SLS 23RS-200 ORIGINAL
2023 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 80
BY SENATOR FIELDS
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
REDISTRICTING. Provides for transparency and community engagement in redistricting.
(gov sig)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 18:1922.1 and Chapter 15 of Title 18 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of
3 1950, to be comprised of R.S. 18:1961 and 1962, relative to redistricting; to provide
4 for public hearings; to provide for procedure; to require publication of certain
5 redistricting materials and information; to provide for public participation; to provide
6 for a redistricting website; to provide for an effective date; and to provide for related
7 matters.
8 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 18:1922.1 and Chapter 15 of Title 18 of the Louisiana Revised
10 Statutes of 1950, comprised of R.S. 18:1961 and 1962, are hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 §1922.1. Public participation
12 A. Prior to the adoption of any redistricting plan a local governing body
13 shall hold a minimum of two public hearings. At least one hearing shall be held
14 within seven days after the publication of any proposed redistricting plan.
15 B. Each member of the public who attends a hearing shall be afforded
16 an opportunity to testify on the record for a minimum of three minutes.
17 * * *
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1 CHAPTER 15. REDISTRICTING TRANSPARENCY
2 §1961. Statewide redistricting public hearings
3 A. Following the release of the latest federal decennial census data by the
4 United States Census Bureau, a joint committee comprised of the members of
5 the Senate Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs and the House
6 Committee on House and Governmental Affairs shall conduct a series of public
7 hearings to solicit public comment concerning the development of any
8 redistricting plans for the Louisiana Legislature, Public Service Commission,
9 Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, state courts, and Congress. For
10 purposes of this Chaper, these hearings shall be known as "roadshow hearings".
11 B. There shall be a minimum of ten roadshow hearings held at different
12 locations throughout the state prior to the consideration of any proposed
13 statewide redistricting plan by the legislature or any legislative committee or
14 subcommittee. At least one roadshow hearing shall be held at an accessible and
15 conveniently located public facility within each congressional district and in
16 each of the five parishes with the greatest population according to the latest
17 federal decennial census.
18 C. The roadshow hearings' locations, schedules, and agendas, and all
19 practices and procedures of the joint committee not otherwise prescribed by law
20 or joint rule shall be determined by mutual agreement of the chairmen of the
21 Senate Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs and the House
22 Committee on House and Governmental Affairs.
23 D. At each roadshow hearing, members of the joint committee or their
24 staff shall present information on the following topics:
25 (1) Relevant redistricting terms, concepts, criteria, and laws.
26 (2) Potential implications of the latest federal decennial census data on
27 the state.
28 (3) Potential implications of the latest federal decennial census data
29 within the geographic region in which the roadshow hearing is held.
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1 (4) The practical impact of population shifts shown in the data from the
2 latest federal decennial census on current maps and representation.
3 E. Each member of the public who attends a roadshow hearing shall be
4 afforded an opportunity to testify on the record for a minimum of three
5 minutes. Any member of the public may submit written testimony to the joint
6 committee. The ability to submit testimony via electronic means shall be
7 provided for at least one roadshow hearing.
8 F. All roadshow hearings shall be streamed in real time, recorded, and
9 archived online as required by R.S. 18:1962.
10 §1962. Redistricting website
11 A. Prior to the first roadshow hearing, the legislature shall create a
12 redistricting website which shall be maintained and updated as further
13 provided in this Section, containing the following information:
14 (1) The roadshow hearing schedule with links to access streaming video
15 of roadshow hearings, hearing agendas, and any other hearing materials.
16 (2) Archived video recordings of all roadshow hearings.
17 (3) Presentation materials from each roadshow hearing.
18 (4) Any written documents submitted to the joint committee.
19 (5) The text of all state and federal proclamations, resolutions, rules,
20 statutes, and constitutional provisions that may be applicable to redistricting.
21 (6) Links to any websites previously developed by the legislature for
22 redistricting purposes.
23 (7) Instructions for the submission of written testimony.
24 (8) All image files, shapefiles, and block equivalency files of currently
25 enacted statewide redistricting plans.
26 (9) Any analysis that has been performed by or on behalf of the state
27 concerning currently enacted statewide redistricting plans.
28 (10) Any criteria used by the joint committee to evaluate statewide
29 redistricting plans, including but not limited to traditional or other redistricting
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1 principles, communities of interest considered, and other metrics of evaluation.
2 B. The redistricting website shall be updated on a regular basis as
3 additional information required by Subsection A of this Section becomes
4 available.
5 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
6 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
7 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
8 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
9 effective on the day following such approval.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Matt DeVille.
DIGEST
SB 80 Original 2023 Regular Session Fields
Proposed law requires a local governing body to hold at least two public hearings prior to
the adoption of any redistricting plan. Further requires at least one hearing to be held within
seven days after the publication of any proposed redistricting plan.
Proposed law provides each member of the public in attendance at a public redistricting
hearing of a local governing body is entitled to testify for a minimum of three minutes.
Proposed law requires a joint committee comprised of the members of the senate and
governmental affairs and house and governmental affairs committees to hold a series of
public "roadshow hearings" to solicit public comment about the development of redistricting
plans for the legislature, Public Service Commission, Board of Elementary and Secondary
Education, state courts, and Congress following the release of the latest federal decennial
census data by the United States Census Bureau.
Proposed law requires a minimum of ten roadshow hearings to be held throughout the state
prior to the consideration of any statewide redistricting plan by the legislature or any of its
committees or subcommittees.
Proposed law requires at least one roadshow hearing to be held within each congressional
district and the five most populated parishes.
Proposed law provides that the locations, schedules, and agendas of the roadshow hearings
as well as the practices and procedures of the joint committee that are not prescribed by
present law or rule are to be determined by the chairs of the senate and governmental affairs
and house and governmental affairs committees.
Proposed law requires the joint committee or its staff to present information on relevant
redistricting terms, concepts, criteria, and laws at each roadshow hearing. Further requires
presentation of information pertaining to potential implications of the latest federal decennial
census data.
Proposed law provides each member of the public in attendance at a roadshow hearing is
entitled to testify for a minimum of three minutes. Further allows any member of the public
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can submit written testimony to the joint committee and requires the ability to submit
testimony via electronic means to be provided for a minimum of one meeting.
Proposed law requires all roadshow hearings to be streamed online in real time and recorded.
Proposed law requires the legislature to establish, maintain, and update a redistricting
website and stipulates certain content it must contain, including the roadshow hearing
schedule, archived video recordings, materials submitted to the joint committee, and all
image files, shapefiles, and block equivalency files of currently enacted statewide
redistricting plans.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 18:1922.1, 1961, and 1962)
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