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 87 Original 2017 Regular Session DeVillier
Abstract: Establishes promotional seniority within classes of positions in the classified police
service of the city of Eunice.
Present constitution creates a fire and police civil service system applicable to municipalities of over
13,000 in population and parishes and fire protection districts. Provides that the system is subject
to Art. XIV, ยง15.1 of the 1921 constitution made statutory by the 1974 constitution.
Present law creates and provides for two fire and police civil service systems: (1) one applicable to
any municipality which operates paid police and fire departments and which has a population of not
fewer than 13,000 persons; and (2) one applicable to any parish, fire protection district, or
municipality with a population of fewer than 13,000, but not fewer than 7,000 persons.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law, relative to the system applicable to municipalities with a population of fewer than
13,000, but not fewer than 7,000 defines the term "seniority" to mean departmental seniority and
promotional seniority. Defines departmental seniority to mean the period of continuous employment
in the department. Defines promotional seniority to mean the total cumulative employment in a class
of positions of the next lower class from which a promotion is to be made. Specifies further relative
to employment counted toward seniority in the next lower class.
Present law provides that a municipal fire and police civil service board is created in the municipal
government. Requires the board to establish and maintain employment lists containing the names
of persons eligible for appointment to various classes of positions in the classified service. Requires
that names of persons attaining a passing score on a promotion test be placed on the promotion
employment list for the tested class, from highest to lowest, according to their total departmental
seniority. When new names are to be placed on a promotion list for a given class, the remaining
names must be arranged in the same manner according to departmental seniority.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law provides an exception for the DeRidder Police Dept. by requiring that names be placed
on the promotion employment list for the tested class, from highest to lowest, according to their
promotional seniority. If two or more persons possess an equal amount of promotional seniority,
then the names must be placed on the promotion employment list, from highest to lowest, according
to departmental seniority. When new names are to be placed on a promotion employment list for a given class, the remaining names must be arranged in the same manner.
Proposed law retains present law exception for DeRidder Police Dept. and makes present law
exception applicable to the Eunice Police Dept.
Present law requires that promotions to vacant positions be filled by reinstatement or reemployment.
If the position cannot be filled in this manner, then the position must be filled by the person with the
greatest seniority in departmental service.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law makes an exception for the DeRidder Police Dept. as follows:
(1)If a vacancy cannot be filled by reinstatement or reemployment then the names of persons
on the promotional list are to be certified in the order in which they appear on the list for the
class in which the vacancy is to be filled.
(2)Appointment for the first vacancy is to be made with the person having the greatest
promotional seniority in the next lower rank. Remaining positions to be filled are to be filled
by appointing to each succeeding vacancy, the person who is certified to have the next
highest promotional seniority in the next lower class.
(3)If an appointment is refused then the person certified with the next highest promotional
seniority in the next lower class is to be selected.
(4)If two or more persons possess an equal amount of promotional seniority in a class, then
those employees are to be placed on the promotional list in order of their departmental
seniority from highest to lowest.
Proposed law retains present law exception for the DeRidder Police Dept. and makes present law
exception applicable to the Eunice Police Dept.
Present law, relative to the abolition of an entire class in the classified police service of the city of
DeRidder, requires that employees be demoted to lower classes and priority to positions be governed
by total promotional seniority earned in the class in the order of highest to lowest. Provides that if
two or more employees possess an equal amount of promotional seniority, the names of those
persons must be placed on the reinstatement list in order of departmental seniority, from highest to
lowest.
Proposed law retains present law and makes present law applicable to the city of Eunice.
(Amends R.S. 33:2551(4)(b) and (8)(b), 2554(C)(2)(intro. para.), and 2558(B))