HLS 21RS-846 ENGROSSED
2021 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 285
BY REPRESENTATIVE JAMES
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
VOTERS/VOTING: Provides relative to the amount a time a person may remain in a voting
machine
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 18:563(C)(1) and 1309(E)(4)(a), relative to voting; to provide
3 for the amount of time a voter may remain in a voting machine; to provide for an
4 effective date; and to provide for related matters.
5Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 18:563(C)(1) and 1309(E)(4)(a) are hereby amended and reenacted
7to read as follows:
8 §563. Procedure for voting
9 * * *
10 C.(1)(a) A voter shall not remain in a voting machine longer than three six
11 minutes. If a voter fails to leave a voting machine promptly after a commissioner
12 has notified him that three six minutes have elapsed, the commissioners shall order
13 the voter to complete voting and leave the voting machine.
14 (b) Notwithstanding Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph, if the ballot is
15 lengthy or if it contains complex propositions or constitutional amendments, the
16 commissioners may allocate additional time in an equitable manner.
17 * * *
18 §1309. Early voting; verification
19 * * *
Page 1 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 21RS-846 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 285
1 E.
2 * * *
3 (4)(a)(i) A voter shall not remain in a voting machine longer than three six
4 minutes. If a voter fails to leave a voting machine promptly after the registrar or
5 deputy registrar has notified him that three six minutes have elapsed, the registrar or
6 deputy registrar shall have the voter removed from the voting machine.
7 (ii) Notwithstanding Item (i) of this Subparagraph, if the ballot is lengthy or
8 if it contains complex propositions or constitutional amendments, the registrar or
9 deputy registrar may allocate additional time in an equitable manner.
10 * * *
11 Section 2. This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2022.
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 285 Engrossed 2021 Regular Session James
Abstract: Changes the amount of time a voter may remain in the voting machine from no
more than three minutes to no more than six minutes and authorizes election officials to
allocate additional time in an equitable manner if the ballot is lengthy or complex.
Present law provides that during early voting and on election day, a voter shall not remain
in a voting machine longer than three minutes. Provides that if a voter fails to leave a voting
machine promptly after being notified by the appropriate election official that three minutes
have elapsed, the commissioner, if on election day, shall order the voter to complete voting
and leave the voting machine, and if during early voting, the registrar or deputy registrar
shall have the voter removed from the voting machine.
Proposed law provides instead that a voter shall not remain in a voting machine for longer
than six minutes. Proposed law further provides that if the ballot is lengthy or if it contains
complex propositions or constitutional amendments, the appropriate election officials may
allocate additional time in an equitable manner. Proposed law otherwise retains present law.
Present law specially allows a voter receiving assistance in voting or a voter using the audio
ballot to remain in a voting machine for up to 20 minutes. Proposed law retains present law.
Effective Jan. 1, 2022.
(Amends R.S. 18:563(C)(1) and 1309(E)(4)(a))
Page 2 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 21RS-846 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 285
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on House and
Governmental Affairs to the original bill:
1. Remove proposed "unreasonable amount of time" limit standard for a voter to
vote and remove provision that at least five minutes constituted a "reasonable
amount of time".
2. Change the amount of time a voter may remain in the voting machines to no
longer than six minutes, with an authorization for election officials to allocate
additional time if the ballot is lengthy or contains complex propositions or
constitutional amendments.
3. Change effective date from signature of the governor to Jan. 1, 2022.
Page 3 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.