HLS 24RS-5 ORIGINAL
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 472
BY REPRESENTATIVE ZERINGUE
JUDGES: (Constitutional Amendment) Provides relative to discipline of judges
1 A JOINT RESOLUTION
2Proposing to amend Article V, Section 25(C) of the Constitution of Louisiana, relative to
3 judicial disciplinary actions; to provide with respect to the powers of the judiciary
4 commission; to provide for submission of the proposed amendment to the electors;
5 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 25(C) of the Constitution of Louisiana, to read as follows:
10 §25. Judiciary Commission
11 Section 25.
12 * * *
13 (C) Powers. (1) On recommendation of the judiciary commission, the
14 supreme court may shall censure, suspend with or without salary, remove from
15 office, or retire involuntarily a judge for willful misconduct relating to his official
16 duty, willful and persistent failure to perform his duty, persistent and public conduct
17 prejudicial to the administration of justice that brings the judicial office into
18 disrepute, conduct while in office which would constitute a felony, or conviction of
19 a felony. (2) On recommendation of the judiciary commission, the supreme court
20 may disqualify a judge from exercising any judicial function, without loss of salary,
21 during pendency of proceedings in the supreme court. (3) On recommendation of
22 the judiciary commission, the supreme court may retire involuntarily a judge for
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 24RS-5 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 472
1 disability that seriously interferes with the performance of his duties and that is or
2 is likely to become permanent. The supreme court shall make rules implementing
3 this Section and providing for confidentiality and privilege of commission
4 proceedings.
5 * * *
6 Section 2. Be it further resolved that this proposed amendment shall be submitted
7to the electors of the state of Louisiana at the statewide election to be held on November 5,
82024.
9 Section 3. Be it further resolved that on the official ballot to be used at the election,
10there shall be printed a proposition, upon which the electors of the state shall be permitted
11to vote YES or NO, to amend the Constitution of Louisiana, which proposition shall read as
12follows:
13 Do you support an amendment to require the supreme court to discipline
14 judges on recommendation of the judiciary commission? (Amends Article V,
15 Section 25(C))
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 472 Original 2024 Regular Session Zeringue
Abstract: Requires the supreme court to discipline judges on recommendation of the
judiciary commission.
Present law provides that on recommendation of the judiciary commission, the supreme
court may censure, suspend with or without salary, remove from office, or retire
involuntarily a judge for willful misconduct, willful and persistent failure to perform his
duty, conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice that brings the office into disrepute,
conduct which would constitute a felony, or conviction of a felony.
Proposed law requires the supreme court to take disciplinary action on recommendation of
the judiciary commission.
Provides for submission of the proposed amendment to the voters at the statewide election
to be held Nov. 5, 2024.
(Amends Const. Art. V, §25(C))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.