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2024 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 186
BY SENATOR SEABAUGH
JUDGES. Provides relative to continuous service for the purpose of determination of chief
judge. (8/1/24)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 13:1878(C), relative to the determination of a chief judge for city courts; to
3 provide relative to interruptions of continuous service for the determination of chief
4 judge; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 13:1878(C) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
7 ยง1878. Declaration of candidates for office; determination of chief judge
8 * * *
9 C.(1) Continuous service is interrupted at the occurrence of any of the
10 following:
11 (a) The removal, or suspension without pay, of a judge by the Louisiana
12 Supreme Court or resignation of a judge.
13 (b) The nonreelection of a judge for a subsequent term of office.
14 (c) The taking of a leave of absence by a judge for thirty days or more
15 within any twelve month period of time without the agreement of the other
16 judges. However, the taking of a leave of absence by a judge for medically
17 necessary reasons shall not interrupt continuous service.
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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. 186
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1 (2) If continuous service is interrupted pursuant to Paragraph (1) of this
2 Subsection, it shall commence anew when a judge is reinstated, reelected, or
3 returns to work from a leave of absence of thirty days or more.
4 (3) Continuous service shall not be interrupted, but shall be suspended
5 when a judge takes a leave of absence of less than thirty days or, if agreed to by
6 the other judges, thirty or more days. A judge shall not receive credit towards
7 his amount of continuous service for the number of days on leave of absence.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Hanna Gettys.
DIGEST
SB 186 Reengrossed 2024 Regular Session Seabaugh
Proposed law specifies interruptions of continuous service which include the following:
(1)The removal, or suspension without pay, of a judge by the Louisiana Supreme Court
or resignation of a judge.
(2)The nonreelection of a judge for a subsequent term of office.
(3)The taking of a leave of absence by a judge for 30 days or more within any 12 month
period of time without the agreement of the judges. However, the taking of a leave
of absence by a judge for medically necessary reasons shall not interrupt continuous
service.
Proposed law provides that if a judge is reinstated, reelected, or returns to work from a leave
of absence of 30 days or more, continuous service shall commence anew.
Proposed law provides that a leave of absence by a judge for less than 30 days shall not be
an interruption of continuous service, but the number of days on leave of absence shall not
be credited towards a judge's amount of years in continuous service.
Effective August 1, 2024.
(Adds R.S. 13:1878(C))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Judiciary A to the
original bill
1. Makes technical changes.
2. Removes retroactive application as it relates to interruption of continuous
service of a judge.
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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. 186
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Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Senate Floor Amendments to engrossed bill
1. Adds an exception that taking of a leave of absence for medically necessary
reasons shall not interrupt continuous service.
2. Makes technical changes.
Page 3 of 3
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.