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 861 Original 2018 Regular Session Gaines
Abstract: Provides for five election sections for the 32nd Judicial District.
Statistical summaries of proposed law as well as maps illustrating proposed election section
boundaries accompany this digest. (Attached to hard copies of the bill distributed during
session and available as a separate document on the Internet.)
Present law provides that the parish of Terrebonne shall compose the 32nd Judicial District.
Provides that the district shall have five judges.
Proposed law creates five election sections in the 32nd Judicial District. Provides that one judge
shall be elected from each election section. Provides that the first vacancy occurring in the 32
nd
Judicial District after the effective date of proposed law shall be filled by an election held in election
section one, and the remaining judgeships shall be assigned to the four remaining election sections
in the alphabetical order of the divisions. Provides, however, if no vacancy occurs before the
opening of qualifying for the regularly scheduled elections occurring in 2020, then for election
purposes, division "A" shall be assigned to election section one, division "B" shall be assigned to
election section two, division "C" shall be assigned to election section three, division "D" shall be
assigned to election section four, and division "E" shall be assigned to election section five.
Proposed law provides that it shall not reduce the term of office of any judge of the 32nd Judicial
District or prohibit any judge from seeking reelection in any division of the court.
Proposed law specifies that precincts referenced in district descriptions in proposed law are those
contained in the file named "2017 Precinct Shapefiles" published on the La. House of
Representatives website. Specifies that the 2017 Precinct Shapefiles are based upon those Voting
Districts (VTDs) contained in the 2010 Census Redistricting TIGER/Line Shapefiles for the state
of La. as those files have been modified by the staff of the legislature to represent precinct changes
submitted through June 27, 2017, to the legislature by parish governing authorities pursuant to the
provisions of present law (R.S. 18:532 and 532.1).
Proposed law additionally provides that when a precinct is subdivided on a nongeographic or
geographic basis under present law (R.S. 18:532.1), the general precinct designation in the district
description includes all nongeographic and geographic subdivisions of the precinct, and specifies that
the territorial limits of the election sections as provided in proposed law shall continue in effect
without change regardless of any changes made to the precincts by the parish governing authority. Population data in the summaries accompanying this digest are derived from 2010 Census
Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171), Summary File for Louisiana. Population data, statistical
information, and maps are supplied for purposes of information and analysis and comprise no part
of proposed law.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 13:477(32) and 621.32)