HLS 25RS-643 ORIGINAL
2025 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 502
BY REPRESENTATIVE BUTLER
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
REGISTRARS OF VOTERS: Provides for the compensation, evaluation, duties, and
removal of registrars of voters
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 18:53(A) and (B)(1) and (2), 55(A)(4)(b), 59(B)(4)(b) and
3 (C)(4)(b), 60, and 134(A), relative to the compensation, evaluation, duties, and
4 removal of registrars of voters; to provide for grounds for removal; to provide for
5 allegations brought by the commissioner of elections; to provide for a firing freeze
6 during the pendency of removal proceedings; to provide for merit evaluations; to
7 provide for salary increases; to provide for office closures; to provide for the
8 performance of duties by the registrar of voters during office closures; and to provide
9 for related matters.
10Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
11 Section 1. R.S. 18:53(A) and (B)(1) and (2), 55(A)(4)(b), 59(B)(4)(b) and (C)(4)(b),
1260, and 134(A) are hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
13 §53. Tenure; removal Removal from office; may not be own immediate successor
14 A. A registrar shall be subject to removal by the State Board of Election
15 Supervisors for cause for any of the following reasons:
16 (1) Willful willful misconduct relating to his official duty,.
17 (2) Willful willful and persistent failure to perform his duty,.
18 (3) Persistent persistent public conduct prejudicial to the administration of
19 the laws relative to the registration of voters that brings the office into disrepute, or.
20 (4) Incompetence.
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1 (5) Consistent under-performance.
2 (6) Abuse of leave policies established by the secretary of state.
3 (7) Violation of substance abuse policies established by the secretary of
4 state.
5 (8) A finding of "unsuccessful" on a merit evaluation for two successive
6 years.
7 (9) Conviction conviction of a felony.
8 B.(1) A registrar accused of any of the types of conduct set forth in
9 Subsection A of this Section or convicted of a felony shall be subject to immediate
10 suspension from office, with or without pay, by majority vote of the State Board of
11 Election Supervisors.
12 (2)(a) If the board receives a resolution from a parish governing authority as
13 provided in this Paragraph accusing the parish registrar of any of the types of
14 conduct set forth in Subsection A of this Section, the board shall schedule a hearing
15 on the accusations contained in the resolution within thirty days of the receipt of such
16 resolution. Such resolution must be adopted by a favorable vote of at least two-
17 thirds of the membership of the parish governing authority and transmitted to the
18 chairman of the board by certified mail, return receipt requested. The provisions of
19 this Paragraph shall in no way be construed to limit the powers conferred upon the
20 board by Paragraph (1) of this Subsection.
21 (b) If the commissioner of elections raises allegations that the parish registrar
22 has engaged in any conduct set forth in Subsection A of this Section, the board shall
23 schedule a hearing on the allegations brought by the commissioner of elections
24 within thirty days of the receipt of the accusations. If the commissioner of elections
25 serves as a regular member of the board, he shall not serve for the purposes of such
26 hearings, and the secretary of state shall designate a member of the Registrars of
27 Voters Association to serve in the commissioner's place and shall notify the board
28 in writing of any such designation as provided in R.S. 18:23.
29 * * *
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HB NO. 502
1 §55. Compensation of registrar of voters; amount and manner of payment; reduction
2 during tenure prohibited; prohibited increase
3 A.
4 * * *
5 (4)
6 * * *
7 (b) Each registrar whose salary is at the level of step one or higher shall be
8 evaluated as to merit in January. The merit evaluation shall result in a finding of
9 "excellent", "successful", "unsuccessful", or "unrated". The criteria and procedure
10 for the merit evaluation shall be determined by the secretary of state in conjunction
11 with the Registrar of Voters Association. Each registrar shall be evaluated by the
12 secretary of state or his designee acting on his behalf. Upon a finding of "excellent"
13 on a merit evaluation, the registrar shall receive a salary increase to the next step
14 until the registrar's salary is equal to the highest step of the appropriate population
15 range. Upon a finding of "excellent"on a merit evaluation of each registrar whose
16 salary is at the level of step twelve, the registrar shall receive a salary increase of five
17 percent. No registrar shall receive more than five such salary increases. A registrar
18 may appeal the finding on a merit evaluation to the State Board of Election
19 Supervisors in accordance with rules promulgated by the board. If a member of the
20 board participates in the merit evaluation of a registrar, the member shall not
21 participate in an appeal of the evaluation.
22 * * *
23 §59. Deputies, confidential assistants, and other permanent office employees;
24 temporary employees; appointment and compensation; prohibited increase
25 in compensation
26 * * *
27 B.
28 * * *
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1 (4)
2 * * *
3 (b) Each chief deputy whose salary is at the level of step one or higher shall
4 be evaluated as to merit in January. The merit evaluation shall result in a finding of
5 "excellent", "successful", "unsuccessful", or "unrated". The criteria and procedure
6 for the merit evaluation shall be determined by the Registrar of Voters Association.
7 It shall provide that each chief deputy will be evaluated by the registrar of his parish.
8 Upon a finding of "excellent" on a merit evaluation, the chief deputy shall receive
9 a salary increase to the next step until his salary equals the highest step of the
10 appropriate population range. Upon a finding of "excellent" on a merit evaluation
11 of each chief deputy whose salary is at the level of step twelve, the chief deputy shall
12 receive a salary increase of five percent. No chief deputy shall receive more than
13 five such salary increases.
