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 83 Original 2016 Regular Session Garofalo
Abstract: Prohibits a person who has been convicted of a felony from qualifying for or taking
public elective office or appointment of honor, trust, or profit in this state. Provides certain
exceptions for persons pardoned by appropriate officer and persons for whom more than 15
years have passed after completion of sentence.
Present constitution provides that the right to register and vote may be suspended while a person is
interdicted and judicially declared mentally incompetent or under an order of imprisonment for
conviction of a felony.
Proposed constitutional amendment retains present constitution and further prohibits the following
from qualifying as a candidate for elective public office or taking public elective office or
appointment of honor, trust, or profit in this state:
(1)A person who has been convicted within this state of a felony and who has exhausted all
legal remedies, or who has been convicted under the laws of any other state or of the U.S.
or of any foreign government or country of a crime which, if committed in this state, would
be a felony and who has exhausted all legal remedies and has not afterwards been pardoned
either by the governor of this state or by the officer of the state, nation, government, or
country having such authority to pardon in the place where the person was convicted and
sentenced.
(2)A person actually under an order of imprisonment for conviction of a felony.
Proposed constitutional amendment further authorizes a person to qualify as a candidate for or hold
elective office if the date of qualifying for such office is more than 15 years after the date of the
completion of his original sentence.
Provides for submission of the proposed amendment to the voters at the statewide election to be held
Nov. 8, 2016.
(Amends Art. I, ยง10)