SLS 16RS-369 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 297
BY SENATOR PETERSON
ELECTION CODE. Requires election commissioners to attend a uniformed general course
of instruction annually. (8/1/16)
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 18:431(A)(1)(a) and 431(B)(1) and (5) and to enact R.S.
3 18:431(A)(1)(d), relative to the Louisiana Election Code; to provide requirements
4 for serving as a commissioner; to provide requirements for serving as a
5 commissioner-in-charge; to provide for the duties of the commissioners; to provide
6 for the duties of the commissioners-in-charge; to provide policies and procedures for
7 commissioners duties of the clerk of court; and to provide for related matters.
8 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 18:431(A)(1)(a) and 431(B)(1) and (5) are hereby amended and
10 reenacted and R.S. 18:431(A)(1)(d) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 ยง431. Commissioners; courses of instruction; certificates; reports; list of certified
12 persons furnished by parish board of election supervisors
13 A.(1)(a) At least annually the clerk of court shall conduct a general course of
14 instruction for commissioners. The course shall be a uniformed standardized
15 training course that shall be used to train commissioners in each parish. Each
16 such course of instruction shall be open to the public, and the clerk shall publicize
17 each course in a manner reasonably calculated to encourage maximum attendance
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 297
SLS 16RS-369 ORIGINAL
1 and participation. For informational purposes, the registrar may assist the clerk of
2 court in conducting the course.
3 * * *
4 (d) Each person must successfully complete the commissioner training
5 course with a satisfactory score on the test to serve as a commissioner on
6 Election Day.
7 * * *
8 B.(1) The clerk of court shall conduct a course of instruction for uniformed
9 standardized training course that shall be used to train commissioners-in-charge,
10 commissioners, and alternate commissioners who are selected to serve in each
11 election. The course shall be held after the selection of these officials but not less
12 than four days prior to each election. The course shall primarily cover the procedures
13 to be used in the election for which the officials were selected. The clerk of court
14 shall instruct the commissioners-in-charge, commissioners, and alternate
15 commissioners that it is their duty to offer any voter who does not have picture
16 identification as provided in R.S. 18:562(A) an affidavit to sign to that effect.
17 * * *
18 (5)(a) The clerk of court shall not be required to conduct the uniformed
19 standardized training pre-election course of instruction provided for in this
20 Subsection if at least fourteen days prior to the election, the clerk of court mails a
21 notice to each commissioner-in-charge, commissioner, and alternate commissioner
22 who has been chosen for the election informing them that the course of instruction
23 will not be conducted for the election. In such case, for purposes of compensation
24 and replacement, the commissioners from that parish shall be treated as though they
25 had attended the pre-election course of instruction annually.
26 (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph, the
27 The clerk of court shall conduct at least one pre-election course of instruction
28 provided for in this Subsection prior to a presidential or congressional general
29 election.
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 297
SLS 16RS-369 ORIGINAL
1 * * *
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Ashley Mitchell Carter.
DIGEST
SB 297 Original 2016 Regular Session Peterson
Present law provides that at least once a year, the clerk of court must conduct a general
course of instruction for commissioners, which must be open to the public.
Proposed law requires the clerk of court to create a uniform standardized course of
instruction for commissioners that will be used in each parish to train commissioners.
Proposed law requires every person who wants to serve as a commissioner to attend an
annual training course and receive a satisfactory score on the test to obtain a certificate
which will allow them to serve as a commissioner on Election Day.
Present law provides the clerk of court is not required to conduct the pre-election course of
instruction if at least 14 days before the election, he mails a notice to each commissioner
informing them that the training course will not be conducted. For purposes of
compensation, the commissioners are treated as though they completed the training course.
Proposed law requires the clerk of court to conduct the uniformed standardized training pre-
election course of instruction annually.
Effective August 1, 2016.
(Amends R.S. 18:431(A)(1)(a) and 431(B)(1) and (5); adds R.S. 18:431(A)(1)(d))
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.