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 Engrossed 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 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))