HLS 15RS-389 ORIGINAL
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 76
BY REPRESENTATIVE ALFRED WILLIAMS
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
REAPPORTIONMENT/JUDGES: Provides for the election sections for the City Court of
Baton Rouge and for the number of judges elected from such sections
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 13:1952(4), relative to the City Court of Baton Rouge; to provide
3 for the composition of the election sections; to provide for the number of judges
4 elected from each election section; to provide for the assignment of divisions to each
5 election section; to provide relative to the assignment of certain annexations to
6 election sections; and to provide for related matters.
7Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 13:1952(4) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
9 ยง1952. Courts created by special legislative Act
10 The following city courts, heretofore created and established by special
11 legislative Act, are hereby recognized and continued in existence and, except as
12 otherwise provided in this Section, their territorial jurisdiction shall extend through
13 the city and ward or wards wherein the city in which they are domiciled is located,
14 as extended from time to time:
15 * * *
16 (4)(a) The City Court of Baton Rouge, domiciled in the city of Baton Rouge,
17 parish of East Baton Rouge, having five city judges and a city constable. The court
18 shall be divided into five divisions, namely, divisions "A", "B", "C", "D", and "E"
19 and its territorial jurisdiction shall extend throughout the territorial area of the city
20 of Baton Rouge as extended from time to time.
Page 1 of 6
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 15RS-389 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 76
1 (b) For the purpose of electing judges, the court shall be divided into two
2 election sections.
3 (i) Election section one shall consist of precincts: 1-1A, 1-1B, 1-3A, 1-3B,
4 1-4, 1-5, 1-6, 1-8, 1-11, 1-13A, 1-13B, 1-16, 1-17, 1-18, 1-19, 1-20, 1-21, 1-22, 1-23,
5 1-24, 1-25, 1-26, 1-27, 1-28, 1-29, 1-31A, 1-31B, 1-38A, 1-38B, 1-45, 1-46A, 1-46B,
6 1-46C, 1-46D, 1-50A, 1-50B, 1-51A, 1-51B, 1-58A, 1-58B, 1-61, 1-67, 1-68, 1-84A,
7 1-84B, 1-85A, 1-85B, 1-86A, 1-86B, 1-91, 1-92A, 1-92B, 1-93, 1-94A, 1-94B, 1-
8 95A, 1-95B, 1-96A and 1-96B the following precincts and parts of precincts
9 contained within the corporate limits of the city of Baton Rouge:1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-4,
10 1-5, 1-6, 1-7, 1-8, 1-10, 1-13, 1-14, 1-15, 1-16, 1-17 (part), 1-18, 1-19, 1-21, 1-22,
11 1-23 (part), 1-24, 1-25, 1-26, 1-27, 1-28, 1-29, 1-30, 1-31, 1-32, 1-33, 1-36, 1-37,
12 1-38, 1-40, 1-41, 1-44, 1-45, 1-46, 1-48, 1-50, 1-51, 1-57, 1-58, 1-61, 1-62, 1-63, 1-
13 64, 1-67, 1-68, 1-70, 1-77 (part), 1-78, 1-82, 1-84 (part), 1-85 (part), 1-86, 1-91,
14 1-92, 1-93, 1-94, 1-95 (part), 1-100 (part), 1-101 (part), 1-102 (part), 1-104, 2-1
15 (part), 2-9 (part), 2-11 (part), 2-22 (part), 2-24 (part), 2-25 (part), 3-5 (part), 3-8
16 (part), 3-20(part), 3-24 (part), and 3-50 (part).
