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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. (8/1/14)
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
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Community School Board, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board shall1
continue to consist of twelve members be comprised of nine members elected at2
the congressional elections.3
(2) Each member of the board elected to office shall continue in office until4
the expiration of the term for which he was elected and until his successor is5
qualified and takes office as otherwise provided by law. Board members shall serve6
four-year terms.7
(3) The provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall be effective8
for the limited purpose of qualification and election of school board members9
in 2014, and shall become effective for all purposes on January 1, 2015.10
B. Until a single-member district plan is developed and approved in11
accordance with the provisions of R.S. 17:58.2, the members of the board shall12
continue to be elected from the following districts and in the following number from13
each district: the members of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board elected14
in 2014 are elected and take office, the school board shall continue to be15
comprised of eleven members elected from single-member districts.16
(1) Seven members from the area composed of Ward 1 of the parish of East17
Baton Rouge.18
(2) Three members from the area composed of Ward 2 of the parish of East19
Baton Rouge.20
(3) Two members from the area composed of Ward 3 of the parish of East21
Baton Rouge.22
* * *23
§58.2. East Baton Rouge Parish School Board; reapportionment; election districts;24
terms25
A. At the election for school board members to be held at the same time26
as the congressional elections in 1982 2014, and thereafter, the members of the East27
Baton Rouge Parish School Board shall be elected from single-member districts.28
B.(1) On or before December 31, 1981 Before August 1, 2014, the East29 SB NO. 672
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Baton Rouge Parish School Board shall develop a plan to divide the parish East1
Baton Rouge Parish school district into nine single-member districts from each of2
which one member of said the board shall be elected. Such districts shall be drawn3
with as equal population as possible, utilizing population figures from the 1980 20104
United States government decennial census. Each member of the board shall be5
elected at the election for school board members to be held at the congressional6
election to be held in 1982. The members elected in 1982, and their successors in7
office, shall serve for four-year concurrent terms.8
(2) Copies of the proposed single-member district plan shall be submitted to9
the members of the East Baton Rouge Parish legislative delegation for approval no10
later than January 15, 1982. The proposed plan shall be approved if the chairman of11
the East Baton Rouge Parish legislative delegation files with the secretary of state12
a notarized statement that the parish delegation has held a public meeting to consider13
the plan, after due public notice, and a majority of the total membership of the14
delegation has voted to approve the plan. The notarized statement must be filed no15
later than April 1, 1982. If the East Baton Rouge Parish legislative delegation does16
not approve the plan submitted by the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, the17
legislature shall develop and enact such a plan no later than June 30, 1982.18
C. Prior to final adoption of the apportionment plan required above by19
Subsection B of this Section or any future alteration, change or rearrangement of20
school board election districts, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board shall order21
a public hearing on the proposed plan, alteration, change, or rearrangement and shall22
cause to be published in a newspaper published within the parish at least twenty (20)23
ten days prior to the date of such hearing, the time and place thereof, a general24
summary and map of the proposed plan, and the times and places where copies of the25
proposed plan are available for public inspection.26
Section 2. The provisions of this Act shall be null and void if the East Baton Rouge27
Parish School Board adopts a plan no later than May 26, 2014, to reduce the membership of28
the board to nine or fewer members and adopts a policy not later than August 1, 2014, to29 SB NO. 672
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implement this plan.1
The original instrument was prepared by Jerry J. Guillot. The following
digest, which does not constitute a part of the legislative instrument, was
prepared by Jeanne Johnston.
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 nine members elected at the congressional
elections. Provides that board members shall be elected from single-member districts to
serve four-year terms. 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 the board members
elected in 2014 take office, the members of the board shall continue to be comprised of 11
members elected from single-member districts.
Present law 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 instead requires the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, before August 1,
2014, to develop a plan to divide the East Baton Rouge Parish school district into nine
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
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 ten rather than at least 20 days before
the hearing.
Present law provides 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 deletes 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 SB NO. 672
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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.
Proposed law provides that proposed law will be null and void if the East Baton Rouge
Parish School Board adopts a plan no later than May 26, 2014, to reduce the membership of
the board to nine or fewer members and adopts a policy not later than August 1, 2014, to
implement this plan.
Effective August 1, 2014.
(Amends R.S. 17:57, 58, and 58.2(A), (B), and (C))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Education to the
original bill
1. Provides that the board will be comprised of nine members elected from
single-member districts instead of seven members comprised of one member
elected at-large member and six members elected from single-member
districts.
2. Provides that proposed law will be null and void if the EBR Parish School
Board adopts a plan no later than May 26, 2014, to reduce the membership
of the board to nine or fewer members and adopts a policy not later than
August 1, 2014, to implement this plan.