ENROLLED
ACT No. 407
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 49
BY REPRESENTATIVE BACALA
1 A JOINT RESOLUTION
2 Proposing to amend Article III, Section 2(A)(3)(a) and (4)(a) of the Constitution of
3 Louisiana and to add Article III, Section 2(A)(5) of the Constitution of Louisiana,
4 relative to regular sessions of the legislature, to allow the legislature to extend a
5 regular session for a limited time period for a specific purpose; to provide for
6 submission of the proposed amendment to the electors; and to provide for related
7 matters.
8 Section 1. Be it resolved by the Legislature of Louisiana, two-thirds of the members
9 elected to each house concurring, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the state of
10 Louisiana, for their approval or rejection in the manner provided by law, a proposal to
11 amend Article III, Section 2(A)(3)(a) and (4)(a) of the Constitution of Louisiana and to add
12 Article III, Section 2(A)(5) of the Constitution of Louisiana, to read as follows:
13 ยง2. Sessions
14 Section 2.(A) Annual Session.
15 * * *
16 (3)(a) All regular sessions convening in even-numbered years shall be
17 general in nature and shall convene at noon on the second Monday in March. The
18 legislature shall meet in such a session for not more than sixty legislative days during
19 a period of eighty-five calendar days. No such session shall continue beyond six
20 o'clock in the evening of the eighty-fifth calendar day after convening except as
21 provided in Subparagraph (5) of this Paragraph. No new matter intended to have the
22 effect of law shall be introduced or received by either house after six o'clock in the
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1 evening of the twenty-third calendar day. No matter intended to have the effect of
2 law, except a measure proposing a suspension of law, shall be considered on third
3 reading and final passage in either house after six o'clock in the evening of the fifty-
4 seventh legislative day or the eighty-second calendar day, whichever occurs first,
5 except by a favorable record vote of two-thirds of the elected members of each
6 house.
7 * * *
8 (4)(a) All regular sessions convening in odd-numbered years shall convene
9 at noon on the second Monday in April. The legislature shall meet in such a session
10 for not more than forty-five legislative days in a period of sixty calendar days. No
11 such session shall continue beyond six o'clock in the evening of the sixtieth calendar
12 day after convening except as provided in Subparagraph (5) of this Paragraph. No
13 new matter intended to have the effect of law shall be introduced or received by
14 either house after six o'clock in the evening of the tenth calendar day. No matter
15 intended to have the effect of law, except a measure proposing a suspension of law,
16 shall be considered on third reading and final passage in either house after six o'clock
17 in the evening of the forty-second legislative day or fifty-seventh calendar day,
18 whichever occurs first, except by a favorable record vote of two-thirds of the elected
19 members of each house.
20 * * *
21 (5) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of Subsubparagraphs (3)(a) and
22 (4)(a) of this Paragraph and only if necessary to finally pass a bill appropriating
23 money, the legislature, by a favorable record vote of two-thirds of the elected
24 members of each house, may extend a regular session in increments of two
25 legislative or calendar days. During the time a regular session has been extended,
26 the legislature shall not consider any matter having the effect of law other than those
27 contained in a bill appropriating money. No regular session shall be extended more
28 than six calendar days beyond the original time and day for the session to adjourn
29 sine die.
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1 Section 2. Be it further resolved that this proposed amendment shall be submitted
2 to the electors of the state of Louisiana at the statewide election to be held on December 7,
3 2024.
4 Section 3. Be it further resolved that on the official ballot to be used at the election,
5 there shall be printed a proposition, upon which the electors of the state shall be permitted
6 to vote YES or NO, to amend the Constitution of Louisiana, which proposition shall read as
7 follows:
8 Do you support an amendment to allow the legislature to extend a regular
9 session in increments of two days up to a maximum of six days if necessary
10 to pass a bill appropriating money? (Amends Article III, Sections 2(A)(3)(a)
11 and (4)(a); Adds Article III, Section 2(A)(5))
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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