ENROLLED
ACT No. 496
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 358
BY REPRESENTATIVES BACALA, AMEDEE, BRASS, BROWN, ROBBY CARTER,
COATES, DICKERSON, EDMONSTON, MACK, MUSCARELLO, WILDER,
AND WILEY
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 13:621.21(A) and 621.23, relative to the Twenty-First Judicial
3 District Court and the Twenty-Third Judicial District Court; to create an additional
4 judgeship for the Twenty-First Judicial District Court and the Twenty-Third Judicial
5 District Court; to provide for compensation of the additional judge; to provide for the
6 election and term of office of the additional judgeship and those of the successors in
7 office; to provide for effectiveness; and to provide for related matters.
8 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 13:621.21(A) and 621.23 are hereby amended and reenacted to read
10 as follows:
11 §621.21. Twenty-First Judicial District
12 A. The Twenty-First Judicial District Court shall have nine ten judges.
13 * * *
14 §621.23. Twenty-third Twenty-Third Judicial District
15 The Twenty-third Twenty-Third Judicial District Court shall have five six
16 judges. One judge shall be elected from election section one, and four five judges
17 shall be elected from election section two.
18 Section 2.(A) There is hereby created an additional district judgeship for the
19 Twenty-First Judicial District for the parishes of Livingston, St. Helena, and Tangipahoa.
20 The additional judge herein provided for and his successors shall preside over Division L,
21 which is hereby created for purposes of nomination and election only. The additional judge
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1 and his successors shall be elected at large and shall have jurisdiction throughout the district
2 and shall receive the same compensation and expense allowances, payable from the same
3 sources and in the same manner, as are now or may hereafter be provided for other judges
4 of the district.
5 (B) The individual to be elected to the additional judgeship created by this Act for
6 the Twenty-First Judicial District shall be elected as provided by Article V, Section 22 of
7 the Constitution of Louisiana, and shall serve a term which shall begin on the first January
8 first immediately following the effective date of this Act and which shall expire at the same
9 time as is provided by law for the other judges of the court. Thereafter, the successors to the
10 judge provided for in this Act for the Twenty-First Judicial District shall be elected at the
11 same time and in the same manner and shall serve the same term as is now or may be
12 provided hereafter for other judges of the court.
13 Section 3.(A) There is hereby created an additional district judgeship for the
14 Twenty-Third Judicial District for the parishes of Ascension, Assumption, and St. James.
15 The additional judge herein provided for and his successors shall preside over Division F,
16 which is hereby created for purposes of nomination and election only. The additional judge
17 and his successors shall be elected at large and shall have jurisdiction throughout the district
18 and shall receive the same compensation and expense allowances, payable from the same
19 sources and in the same manner, as are now or may hereafter be provided for other judges
20 of the district.
21 (B) The individual to be elected to the additional judgeship created by this Act for
22 the Twenty-Third Judicial District shall be elected as provided by Article V, Section 22 of
23 the Constitution of Louisiana, and shall serve a term which shall begin on the first January
24 first immediately following the effective date of this Act and which shall expire at the same
25 time as is provided by law for the other judges of the court. Thereafter, the successors to the
26 judge provided for in this Act for the Twenty-Third Judicial District shall be elected at the
27 same time and in the same manner and shall serve the same term as is now or may be
28 provided hereafter for other judges of the court.
29 Section 4. The provisions of this Section shall become effective upon signature by
30 the governor or, if not signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to
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1 become law without signature by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the
2 Constitution of Louisiana. If vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the
3 legislature, the provisions of this Section shall become effective on the day following such
4 approval.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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