ENROLLED
ACT No. 23
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 144
BY REPRESENTATIVES GREEN AND BAGLEY
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 13:2582(A) and 2583(A), relative to certain elected officials; to
3 provide relative to the office of justice of the peace; to provide relative to the office
4 of constable; to provide relative to qualifications; to provide for the elimination of
5 the mandatory age limit of justices of the peace and constables; and to provide for
6 related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 13:2582(A) and 2583(A) are hereby amended and reenacted to read
9 as follows:
10 §2582. Justices of the peace; qualifications; election; term of office; nullity; persons
11 ineligible
12 A.(1) Each justice of the peace shall be of good moral character, a qualified
13 elector, a resident of the ward and district from which elected, and able to read and
14 write the English language correctly. Each person qualifying for the office of justice
15 of the peace shall possess a high school diploma or its equivalent as determined by
16 the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education by the date of qualification
17 to run for office in the year 2008. Each shall possess such other qualifications as are
18 provided by law.
19 (2)(a) Beginning in the year 2008, to qualify to run for the office of justice
20 of the peace, a person shall not have attained the age of seventy years by the date of
21 qualification to run for office. A justice of the peace who attains seventy years of
22 age while serving a term of office shall be allowed to complete that term of office.
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1 (b) The provisions of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph shall not apply to
2 those justices of the peace who are serving as a justice of the peace or elected to the
3 office of justice of the peace on or before August 15, 2006.
4 * * *
5 §2583. Constables; election; term of office; qualifications
6 A.(1) There shall be one constable for the court of each justice of the peace
7 in the several parishes of the state, who shall be of good moral character, be able to
8 read and write the English language, possess a high school diploma or its equivalent
9 as determined by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and be
10 an elector and resident of the ward or district from which elected. However, the
11 requirement of a high school diploma or its equivalent does not apply to any
12 constable who was in office as a constable or elected to the office of constable on or
13 before November 19, 1995, in terms of his qualification to remain in office or to seek
14 reelection to a consecutive term. He shall possess such other qualifications as are
15 provided by law.
16 (2)(a) Beginning in the year 2008, to qualify to run for the office of
17 constable, a person shall not have attained the age of seventy years by the date of
18 qualification to run for office. A constable who attains seventy years of age while
19 serving a term of office shall be allowed to complete that term of office.
20 (b) The provisions of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph shall not apply to
21 those constables who are serving as a constable or elected to the office of constable
22 on or before August 15, 2006.
23 * * *
24 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor
25 or, if not signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law
26 without signature by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the
27 Constitution of Louisiana. If vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by
28 the legislature, this Act shall become effective on the day following such approval.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HB NO. 144 ENROLLED
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.