HLS 25RS-239 ORIGINAL
2025 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 47
BY REPRESENTATIVE DEWITT
CIVIL SERVICE/FIRE & POL: Provides relative to the classified police service in the city
of Alexandria
1 AN ACT
2To enact R.S. 33:2494(C)(7), relative to the city of Alexandria; to provide for the classified
3 police service; to provide for the certification and appointment of eligible persons;
4 and to provide for related matters.
5 Notice of intention to introduce this Act has been published
6 as provided by Article III, Section 13 of the Constitution of
7 Louisiana.
8Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 33:2494(C)(7) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
10 §2494. Certification and appointment
11 * * *
12 C.
13 * * *
14 (7) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, in the city
15 of Alexandria, a vacant position in the police department shall be filled in the
16 following manner:
17 (a) If a vacancy cannot be filled by reinstatement or by reemployment as
18 provided in Subsections A and B of this Section, the board shall next certify the
19 names of the persons on the promotional list, in the order in which they appear
20 thereon, for the class in which the vacancy is to be filled.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 25RS-239 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 47
1 (b) The appointing authority shall select and appoint to any vacancy to be
2 filled a person certified to him whose name appears on the promotional list for the
3 class for which he was tested as a person who is among the five highest in
4 departmental seniority.
5 * * *
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 47 Original 2025 Regular Session Dewitt
Abstract: Relative to the classified police service in the city of Alexandria, changes the
method of appointment for filling vacancies in the promotional class.
Present constitution creates a fire and police civil service system applicable to municipalities
of over 13,000 in population and parishes and fire protection districts. Provides that the
system is subject to Art. XIV, §15.1 of the 1921 Constitution made statutory by the 1974
Constitution. Present law creates and provides for two fire and police civil service systems:
(1) one applicable to any municipality which operates paid police and fire departments and
which has a population of not fewer than 13,000 persons; and (2) one applicable to any
parish, fire protection district, or municipality with a population of fewer than 13,000, but
not fewer than 7,000 persons.
Proposed law retains present constitution and present law.
Present law, relative to the system applicable to municipalities with a population of not
fewer than 13,000, provides that "departmental seniority" refers to the period of continuous
employment in the department. Defines "promotional seniority" to mean the total
cumulative employment in a class of positions of the next lower class from which a
promotion is to be made. Specifies further relative to employment counted toward seniority
in the next lower class.
Present law, relative to both systems, provides that a municipal fire and police civil service
board is created in the municipal, parish, and fire protection government. Requires the board
to establish and maintain employment lists containing the names of persons eligible for
appointment to various classes of positions in the classified service. Requires that names of
persons attaining a passing score on a promotion test be placed on the promotion
employment list for the tested class, from highest to lowest, according to departmental
seniority.
Present law requires that vacant positions be filled by reinstatement or reemployment. If the
position cannot be filled in this manner, then the position must be filled by the person on the
promotion list with the greatest departmental seniority. Present law provides exceptions for
certain police departments.
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HB NO. 47
Proposed law retains present law but provides an additional exception applicable to the city
of Alexandria. Requires the appointing authority to select and appoint to any vacancy to be
filled a person certified to him as a person who is among the five highest in departmental
seniority.
(Adds R.S. 33:2494(C)(7))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.