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)]
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP ORT DIGEST
HB 661 2023 Regular Session Muscarello
Keyword and oneliner of the instrument as it left the House
JUDGES: Provides relative to the Judicial Council of the Supreme Court of Louisiana
Report adopts Senate amendments to:
1. Authorize the Judicial Council to recommend to the legislature, rather than approve, the
necessity for additional or eliminating judgeships or judicial offices or for the merger or
elimination of courts.
2. Require the Judiciary Commission to publish its membership on its public website.
Report rejects Senate amendments which would have:
1. Required the Judiciary Commission to publish its meeting schedule on its public website.
Digest of the bill as proposed by the Conference Committee
Present law requires the Judicial Council to adopt standards and guidelines to approve the necessity
of creating new judgeships and judicial offices and for splitting or merging courts.
Proposed law instead requires the council to make recommendations to the legislature concerning
the necessity of creating new judgeships and judicial offices and for splitting or merging courts as
well as the elimination of a judgeship or judicial office.
Present law provides that the judgeships and judicial offices to which present law is applicable are
any judgeship of the supreme court, courts of appeal, district courts, city courts, parish courts,
juvenile courts, family courts, traffic courts, and municipal courts, and any office of commissioner,
magistrate, hearing officer, or any other judicial office by whatever other name designated.
Present law does not apply to justice of the peace courts, mayors' courts, or administrative law judges employed by the division of administrative law. Proposed law adds clerks of court to the excepted
offices.
Proposed law requires the supreme court in consultation with the clerks of court to adopt rules to
establish uniform data reporting standards for all case filings and adjudications, including
requirements for electronic filing and reporting. Requires all clerks of court to report requested data
to the council in the manner and form directed by the council.
Present constitution (Const. Art. V, ยง25) provides for the Judiciary Commission, which has the
power to recommend the censure, suspension, removal, disqualification, or involuntary retirement
of a judge for certain reasons. Present constitution requires the supreme court to make rules
providing for confidentiality and privilege of the commission proceedings. Present constitution
provides that the Judiciary Commission shall consist of the following:
(1)One court of appeal judge and two district court judges selected by the supreme court.
(2)Two attorneys admitted to the practice of law for at least ten years and one attorney admitted
to the practice of law for at least three years but not more than ten years, selected by the
Conference of Court of Appeal Judges or its successor.
(3)Three citizens, not lawyers, judges active or retired, or public officials, selected by the La.
District Judges' Association.
Proposed law requires the Judiciary Commission to publish its membership on its public website
beginning Aug. 1, 2023.
(Amends R.S. 13:61; Adds R.S. 13:37)