ENROLLED
2016 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 33
BY REPRESENTATIVE DANAHAY
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To urge and request the secretary of state to establish policies to provide elections division
employees within the Department of State who have received CERA certification
with a pay increase relative to such certification.
WHEREAS, R.S. 18:59.4 establishes the Louisiana Voter Registration
Administrator's Certification program to recognize the professional standards of registrars
of voters, chief deputy registrars, and confidential assistants to registrars of voters in the
state; and
WHEREAS, the program is designed to provide registrars of voters, chief deputy
registrars, and confidential assistants educational courses and a curriculum to develop core
skills required for election and voter registration administration and to establish additional
professional bonds of achievement; and
WHEREAS, education and training for the program is provided through courses of
the Certified Elections Registration Administrator (CERA) program administered through
Auburn University and the Election Center; and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Voter Registration Administrator's Certification program
requires a minimum of twelve CERA courses of twelve hours in length for a total of one
hundred forty-four hours to be completed within five years; maintenance of a yearly rating
of "excellent"on the annual merit evaluation conducted pursuant to R.S. 18:55(A); five years
work experience related to the administration of elections and voter registration; and
completion of all continuing education course hours required to maintain certification; and
WHEREAS, if a registrar, chief deputy registrar, or confidential assistant to a
registrar completes and maintains these requirements, the official is entitled to a seven
percent compensation enhancement; and
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WHEREAS, House Resolution No. 94 of the 2015 R.S. (HR No. 94) created a
subcommittee of the Committee on House and Governmental Affairs to examine matters
relating to the compensation, evaluation, appointment, and placement within the structure
of government of registrars of voters, payment of expenses incurred by a registrar of voters
for early voting, and any related issues that the subcommittee deems appropriate; and
WHEREAS, during subcommittee hearings pursuant to HR No. 94, there was
discussion concerning employees in the elections division of the Department of State who
work with registrars of voters and employees of the registrar to administer elections, who
are CERA certified, but who do not receive a compensation enhancement based on that
certification; and
WHEREAS, the subcommittee voted to recommend that like registrars, chief deputy
registrars, and confidential assistants to registrars, elections division employees within the
Department of State who have received CERA certification receive a pay increase based on
that certification—for unclassified employees, the pay increase should be in accordance with
policies established by the secretary of state, and for classified employees, the pay increase
should be in accordance with applicable civil service rules and regulations.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
urge and request the secretary of state to establish policies to provide elections division
employees within the Department of State who have received CERA certification with a pay
increase relative to such certification.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
to the secretary of state.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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