The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument, were prepared by Matt DeVille.
DIGEST
SB 288 Original 2022 Regular Session Hewitt
Present constitution provides that the supreme court shall be composed of a chief justice and six
associate justices, four of whom must concur to render judgment.
Proposed constitutional amendment provides that, beginning January 1, 2024, the composition of
the Louisiana Supreme Court will increase from six associate justices to eight, five of whom must
concur to render judgment.
Present constitution provides that the state shall be divided into supreme court districts, and at least
one judge shall be elected from each district. The districts and the number of judges assigned to each
are subject to change by law if enacted by two-thirds of the elected members of each house of the
legislature.
Proposed constitutional amendment mandates the legislature to set forth the specific method of
transitioning to nine single-member districts.
Proposed constitutional amendment provides that no supreme court justice in office at the time of
the adoption of the proposed constitutional amendment, nor his or her successor, shall, as a result
of this amendment, have their term diminished or extended.
Specifies submission of the amendment to the voters at a statewide election to be held on November
8, 2022.
(Amends Const. Arts. V, Sec. 3 and 4)