HLS 202ES-131 ORIGINAL
2020 Second Extraordinary Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 59
BY REPRESENTATIVE BEAULLIEU
ELECTIONS: Authorizes the payment of additional compensation to certain election
officials for elections held within a certain period following a gubernatorially
declared emergency (Item #5)
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 18:426.1, 1309(J), and 1354(C) and to enact R.S. 18:1314(E)(3),
3 relative to employees of the secretary of state; to provide relative to the
4 compensation of election commissioners and deputy parish custodians of voting
5 machines; to provide relative to such compensation after declared emergencies; and
6 to provide for related matters.
7Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 18:426.1, 1309(J), and 1354(C) are hereby amended and reenacted
9and R.S. 18:1314(E)(3) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
10 §426.1. Election commissioners; compensation
11 A. Each commissioner who serves at the polling place on election day shall
12 be paid according to the following:
13 (1) A commissioner-in-charge shall receive two hundred fifty dollars.
14 (2) A commissioner-in-charge who serves at more than one precinct shall
15 receive three hundred dollars.
16 (3) A commissioner who has received a certificate of instruction, as provided
17 in R.S. 18:431(A), shall receive one hundred dollars.
18 (4) A commissioner who has received a certificate of instruction, as provided
19 in R.S. 18:431(B), shall receive two hundred dollars.
Page 1 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 202ES-131 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 59
1 (5) An uncertified commissioner shall receive thirty-five dollars.
2 B. For an election held within one year following the date of the issuance of
3 any gubernatorial declaration of an emergency, upon application of a parish board
4 of election supervisors, the secretary of state may approve payment of up to one
5 hundred dollars per election as compensation to each commissioner in addition to
6 compensation provided for in Subsection A of this Section.
7 * * *
8 §1309. Early voting; verification
9 * * *
10 J. Upon approval of the secretary of state, a registrar of voters may utilize
11 commissioners selected and trained by the registrar of voters to assist the registrar
12 during the early voting period in the conduct of early voting by his office. A
13 registrar of voters shall, in seeking the approval of the secretary of state, indicate to
14 the secretary the number of commissioners that is required for such assistance. A
15 commissioner who assists the registrar in the conduct of early voting shall take an
16 oath of office as a deputy registrar for the early voting period and shall complete an
17 affidavit prepared by the secretary of state that contains the name, address, and last
18 four digits of the social security number of the early voting commissioner and an
19 acknowledgment that the law prohibits the disclosure of confidential voter
20 information listed in the precinct register or early voting list kept by the registrar.
21 The affidavit shall be retained in the office of the registrar of voters. A
22 commissioner who assists the registrar in the conduct of early voting shall be paid
23 in accordance with R.S. 18:426.1(3) 18:426.1(A)(3) and B, if applicable, for each
24 day of such assistance.
25 * * *
26 §1314. Parish board commissioners
27 * * *
Page 2 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 202ES-131 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 59
1 E. Compensation. A parish board commissioner who serves on election day
2 or during the counting and tabulating of provisional ballots shall receive fifty dollars
3 or one hundred dollars for each day he serves as provided below:
4 * * *
5 (3) For an election held within one year following the date of the issuance of
6 any gubernatorial declaration of an emergency, upon application of the parish board
7 of election supervisors, the secretary of state may approve the payment of up to one
8 hundred dollars per election as compensation to each commissioner in addition to
9 compensation otherwise provided for in this Subsection.
10 * * *
11 §1354. Parish custodian of voting machines; powers and duties; appointment of
12 deputy custodians
13 * * *
14 C.(1) The parish custodian of voting machines may employ persons on a
15 temporary basis, as needed, to assist him in the performance of his duties. He may
16 appoint a deputy parish custodian of voting machines for any polling place he deems
17 necessary. He may not appoint as deputy parish custodian of voting machines any
18 person who has been convicted of a felony for which he has not been pardoned. The
19 parish custodian shall not appoint a person who is a candidate or a member of a
20 candidate's immediate family to serve in any polling location where the candidate's
21 name appears on the ballot. The compensation of a deputy parish custodian shall be
22 one hundred dollars for each election at which he serves. The deputy parish
23 custodian shall deliver the key envelope and the supplemental list to the
24 commissioner-in-charge at least one-half hour before the fixed time for the opening
25 of the polls.
26 (2) For an election held within one year following the date of the issuance of
27 any gubernatorial declaration of an emergency, upon application of the parish
28 custodian of voting machines, the secretary of state may approve the payment of up
Page 3 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 202ES-131 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 59
1 to one hundred dollars per election as compensation to each deputy parish custodian
2 in addition to compensation otherwise provided for in this Subsection.
3 * * *
4 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
5signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
6by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
7vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
8effective on the day following such approval.
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 59 Original 2020 Second Extraordinary Session Beaullieu
Abstract: Authorizes additional compensation to certain election officials for elections held
within one year following a gubernatorially declared emergency
Present law provides for the pay structure for certain election commissioners and parish
custodians of voting machines.
Proposed law authorizes that the secretary of state to approve payment of up to $100 per
election as additional compensation to commissioners and custodians during an election held
within one year following the date of the issuance of any gubernatorial declaration of an
emergency.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 18:426.1, 1309(J), and 1354(C); Adds R.S. 18:1314(E)(3))
Page 4 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.