17 (ii) Election section two shall consist of precincts: 1-7, 1-10, 1-14A, 1-14B,
18 1-15A, 1-15B, 1-30, 1-32, 1-33, 1-34A, 1-34B, 1-35, 1-36A, 1-36B, 1-36C, 1-36D,
19 1-37, 1-39, 1-40, 1-41, 1-42, 1-43, 1-44, 1-48A, 1-48B, 1-49A, 1-49B, 1-52A, 1-52B,
20 1-53A, 1-53B, 1-53C, 1-53D, 1-54A, 1-54B, 1-55A, 1-55B, 1-56A, 1-56B, 1-57, 1-
21 59, 1-60A, 1-60B, 1-62, 1-63, 1-64, 1-65, 1-69A, 1-69B, 1-71A, 1-71B, 1-71C, 1-
22 71D, 1-72A, 1-72B, 1-72C, 1-73A, 1-73B, 1-74A, 1-74B, 1-74C, 1-75A, 1-75B, 1-
23 75C, 1-75D, 1-76A, 1-76B, 1-76C, 1-76D, 1-78A, 1-78B, 1-79, 1-80, 1-81, 1-82A,
24 1-82B, 1-82C, 1-82D, 1-83A, 1-83B, 1-87, 1-88A, 1-88B, 1-89, 1-90, 1-97, 1-98A,
25 1-98B, 1-99A, 1-99B, and 1-99C the following precincts and parts of precincts
26 contained within the corporate limits of the city of Baton Rouge:1-9, 1-12, 1-34,
27 1-35, 1-39, 1-42, 1-43, 1-47, 1-49, 1-52, 1-53, 1-54, 1-55, 1-56, 1-59, 1-60, 1-65
28 (part), 1-66, 1-69, 1-71, 1-72, 1-73, 1-74, 1-75, 1-80 (part), 1-81, 1-83, 1-87, 1-88
29 (part), 1-89 (part), 1-90, 1-97 (part), 1-98, 1-99 (part), 1-103, 1-105 (part), 1-107
Page 2 of 6
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 15RS-389 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 76
1 (part), 3-7 (part), 3-10 (part), 3-11 (part), 3-12 (part), 3-17 (part), 3-21 (part), 3-23
2 (part), 3-27 (part), 3-28 (part), 3-29 (part), 3-31 (part), 3-32 (part), 3-35 (part), 3-51
3 (part), 3-52 (part), and 3-55 (part).
4 (c) Two Three judges shall be elected by election section one, and three two
5 judges shall be elected by election section two.
6 (d) The metropolitan council for the city of Baton Rouge, parish of East
7 Baton Rouge, is hereby authorized to assign annexations which are approved
8 subsequent to June 15, 1993, the effective date of Act No. 609 of the 1993 Regular
9 Session of the Legislature October 22, 2014, to the appropriate election section.
10 After each such assignment, the metropolitan council shall submit the assignment by
11 certified mail or by hand delivery with receipt to the Senate Committee on Senate
12 and Governmental Affairs and the House Committee on House and Governmental
13 Affairs for approval. Upon the receipt of the submission, the Senate Committee on
14 Senate and Governmental Affairs and the House Committee on House and
15 Governmental Affairs shall have forty-five days to determine, either jointly or
16 separately, whether the assignment shall be approved or disapproved. If the time
17 period for action by the committees has lapsed without any action by such
18 committees, the assignment shall be deemed approved. If one or both committees
19 disapprove the assignment, such assignment to the election section shall not be
20 effective for any purpose.
21 * * *
22 Section 2.(A) The judgeships designated on the effective date of this Act as divisions
23"B", "C", and "D" of the City Court of Baton Rouge are hereby assigned to election section
24one for election purposes. The judgeships designated on the effective date of this Act as
25divisions "A" and "E" of the City Court of Baton Rouge are hereby assigned to election
26section two for election purposes.
27 (B) In addition to qualifications provided by law for a judge of the City Court of
28Baton Rouge, a candidate for a judgeship elected by either election section need only be a
29resident of the city of Baton Rouge. The provisions of this Act shall not be construed in any
Page 3 of 6
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 15RS-389 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 76
1manner to decrease the term of any judge serving on the effective date of this Act or to
2prohibit any judge from seeking reelection in any division of the court.
