HLS 24RS-566 ORIGINAL
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 241
BY REPRESENTATIVE SCHAMERHORN
PUBLIC OFFICIALS: (Constitutional Amendment) Requires voter approval of
compensation increases for certain local officials
1 A JOINT RESOLUTION
2Proposing to amend Article V, Section 31 of the Constitution of Louisiana and to add Article
3 VII, Section 24(D) of the Constitution of Louisiana, to provide relative to
4 compensation of certain elected officials; to provide for submission of the proposed
5 amendment to the electors; and to provide for related matters.
6 Section 1. Be it resolved by the Legislature of Louisiana, two-thirds of the members
7elected to each house concurring, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the state of
8Louisiana, for their approval or rejection in the manner provided by law, a proposal to
9amend Article V, Section 31 of the Constitution of Louisiana, to read as follows:
10 §31. Reduction of Salaries and Benefits Prohibited
11 Section 31.(A) The salary and retirement benefits of an attorney general,
12 district attorney, sheriff, coroner, or clerk of the district court shall not be diminished
13 during his term of office.
14 (B) If the legislature authorizes an increase in the compensation of district
15 attorneys, sheriffs, coroners, or clerks of the district court, the authorized increase
16 shall apply to an office in a parish or multiparish jurisdiction only if and only to the
17 extent that a proposition authorizing the receipt of the increase is approved by a
18 majority of the voters who vote on the proposition authorizing the increase in the
19 parish or multiparish jurisdiction of the official.
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are additions. HLS 24RS-566 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 241
1 (2) The provisions of this Paragraph apply only to an increase in
2 compensation authorized by the legislature after the effective date of this Paragraph.
3 (3) The provisions of this Paragraph do not apply to modifications of a
4 retirement plan of which the official is a member.
5 Section 2. Be it resolved by the Legislature of Louisiana, two-thirds of the members
6elected to each house concurring, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the state of
7Louisiana, for their approval or rejection in the manner provided by law, a proposal to add
8Article VII, Section 24(D) of the Constitution of Louisiana, to read as follows:
9 §24. Tax Assessors
10 Section 24.
11 * * *
12 (D)(1) If the legislature authorizes an increase in the compensation of
13 assessors, the authorized increase shall apply to the office of assessor in a parish only
14 if and only to the extent that a proposition authorizing the receipt of the increase is
15 approved by a majority of the voters who vote on the proposition authorizing the
16 increase in the parish.
17 (2) The provisions of this Paragraph apply only to an increase in
18 compensation authorized by the legislature after the effective date of this Paragraph.
19 (3) The provisions of this Paragraph do not apply to modifications of a
20 retirement plan of which the assessor is a member.
21 Section 2. Be it further resolved that this proposed amendment shall be submitted
22to the electors of the state of Louisiana at the statewide election to be held on November 5,
232024.
24 Section 3. Be it further resolved that on the official ballot to be used at the election,
25there shall be printed a proposition, upon which the electors of the state shall be permitted
26to vote YES or NO, to amend the Constitution of Louisiana, which proposition shall read as
27follows:
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are additions. HLS 24RS-566 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 241
1 Do you support an amendment to require local voter approval of authorized
2 compensation increases for district attorneys, sheriffs, coroners, clerks of
3 district court, and assessors? (Amends Article V, Section 31; Adds Article
4 VII, Section 24(D))
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)]
HB 241 Original 2024 Regular Session Schamerhorn
Abstract: Requires local voter approval of legislatively authorized compensation increases
for district attorneys, sheriffs, coroners, clerks of district court, and assessors.
Present constitution provides for the election of a district attorney in each judicial district
and a sheriff, coroner, clerk of district court, and assessor in each parish.
Present constitution provides that the salary and retirement benefits of a district attorney,
sheriff, coroner, or clerk of the district court shall not be diminished during his term of
office. Provides that the compensation of assessors shall be as provided by law.
Proposed constitutional amendment provides that a legislatively authorized increase in
compensation for such officials is applicable in a local jurisdiction only if and only to the
extent that the increase is approved by the voters of the jurisdiction. Provides that proposed
constitutional amendment does not apply to modifications of a retirement plan.
Provides for submission of the proposed amendment to the voters at the statewide election
to be held November 5, 2024.
(Amends Const. Art. V, §31; Adds Const. Art. VII, §24(D))
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