HLS 20RS-184 REENGROSSED
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 53
BY REPRESENTATIVES JEFFERSON AND MCFARLAND
JUDGES: Provides relative to the election of judges for the 2nd JDC
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 13:621.2 and to repeal Act No. 669 of the 1999 Regular Session
3 of the Legislature, relative to the election of judges for the Second Judicial District;
4 to eliminate the requirement that judges reside in a specific parish of the Second
5 Judicial District; to require judges of the Second Judicial District Court to be elected
6 at large from the Second Judicial District; and to provide for related matters.
7Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 13:621.2 is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
9 ยง621.2. Second judicial district
10 The Second Judicial District Court shall have three judges who shall be
11 elected at large from the Second Judicial District for six-year terms. The Second
12 Judicial District Court shall be comprised of Division A in Claiborne Parish,
13 Division B in Jackson Parish, and Division C in Bienville Parish. A judge elected
14 to serve in the Second Judicial District shall reside within the district but is not
15 required to reside within the parish where the division is located.
16 Section 2. Act No. 669 of the 1999 Regular Session of the Legislature is hereby
17repealed in its entirety.
18 Section 3. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
19signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
20by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 20RS-184 REENGROSSED
HB NO. 53
1vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
2effective 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 53 Reengrossed 2020 Regular Session Jefferson
Abstract: Eliminates the requirement that the judges of the 2nd Judicial District Court
reside in the parish where the Division is located.
Present law provides for three district court judges in the Second Judicial District Court to
be elected from the district at large for six-year terms.
Proposed law retains the present law provision for the election of judges from the district at
large for six-year terms, but eliminates the requirement that the judge who presides over
Division "A" be a resident of Claiborne Parish, that the judge who presides over Division
"B" be a resident of Jackson Parish, and that the judge who presides over Division "C" be
a resident of Bienville Parish.
Proposed law retains the uncodified provision of present law with regard to the composition
of the Second Judicial District and proposed law provides that Division A shall be located
in Claiborne Parish, Division B shall be located in Jackson Parish, and Division C shall be
located in Bienville Parish.
Proposed law requires the judge elected to serve in the Second Judicial District to reside
within the district but proposed law does not require that the judge elected to serve reside
within the parish where the division is located.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 13:621.2; Repeals Act No. 669 of the 1999 R.S.)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Judiciary to the original
bill:
1. Add an effective date based on the signature of the governor.
The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1. Provide for the location of each division.
2. Require the judge elected to serve to reside within the district.
3. Provide that the judge elected to serve is not required to reside within the parish
in which the division is located.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.