The original instrument was prepared by J. W. Wiley. The following digest, which
does not constitute a part of the legislative instrument, was prepared by LG Sullivan.
DIGEST
SB 353 Engrossed 2022 Regular Session Fields
Present law divides the state into five court of appeal circuits and divides each circuit into three
districts. Provides that the Court of Appeal for the First Circuit is comprised of Ascension,
Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Lafourche, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St.
Helena, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge, and
West Feliciana parishes.
Present law provides that the second district of the Court of Appeal for the First Circuit is comprised
of East Baton Rouge Parish.
Present law provides that the second district will be divided into two subdistricts pursuant to the
Consent Judgment in the United States District Court, Middle District of Louisiana, case of Janice
Clark, et al. v. Charles "Buddy" Roemer, Governor of Louisiana, et al., Civil Action No. 86-435(A).
Subdistrict one shall elect judges for Divisions A, B, and C. Subdistrict two shall elect a judge for
Division D.
Proposed law divides the second district into two election sections. Further provides that two judges
for Divisions A and C will be elected from election section one, and two judges for Divisions B and
D will be elected from election section two.
Proposed law provides that each judge of the second district in office on the effective date of this Act
will be the judge for the election section, subdistrict having the same designation as the election
section, subdistrict from which the justice was elected and may complete the term for which he was
elected. Further provides that the successor to the office of a judge of the second district will be
elected from the election section assigned to that office as provided by proposed law.
Proposed law provides the election to fill the judgeships currently designated as Division B and C
will be held at the congressional elections to be held in 2022 and 2024, respectively.
Proposed law specifies that precincts referenced in district descriptions are those precincts identified
as Voting Districts (VTDs) in the 2020 Census Redistricting TIGER/Line Shapefiles for the state
of La. as validated through the data verification program of the La. legislature. Also specifies that
if any such precinct has been subdivided by action of the parish governing authority on a
nongeographic basis or subdivided by action of the parish governing authority on a geographic basis
in accordance with present law, the enumeration of the general precinct designation shall include all
nongeographic and all geographic subdivisions thereof. Further provides that the territorial limits of
the districts as enacted shall continue in effect without change regardless of any subsequent change
made to the precincts by the parish governing authority. Population data in the summaries accompanying this digest are derived from 2020 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 the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 13:312(1)(b) and 312.1(A))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Senate and Governmental
Affairs to the original bill
1. Provide that two judges for Divisions A and C shall be elected from election section
one and two judges for Divisions B and D shall be elected from election section two
of the second district of the Court of Appeal for the First Circuit.
2. Provide that the judgeship currently designated as Division C of the second district
shall be held as the congressional elections to be held in 2024 from election section
one.