14 C.
15 * * *
16 (4)
17 * * *
18 (b) Each confidential assistant whose salary is at the level of step one or
19 higher shall be evaluated as to merit in January. The merit evaluation shall result in
20 a finding of "excellent", "successful", "unsuccessful", or "unrated". The criteria and
21 procedure for the merit evaluation shall be determined by the Registrar of Voters
22 Association. It shall provide that each confidential assistant be evaluated by the
23 registrar of his parish. Upon a finding of "excellent" on a merit evaluation, the
24 confidential assistant shall receive a salary increase to the next step until the
25 confidential assistant's salary is equal to the highest step of the appropriate
26 population range. Upon a finding of "excellent" on a merit evaluation of each
27 confidential assistant whose salary is at the level of step twelve, the confidential
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1 assistant shall receive a salary increase of five percent. No confidential assistant
2 shall receive more than five such salary increases.
3 * * *
4 §60. Removal of deputies and employees
5 Subject to applicable civil service law, a registrar may remove any deputy,
6 clerk, or other employee. However, no registrar who is subject to removal by the
7 State Board of Election Supervisors pursuant to R.S. 18:53 may remove a deputy,
8 clerk, or other employee from the time the registrar is made aware that he is subject
9 to removal until after the State Board of Election Supervisors makes a final
10 determination on the removal of the registrar.
11 * * *
12 §134. Office hours
13 A.(1) A registrar shall keep his principal office open for business on those
14 days that state departments are open. A registrar shall observe the holidays that are
15 provided by law or proclaimed by the governor for state departments. On days that
16 a registrar's office is open, his office hours shall be from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
17 Notwithstanding any provision of this Subsection, any registrar may keep his
18 principal office open during additional hours and on additional days.
19 (2) A registrar may close his principal office on days that state departments
20 are open only in extreme circumstances. However, on such days the registrar shall
21 still perform essential functions.
22 * * *
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 502 Original 2025 Regular Session Butler
Abstract: Provides for grounds for removal of a registrar of voters; for removal procedures
when the commissioner of elections raises allegations of conduct subject to removal;
for a firing freeze during the pendency of a removal; for evaluations of registrars,
chief deputies, and confidential assistants; for pay increases for registrars, chief
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deputies, and confidential assistants; and for requirements of a registrar upon the
closure of the registrar's office in certain circumstances.
Present law provides the grounds for which a registrar of voters may be removed by the State
Board of Election Supervisors (state board), including willful misconduct relating to his
official duty, willful and persistent failure to perform his duty, persistent public conduct
prejudicial to the administration of the laws relative to the registration of voters that brings
the office into disrepute, and conviction of a felony.
Proposed law retains present law and provides additional grounds for removal to include
incompetence, consistent under-performance, abuse of leave policies established by the
secretary of state, violation of substance abuse policies established by the secretary of state,
or a finding of "unsuccessful" on a merit evaluation for two successive years.
Present law provides that if the state board receives a resolution from a parish governing
authority accusing the parish registrar of any conduct that is grounds for removal, the state
board shall schedule a hearing on the accusations contained in the resolution within 30 days
of the receipt of such resolution.
Proposed law retains present law and further provides that if the commissioner of elections
raises allegations that the parish registrar has engaged in any conduct that is grounds for
removal, the state board shall schedule a hearing on the allegations brought by the
commissioner of elections within 30 days of the receipt of the accusations. If the
commissioner of elections serves as a regular member of the state board, he shall not serve
for the purposes of such hearings and the secretary of state shall designate a member of the
Registrars of Voters Association (association) to serve in the commissioner's place and shall
notify the state board in writing of any such designation.
Present law provides for 12 salary levels for registrars, chief deputies, and confidential
assistants. Provides that each registrar, chief deputy, and confidential assistant whose salary
is at the level of step one or higher shall be evaluated as to merit in January. Provides that
criteria and procedures for evaluation of registrars are determined by the secretary of state
in conjunction with the association and that a registrar is evaluated by the secretary of state.
Provides that criteria and procedures for evaluation of chief deputies and confidential
assistants are determined by the association and that a chief deputy or confidential assistant
is evaluated by the registrar. Requires an evaluation of "excellent" to receive a salary
increase to the next step.
Proposed law retains present law and further provides that merit evaluations shall result in
a finding of "excellent", "successful", "unsuccessful", or "unrated".
Proposed law further provides that upon a finding of "excellent" on a merit evaluation of
each registrar, chief deputy, or confidential assistant whose salary is at the level of step 12,
the registrar, chief deputy, or confidential assistant shall receive a salary increase of 5%.
Provides that no registrar, chief deputy, or confidential assistant shall receive more than five
such salary increases.
Present law provides that, subject to applicable civil service law, a registrar may remove any
deputy, clerk, or other employee.
Proposed law retains present law, except to provide that no registrar who is subject to
removal by the state board may remove a deputy, clerk, or other employee from the time the
registrar is made aware that he is subject to removal until after the state board makes a final
determination on the removal of the registrar.
Present law provides that a registrar shall keep his principal office open for business on those
days that state departments are open.
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Proposed law retains present law and further provides that a registrar may close his principal
office on days that state departments are open only in extreme circumstances. However, on
such days the registrar shall still perform essential functions.
(Amends R.S. 18:53(A) and (B)(1) and (2), 55(A)(4)(b), 59(B)(4)(b) and (C)(4)(b), 60, and
134(A))
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