3 Section 3.(A) The precincts for the Parish of East Baton Rouge referenced in this
4Act are those contained in the file named "2014 Precinct Shapefiles" published on the
5Louisiana House of Representatives website. The 2014 Precinct Shapefiles are based upon
6those Voting Districts (VTDs) contained in the 2010 Census Redistricting TIGER/Line
7Shapefiles for the State of Louisiana as those files have been modified by the staff of the
8Legislature of Louisiana to represent precinct changes submitted through August 13, 2014,
9to the Legislature of Louisiana by parish governing authorities pursuant to the provisions of
10R.S. 18:532 and 532.1.
11 (B) When a precinct referenced in this Act has been subdivided by action of the
12parish governing authority on a nongeographic basis or subdivided by action of the parish
13governing authority on a geographic basis in accordance with the provisions of R.S.
1418:532.1, the enumeration in this Act of the general precinct designation shall include all
15nongeographic and all geographic subdivisions thereof, however such subdivisions may be
16designated. The territorial limits of the election sections as provided in this Act shall
17continue in effect without change regardless of any changes made to the precincts by the
18parish governing authority. However, the territorial limits of the election sections may
19change due to annexations as provided in R.S. 13:1952(4)(d).
20 Section 4. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
21signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
22by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
23vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
24effective on the day following such approval.
Page 4 of 6
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 15RS-389 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 76
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)]
HB 76 Original 2015 Regular Session Alfred Williams
Abstract: Changes the election sections for the City Court of Baton Rouge and provides
that three judges are elected from election section one and two judges are elected
from election section two.
Present law provides for the City Court of Baton Rouge, domiciled in Baton Rouge and
having five city judges and a city constable. Provides that the court is divided into five
divisions, "A", "B", "C", "D", and "E" and its territorial jurisdiction shall extend throughout
the territorial area of the city of Baton Rouge as extended from time to time. Provides for
the purpose of electing judges, the court is divided into two election sections and that two
judges (divisions "B" and "D") are elected in election section one and three judges (divisions
"A", "C", and "E") are elected in election section two.
Proposed law changes the composition of election section one and election section two.
Further, proposed law provides that three judges shall be elected from election section one
and two judges shall be elected from election section two. Proposed law provides that
divisions "B", "C", and "D" are assigned to election section one for election purposes and
divisions "A" and "E" are assigned to election section two for election purposes.
Proposed law specifies that in addition to qualifications provided by law for a judge of the
Baton Rouge City Court, a candidate for a judgeship elected by either election section need
only be a resident of the city of Baton Rouge and that the provisions of proposed law shall
not be construed in any manner to decrease the term of any judge serving on the effective
date of proposed law or to prohibit any judge from seeking reelection in any division of the
court.
Present law allows the metropolitan council for the city of Baton Rouge, parish of East
Baton Rouge, to assign annexations which are approved subsequent to June 15, 1993, to the
appropriate election section. Requires the metropolitan council to submit such assignment
by certified mail or by hand delivery with receipt to the Senate Committee on Senate and
Governmental Affairs and the House Committee on House and Governmental Affairs for
approval. Provides that the committees have 45 days to determine, either jointly or
separately, whether the assignment shall be approved or disapproved. Specifies that if the
time period for action by the committees lapses without action by such committees, the
assignment is deemed approved, and if one or both committees disapprove the assignment,
such assignment is not effective for any purpose.
Proposed law provides for the assignment of annexations subsequent to Oct. 22, 2014, in
accordance with present law, and otherwise retains present law.
Proposed law specifies that precincts referenced in district descriptions in proposed law are
those contained in the file named "2014 Precinct Shapefiles" published on the La. House of
Representatives website. Specifies that the 2014 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 to
represent precinct changes submitted through Aug. 13, 2014, to the legislature by parish
governing authorities pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 18:532 and 532.1.
Proposed law additionally provides that when a precinct is subdivided on a nongeographic
or geographic basis under present law (R.S. 18:532.1), the general precinct designation in
Page 5 of 6
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 15RS-389 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 76
the district description includes all nongeographic and geographic subdivisions of the
precinct within the corporate limits of Baton Rouge, and specifies 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.
Specifically excepts changes to the territorial limits made as provided in proposed law
relative to annexations.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 13:1952(4))
Page 6 of 6
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.