HLS 19RS-891 ORIGINAL
2019 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 504
BY REPRESENTATIVES FRANKLIN AND JAMES
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
REAPPORTIONMENT: Creates and provides for the Reapportionment Transparency Act
1 AN ACT
2To enact Chapter 15 of Title 18 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, comprised of
3 R.S. 18:1961 through 1963, relative to redistricting and reapportionment; to create
4 and provide for the Reapportionment Transparency Act; to provide for a study and
5 advisory commission; to provide for certain required procedures and actions relative
6 to the redistricting and reapportionment activities by the legislature; and to provide
7 for related matters.
8Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. Chapter 15 of Title 18 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950,
10comprised of R.S. 18:1961 through 1963, is hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 CHAPTER 15. REAPPORTIONMENT TRANSPARENCY
12 §1961. Short title
13 The provisions of this Chapter shall be known and may be cited as the
14 "Reapportionment Transparency Act".
15 §1962. Study and advisory commission
16 A. In each year ending in zero, the legislature shall establish a study and
17 advisory commission to study redistricting and make recommendations to the
18 legislature prior to January first of each year ending in one. These recommendations
19 shall be based on the following:
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1 (1) Past redistricting proceedings including, at minimum, those from the two
2 most recent redistricting cycles.
3 (2) Best redistricting practices established in other states.
4 (3) Redistricting tools and resources that have become available since the
5 most recently completed redistricting cycle.
6 B. The study and advisory commission shall consist of the following:
7 (1)(a) One member of the Committee on House and Governmental Affairs
8 affiliated with the Democratic Party.
9 (b) One member of the Committee on House and Governmental Affairs
10 affiliated with the Republican Party.
11 (c) One person appointed at-large by the Committee on House and
12 Governmental Affairs.
13 (2)(a) One member of the Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs
14 affiliated with the Democratic Party.
15 (b) One member of the Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs
16 affiliated with the Republican Party.
17 (c) One person appointed at-large by the Committee on Senate and
18 Governmental Affairs.
19 (3) A representative of the office of the governor selected by the governor.
20 (4) A representative of the Department of State selected by the secretary of
21 state.
22 (5) One academic or legal professional with relevant knowledge and
23 experience selected by the speaker of the House of Representatives, the president of
24 the Senate, and the governor acting together.
25 §1963. Redistricting and Reapportionment hearings
26 A. The legislature shall do all of the following:
27 (1) Conduct at least ten public hearings on redistricting prior to the
28 legislative session during which redistricting plans for the election of members to
29 congress, the legislature, the Public Service Commission, the supreme court, or the
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1 State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education are to be enacted in accordance
2 with the most recent federal decennial census.
3 (2) Give notice of each public hearing at least seven days prior to each public
4 hearing.
5 (3) Conduct outreach activities regarding each public hearing in each state
6 legislative district.
7 B.(1) At each public hearing required by Paragraph (A)(1) of this Section,
8 the legislature shall:
9 (a) Educate the public about the reapportionment and redistricting process
10 and gather public input on the legislative process and the specific map-drawing
11 process.
12 (b) Broadcast audio and video of the entire hearing live via the internet.
13 (2) The legislature shall record each hearing required by Paragraph (A)(1)
14 of this Section, maintain audio and video of each such hearing for a minimum of
15 three years, and make the recorded hearings available to the public for viewing
16 through a link clearly identified on the legislative website.
17 C.(1) The consideration of a redistricting bill on final passage shall not occur
18 until no fewer than five legislative days have intervened after the bill has been
19 reported from a committee, including a conference committee.
20 (2)(a) After being reported by a committee and prior to consideration of a
21 redistricting bill on final passage, the appropriate legislative committee shall hold a
22 public hearing to provide information to the public about the process and factors
23 considered that resulted in the redistricting plan contained in the bill pending final
24 passage.
25 (b) The legislature shall broadcast audio and video of the entire hearing that
26 is required by Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph live via the internet and shall
27 record, maintain, and make available the recording of the hearing in the same manner
28 as required in Paragraph (B)(2) of this Section.
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1 (3) For the purposes of this Subsection, "redistricting bill" shall mean a
2 legislative instrument containing a redistricting plan for the election of members to
3 congress, the House of Representatives, the Senate, the Public Service Commission,
4 the supreme court, or the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
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 504 Original 2019 Regular Session Franklin
Abstract: Creates the Reapportionment Transparency Act, including provisions for a study
and advisory commission, required public hearings and broadcasts thereof regarding
the redistricting process, and 5-day delays prior to the final passage of a redistricting
bill during which an additional public hearing is held regarding the content of the bill
and the factors involved.
Proposed law provides for the Reapportionment Transparency Act as follows:
(1)In each year ending in zero, requires the legislature to establish a study and advisory
commission to study redistricting and make recommendations to the legislature prior
to Jan. 1st of each year ending in one. Requires the recommendations to be based
on past redistricting proceedings, best redistricting practices established in other
states, and redistricting tools and resources that have become available since the
most recently completed redistricting cycle.
(2)Provides that the study and advisory commission shall consist of a member of the
House and Governmental Affairs Committee affiliated with the Democratic Party;
a member of the House and Governmental Affairs Committee affiliated with the
Republican Party; a person appointed at-large by the House and Governmental
Affairs Committee; a member of the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee
affiliated with the Democratic Party; a member of the Senate and Governmental
Affairs Committee affiliated with the Republican Party; a person appointed at-large
by the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee; a representative of the office
of the governor selected by the governor; a representative of the Dept. of State
selected by the secretary of state; and an academic or legal professional with relevant
knowledge and experience selected by the speaker of the House, the president of the
Senate, and the governor acting together.
(3)Requires the legislature to conduct at least 10 public hearings on redistricting prior
to the legislative session during which specified redistricting plans are to be enacted;
give the public at least seven days notice prior to each public hearing; and conduct
outreach activities regarding each public hearing in each state legislative district.
(4)Requires the legislature at each public hearing to educate the public about the
reapportionment and redistricting process, gather public input on the legislative
process and the specific map-drawing process, and broadcast audio and video of the
hearing live via the internet.
(5)Requires the legislature to record each hearing, maintain audio and video of each
hearing for a minimum of three years, and make the recorded hearings available to
the public for viewing through a link clearly identified on the legislative website.
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(6)Prohibits the consideration of a redistricting bill on final passage until no fewer than
five legislative days have intervened after the bill has been reported from a
committee, including a conference committee. Defines "redistricting bill".
(7)After being reported by committee and prior to consideration of a redistricting bill
on final passage, requires the appropriate legislative committee to hold a public
hearing to provide information about the process and factors considered that resulted
in the redistricting plan contained in the bill and requires the hearing to be broadcast,
recorded, and maintained in the same manner as the other required hearings.
(Adds R.S. 18:1961-1963)
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