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 270 Original 2020 Regular Session Wilford Carter
Abstract: Changes the composition of the election sections of the Fourteenth Judicial District and
the assignment of judges and the magistrate judge to those election sections for election
purposes.
Present law provides that the parish of Calcasieu shall compose the Fourteenth District and further
provides that the Fourteenth District shall consist of three election sections and provides for the
composition of those election sections.
Proposed law retains present law but changes the composition of election sections one, two, and
three (see attached map and statistics).
Present law provides that the Fourteenth Judicial District Court shall have nine judges. Proposed
law retains present law.
Present law provides that two judges (Divisions F and H) shall be elected from election section one,
four judges (Divisions B, C, D, and G) be elected from election section two, two judges (Divisions
A and E) shall be elected from election section three, and one judge (Division I) shall be elected from
election sections one and three combined.
Proposed law provides instead Division I shall only be assigned to election section one for election
purposes, so that three judges (Divisions F, H, and I) shall be elected from election section one and
otherwise retains present law.
Present law provides that the Fourteenth Judicial District shall have a magistrate judge who is elected
from election sections one and three combined.
Proposed law provides instead that the magistrate judge is elected from election section one only.
Proposed law specifies that precincts referenced in district descriptions in proposed law are those
contained in the file named "2018 Precinct Shapefiles" published on the La. House of
Representatives website. Specifies that the 2018 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 July 3, 2018, 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(14), 589(A), and 621.14)