SLS 24RS-546 ORIGINAL
2024 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 178
BY SENATOR SEABAUGH
COURTS. Constitutional amendment to provide for statewide districts and election of the
chief justice for the Louisiana Supreme Court. (2/3 - CA13s1(A))
1 A JOINT RESOLUTION
2 Proposing to amend Article V, Section 3 and Section 6 of the Constitution of Louisiana and
3 to repeal Article V, Section 4 of the Constitution of Louisiana, relative to the
4 supreme court; to provide for statewide election of justices; to repeal supreme court
5 district configurations; to provide for selection of the chief justice; and to specify an
6 election for submission of the proposition to electors and provide a ballot
7 proposition.
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, for
10 their approval or rejection in the manner provided by law, a proposal to amend Article V,
11 Section 3 and Section 6 and to repeal Article V, Section 4 of the Constitution of Louisiana,
12 to read as follows:
13 §3. Supreme Court; Composition; Judgments; Elections; Terms
14 Section 3. The supreme court shall be composed of a chief justice and six
15 associate justices, four of whom must concur to render judgment. The term of a
16 supreme court judge shall be ten years. Each justice shall be elected for a term of
17 ten years by the electors of the state.
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 178
SLS 24RS-546 ORIGINAL
1 §4. Supreme Court; Districts
2 * * *
3 §6. Supreme Court; Chief Justice
4 Section 6. The judge oldest in point of service on the supreme court shall be
5 chief justice. The chief justice shall be selected by a majority vote of the justices.
6 He is the chief administrative officer of the judicial system of the state, subject to
7 rules adopted by the court.
8 Section 2. Be it further resolved that this proposed amendment shall be submitted to
9 the electors of the state of Louisiana at the statewide election to be held on November 5,
10 2024.
11 Section 3. Be it further resolved that on the official ballot to be used at said election
12 there shall be printed a proposition, upon which the electors of the state shall be permitted
13 to vote YES or NO, to amend the Constitution of Louisiana, which proposition shall read as
14 follows:
15 Do you support an amendment to eliminate supreme court districts, provide
16 for the statewide election of supreme court justices, and provide for the chief
17 justice to be selected by a majority vote of the justices?
18 (Amends Article V, Sections 3 and 6 and repeals Article V, Section 4)
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Matt DeVille.
DIGEST
SB 178 Original 2024 Regular Session Seabaugh
Present constitution provides that the supreme court shall be composed of a chief justice and
six associate justices, four of whom must concur to render judgment. Further provides that
the term of a justice shall be ten years.
Present constitution provides that the state shall be divided into at least six supreme court
districts, and at least one judge shall be elected from each. Further provides that the districts
and number of judges assigned to each are subject to change by law enacted by two-thirds
of the elected members of each house of the legislature.
Proposed constitutional amendment retains the composition of the court and length of term
in present constitution and provides that each justice shall be elected statewide.
Present constitution provides that the judge oldest in point of service on the supreme court
shall be chief justice.
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 178
SLS 24RS-546 ORIGINAL
Proposed provides that the chief justice shall be selected by a majority vote of the justices.
Specifies submission of the amendment to the voters at the statewide election to be held on
November 5, 2024.
(Amends Const. Art. V, Sec. 3 and Sec. 6; repeals Const. Art. V, Sec. 4)
Page 3 of 3
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.