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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 in accordance with the rules of the local
17 governing body.
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1 * * *
2 CHAPTER 15. REDISTRICTING TRANSPARENCY
3 §1961. Statewide redistricting public hearings
4 A. Following the release of the latest federal decennial census data by the
5 United States Census Bureau, a joint committee comprised of the members of
6 the Senate Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs and the House
7 Committee on House and Governmental Affairs shall conduct a series of public
8 hearings to solicit public comment concerning the development of any
9 redistricting plans for the Louisiana Legislature, Public Service Commission,
10 Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, state courts, and Congress. For
11 purposes of this Chaper, these hearings shall be known as "roadshow hearings".
12 B. Roadshow hearings shall be held at different locations throughout the
13 state prior to the consideration of any proposed statewide redistricting plan by
14 the legislature or any legislative committee or subcommittee.
15 C. The roadshow hearings' locations, schedules, and agendas, and all
16 practices and procedures of the joint committee not otherwise prescribed by law
17 or joint rule shall be determined by mutual agreement of the chairmen of the
18 Senate Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs and the House
19 Committee on House and Governmental Affairs.
20 D. At each roadshow hearing, members of the joint committee or their
21 staff shall present information on the following topics:
22 (1) Relevant redistricting terms, concepts, criteria, and laws.
23 (2) Potential implications of the latest federal decennial census data on
24 the state.
25 (3) Potential implications of the latest federal decennial census data
26 within the geographic region in which the roadshow hearing is held.
27 (4) The practical impact of population shifts shown in the data from the
28 latest federal decennial census on current maps and representation.
29 E. Each member of the public who attends a roadshow hearing shall be
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1 afforded an opportunity to testify on the record in accordance with the rules of
2 the joint committee. Any member of the public may submit written testimony
3 to the joint committee. The ability to submit testimony via electronic means
4 shall be provided for at least one roadshow hearing.
5 F. All roadshow hearings shall be streamed in real time, recorded, and
6 archived online as required by R.S. 18:1962.
7 §1962. Redistricting website
8 A. Prior to the first roadshow hearing, the legislature shall create a
9 redistricting website which shall be maintained and updated as further
10 provided in this Section, containing the following information:
11 (1) The roadshow hearing schedule with links to access streaming video
12 of roadshow hearings, hearing agendas, and any other hearing materials.
13 (2) Archived video recordings of all roadshow hearings.
14 (3) Presentation materials from each roadshow hearing.
15 (4) Any redistricting plans submitted to the joint committee.
16 (5) The text of all state and federal proclamations, resolutions, rules,
17 statutes, and constitutional provisions that may be applicable to redistricting.
18 (6) Links to any websites previously developed by the legislature for
19 redistricting purposes.
20 (7) Instructions for the submission of written testimony.
21 (8) All image files, shapefiles, and block equivalency files of currently
22 enacted statewide redistricting plans.
23 (9) Any criteria used by the joint committee to evaluate statewide
24 redistricting plans, including but not limited to traditional or other redistricting
25 principles, communities of interest considered, and other metrics of evaluation.
26 B. The redistricting website shall be updated on a regular basis as
27 additional information required by Subsection A of this Section becomes
28 available.
29 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
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1 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
2 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
3 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
4 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 Engrossed 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 in accordance with the rules of the
local governing body.
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 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 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 in accordance with the rules of the joint committee. Further allows any
member of the public to 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, redistricting plans submitted to the joint committee, and
all image files, shapefiles, and block equivalency files of currently enacted statewide
redistricting plans.
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Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 18:1922.1, 1961, and 1962)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Senate and
Governmental Affairs to the original bill
1. Authorize local governing bodies and the joint governmental affairs
committee to determine the length of public testimony by rule.
2. Remove requirements for a set number of roadshow hearings to be held in
predetermined locations.
3. Require the publication of any redistricting plans submitted to the joint
governmental affairs committee to the redistricting website.
4. Remove the requirement that any analysis that has been performed by or on
behalf of the state concerning currently enacted redistricting plans be
published to the redistricting website.
5. Make technical changes.
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