qualified and takes office as otherwise provided by law. Board members shall serve8
four-year terms.9
(3) The provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall be effective10
for the limited purpose of qualification and election of school board members11
in 2014, and shall become effective for all purposes on January 1, 2015.12
B. Until a single-member district plan is developed and approved in13
accordance with the provisions of R.S. 17:58.2, the members of the board shall14
continue to be elected from the following districts and in the following number from15
each district: the members of the East Baton Parish School Board elected in 201416
are elected and take office, the school board shall continue to be comprised of17
eleven members elected from single-member districts.18
(1) Seven members from the area composed of Ward 1 of the parish of East19
Baton Rouge.20
(2) Three members from the area composed of Ward 2 of the parish of East21
Baton Rouge.22
(3) Two members from the area composed of Ward 3 of the parish of East23
Baton Rouge.24
* * *25
§58.2. East Baton Rouge Parish School Board; reapportionment; election districts;26
terms27
A. At the election for school board members to be held at the same time28
as the congressional elections in 1982 2014, and thereafter, the seven members of29 SB NO. 672
SLS 14RS-1800 ORIGINAL
Page 3 of 5
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board shall be elected from as follows:1
(1) One member shall be elected by the qualified electors of the entire2
East Baton Rouge Parish School Board district.3
(2) The remaining members shall be elected by the qualified electors of4
six single-member districts.5
B.(1) On or before December 31, 1981 Before August 1, 2014, the East6
Baton Rouge Parish School Board shall develop a plan to divide the parish East7
Baton Rouge Parish School Board district into six single-member districts from8
each of which one member of said the board shall be elected. Such districts shall be9
drawn with as equal population as possible, utilizing population figures from the10
1980 2010 United States government decennial census. Each member of the board11
shall be elected at the election for school board members to be held at the12
congressional election to be held in 1982. The members elected in 1982, and their13
successors in office, shall serve for four-year concurrent terms.14
(2) Copies of the proposed single-member district plan shall be submitted to15
the members of the East Baton Rouge Parish legislative delegation for approval no16
later than January 15, 1982. The proposed plan shall be approved if the chairman of17
the East Baton Rouge Parish legislative delegation files with the secretary of state18
a notarized statement that the parish delegation has held a public meeting to consider19
the plan, after due public notice, and a majority of the total membership of the20
delegation has voted to approve the plan. The notarized statement must be filed no21
later than April 1, 1982 2016. If the East Baton Rouge Parish legislative delegation22
does not approve the plan submitted by the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board,23
the legislature shall develop and enact such a plan no later than June 30, 1982.24
C. Prior to final adoption of the apportionment plan required above by25
Subsection B of this Section or any future alteration, change or rearrangement of26
school board election districts, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board shall order27
a public hearing on the proposed plan, alteration, change, or rearrangement and shall28
cause to be published in a newspaper published within the parish at least twenty (20)29 SB NO. 672
SLS 14RS-1800 ORIGINAL
Page 4 of 5
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
ten days prior to the date of such hearing, the time and place thereof, a general1
summary and map of the proposed plan, and the times and places where copies of the2
proposed plan are available for public inspection.3
Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not4
signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature5
by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If6
vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become7
effective on the day following such approval.8
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jerry J. Guillot.
DIGEST
White (SB 672)
Present law provides for an earlier redistricting of the East Baton Parish School Board.
(Note: the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board currently has 11 members elected from
single-member districts).
Proposed law provides that, excluding the Baker municipal school system, the Zachary
Community School Board, and the Central Community School Board, the East Baton Rouge
Parish School Board shall be comprised of seven members. Provides that, of the seven
members, one member shall be elected at large by the qualified electors of the entire East
Baton Rouge Parish School Board district. Provides that these provisions shall be effective
for the limited purpose of qualification and election of school board members in 2014, and
shall become effective for all purposes on January 1, 2015. Further provides that until a
single-member district plan is developed and approved in accordance with proposed law
below, the members of the board shall continue to be comprised of eleven members elected
from single-member districts.
Present law provides that the members of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board shall
be elected from single-member districts. Provides for the East Baton Rouge Parish School
Board to develop an earlier plan for single-member school board districts. Requires that such
districts be drawn with as equal population as possible using population figures from the
U.S. census.
Proposed law provides instead that one member of the board shall be elected at large by the
qualified electors of the entire East Baton Rouge Parish School Board district and that the
remaining members shall be elected by the qualified electors of six single-member districts.
Requires the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, before Aug. 1, 2014, to develop a plan
to divide the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board district into six single-member districts
from each of which one member of the board shall be elected. Provides that districts be
drawn with as equal population as possible, utilizing population figures from the 2010 U.S.
census.
Present law, relative to the prior apportionment plan or any future alteration, change or
rearrangement of school board election districts, requires the East Baton Rouge Parish
School Board to order a public hearing on the proposed plan, alteration, change, or
rearrangement and publish a notice of the hearing at least 20 days prior to the hearing, giving
the time and place thereof, a general summary and map of the proposed plan, and the times SB NO. 672
SLS 14RS-1800 ORIGINAL
Page 5 of 5
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
and places where copies of the proposed plan are available for public inspection.
Proposed law retains present law making it applicable to the plan required by proposed law.
Changes the time for publication of notice to at least 10 rather than at least 20 days before
the hearing.
Present law provided procedures for approval of an earlier school board redistricting plan
by the members of the East Baton Rouge Parish legislative delegation. Provided that, if the
delegation did not approve the plan, the legislature would develop and enact a plan.
Proposed law removes these provisions.
Present law requires, when a parish contains a municipality, the population of which is more
than one-half that of the entire parish, that the municipality have representation on the parish
school board proportionate to its population.
Proposed law excepts the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board from this requirement.
Proposed law retains present law that provides that East Baton Rouge Parish School Board
members shall continue in office until the expiration of the term for which elected and until
their successors are qualified and take office and that board members serve four-year terms.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 17:57, 58, and 58.2(A), (B), and (C))