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2016 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 163
BY SENATOR PETERSON
LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS. Provides that general subject, tax, and fiscal matters shall be
heard during each regular legislative session. (2/3-CA13s1(A))
1 A JOINT RESOLUTION
2 Proposing to amend Article III, Section 2(A) of the Constitution of Louisiana, to provide
3 relative to legislative sessions; to limit the length and provide for subject matter of
4 regular sessions of the legislature; to provide for matters related to the conduct of
5 such sessions; and to specify an election for submission of the proposition to electors
6 and provide a ballot proposition.
7 Section 1. Be it resolved by the Legislature of Louisiana, two-thirds of the members
8 elected to each house concurring, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the state, for
9 their approval or rejection in the manner provided by law, a proposal to amend Article III,
10 Section 2(A) of the Constitution of Louisiana, to read as follows:
11 ยง2. Sessions
12 Section 2.(A) Annual Session. (1) The legislature shall meet annually in
13 regular session for a limited number of legislative days in the state capital for not
14 more than forty-five legislative days during a period of sixty calendar days. A
15 legislative day is a calendar day on which either house is in session. No such session
16 shall continue beyond the sixtieth calendar day after convening. The legislature
17 shall convene at noon on the third Monday in March. No new matter intended
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1 to have the effect of law shall be introduced or received by either house after six
2 o'clock in the evening of the tenth calendar day. No matter intended to have the
3 effect of law, except a measure proposing a suspension of law, shall be
4 considered on third reading and final passage in either house after six o'clock
5 in the evening of the forty-second legislative day or the fifty-seventh calendar
6 day, whichever occurs first, except by a favorable record vote of two-thirds of
7 the elected members of each house.
8 (2)(a) No member of the legislature may introduce more than five bills that
9 were not prefiled, except as provided in the joint rules of the legislature.
10 (b) Except as provided in Subsubparagraph (c) of this Subparagraph, any bill
11 that is to be prefiled for introduction in either house shall be prefiled no later than
12 five o'clock in the evening of the tenth calendar day prior to the first day of a regular
13 session.
14 (c) Any bill to effect any change in laws relating to any retirement system for
15 public employees that is to be prefiled for introduction in either house shall be
16 prefiled no later than five o'clock in the evening of the forty-fifth calendar day prior
17 to the first day of a regular session.
18 (d) The legislature is authorized to provide by joint rule for the procedures
19 for passage of duplicate or companion instruments.
20 (3)(a) All regular sessions convening in even-numbered years shall be general
21 in nature and shall convene at noon on the second Monday in March. The legislature
22 shall meet in such a session for not more than sixty legislative days during a period
23 of eighty-five calendar days. No such session shall continue beyond six o'clock in
24 the evening of the eighty-fifth calendar day after convening. No new matter intended
25 to have the effect of law shall be introduced or received by either house after six
26 o'clock in the evening of the twenty-third calendar day. No matter intended to have
27 the effect of law, except a measure proposing a suspension of law, shall be
28 considered on third reading and final passage in either house after six o'clock in the
29 evening of the fifty-seventh legislative day or the eighty-second calendar day,
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1 whichever occurs first, except by a favorable record vote of two-thirds of the elected
2 members of each house.
3 (b) No measure levying or authorizing a new tax by the state or by any
4 statewide political subdivision whose boundaries are coterminous with the state;
5 increasing an existing tax by the state or by any statewide political subdivision
6 whose boundaries are coterminous with the state; or legislating with regard to tax
7 exemptions, exclusions, deductions or credits shall be introduced or enacted during
8 a regular session held in an even-numbered year.
9 (4)(a) All regular sessions convening in odd-numbered years shall convene
10 at noon on the second Monday in April. The legislature shall meet in such a session
11 for not more than forty-five legislative days in a period of sixty calendar days. No
12 such session shall continue beyond six o'clock in the evening of the sixtieth calendar
13 day after convening. No new matter intended to have the effect of law shall be
14 introduced or received by either house after six o'clock in the evening of the tenth
15 calendar day. No matter intended to have the effect of law, except a measure
16 proposing a suspension of law, shall be considered on third reading and final passage
17 in either house after six o'clock in the evening of the forty-second legislative day or
18 fifty-seventh calendar day, whichever occurs first, except by a favorable record vote
19 of two-thirds of the elected members of each house.
20 (b) During any session convening in an odd-numbered year, no matter
21 intended to have the effect of law, including any suspension of law, shall be
22 introduced or considered unless its object is to enact the General Appropriation Bill;
23 enact the comprehensive capital budget; make an appropriation; levy or authorize a
24 new tax; increase an existing tax; levy, authorize, increase, decrease, or repeal a fee;
25 dedicate revenue; legislate with regard to tax exemptions, exclusions, deductions,
26 reductions, repeals, or credits; or legislate with regard to the issuance of bonds. In
27 addition, a matter intended to have the effect of law, including a measure proposing
28 a suspension of law, which is not within the subject matter restrictions provided in
29 this Subparagraph may be considered at any such session if:
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1 (i) It is prefiled no later than the deadline provided in Subparagraph (2) of
2 this Paragraph, provided that the member shall not prefile more than five such
3 matters pursuant to this Subsubparagraph; or
4 (ii) Its object is to enact a local or special law which is required to be and has
5 been advertised in accordance with Section 13 of this Article and which is not
6 prohibited by the provisions of Section 12 of this Article.
7 * * *
8 Section 2. Be it further resolved that this proposed amendment shall be submitted to
9 the electors of the state of Louisiana at the statewide election to be held on November 8,
10 2016.
11 Section 3. Be it further resolved that on the official ballot to be used at said election
12 there shall be printed a proposition, upon which the electors of the state shall be permitted
13 to vote YES or NO, to amend the Constitution of Louisiana, which proposition shall read as
14 follows:
15 Do you support an amendment to remove subject matter limitations on
16 annual regular legislative sessions and shorten the duration of such sessions
17 to not exceed forty-five legislative days in a sixty calendar day period?
18 (Amends Article III, Section 2(A))
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Tim Prather.
DIGEST
SB 163 Engrossed 2016 Regular Session Peterson
Present constitution provides that general matter regular sessions of not more than 65
legislative days in an 80 calendar day period shall occur only in even-numbered years.
Prohibits legislation levying a tax, increasing an existing tax or legislation with respect to
tax exemptions, exclusions, deductions or credits in even-numbered years. Provides that odd-
numbered year sessions be limited to the consideration of legislation which provides for
making an appropriation, levying a new tax, increasing an existing tax, legislating with
respect to tax exemptions, exclusions, deductions or credits or issuing bonds.
Proposed constitutional amendment removes subject matter limitations on annual regular
legislative sessions that may not exceed 45 legislative days in a 60 calendar day period.
Specifies submission of the amendment to the voters at the statewide election to be held on
November 8, 2016.
(Amends Const. Art. III, Sec. 2(A))
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words in boldface type and underscored are additions.