Louisiana State Constitution of 1812
Preamble
We, the Representatives of the People of all that part of the Territory or country ceded under the name of Louisiana, by the treaty made at Paris, on the 30th day of April 1803, between the United States and France, contained in the following limits, to wit; beginning at the mouth of the river Sabine, ‘thence by a line to be drawn along the middle of said river, including all its islands, to the thirty second degree of latitude—thence due north to the Northernmost part of the thirty third degree of north latitude—thence along the said parallel of latitude to the river Mississippi— thence down the said river to the river Iberville, and from thence along the middle of the said river and lakes Maurepas and Pontchartrain to the Gulf of Mexico—thence bounded by the said Gulf to the place of beginning, including all Islands within three leagues of the coast—in Convention Assembled by virtue of an act of Congress, entitled “an act to enable the people of the Territory of Orleans to form a constitution and State government and for the admission of said State into the Union on an equal footing with the original States, and for other purpose :“ In order to secure to all the citizens thereof the enjoyment of the right of Life, Liberty and property, do ordain and establish the following constitution or form of government, and do mutually agree with each other to form ourselves into a free and independent State, by the name of the State of Louisiana.
Done in Convention, January 22, 1812
Louisiana State Constitution of 1845
ART. 8. Paragraph 1
Representation in the House of Representatives shall be equal and uniform, and shall be regulated and ascertained by the number of qualified electors. Each parish shall have at least one Representative; no new parish shall be created with a territory less than six hundred and twenty-five square miles, nor with a number of electors less than the full number entitling it to a Representative, nor when the creation of such new parish would leave any other parish without the said extent of territory and number of electors.
Adopted May 14, 1845.
Louisiana State Constitution of 1852
ART. 8. Paragraph 1
Representation in the House of Representatives shall be equal and uniform, and shall be regulated and ascertained by the local population of each of the several parishes of the State. Each parish shall have at least one Representative. No new parish shall be created with a territory less than six hundred and twenty-five square miles, nor with a population less than the full number entitling it to a Representative, nor when the creation of such new parish would leave any other parish without the said extent of territory and amount of population.
Done at Baton Rouge, July 31, 1852
Louisiana Constitution of 1861
Art. 8 Paragraph 1
Art. 8. Representation in the House of Representatives shall be equal and uniform, and shall be regulated and ascertained by the total population of each of the several parishes of the State. Each parish shall have at least one Representative; No new parish shall be created with a territory less than six hundred and twenty- five square miles, nor with a population less than the full number entitling it to a Representative, nor when the creation of such new parish would leave any other parish without the said extent of territory and amount of population.
Louisiana State Constitution of 1864
ART. 10.
Representation in the House of Representatives shall be equal and uniform, and shall be regulated and ascertained by the number of qualified electors. Each parish shall have at least one Representative; no new parish shall be created with a territory less than six hundred and twenty-five square miles, nor with a number of electors less than the full number entitling it to a Representative, nor when the creation of such new parish would leave any other parish without the said extent of territory and number of electors. . . .
Adopted in Convention, July 23, 1864
Louisiana Constitution of 1879
Art. 249. The General Assembly may establish and organize new parishes, which shall be bodies corporate, with such powers as may be prescribed by law; but no new parish shall contain less than six hundred and twenty-five square miles, nor less than seven thousand inhabitants; nor shall any parish be reduced below that area or number of inhabitants.
Art. 250. All laws changing parish lines or removing parish seats shall, before taking effect, be submitted to the electors of the parish or the parishes to be affected thereby, at a special election held for that purpose, and be adopted by a majority of votes of each parish cast at such election.
Art. 251. Any parish may be dissolved and merged by the General Assembly into a contiguous parish or parishes, two-thirds of the qualified electors of the parish proposed to be dissolved voting in favor thereof, at an election held for that purpose; provided, that each of the parishes into which the dissolved parish proposes to become incorporated consents thereto by a majority of its qualified electors voting therefor.
Art. 252. Whenever a parish shall be enlarged or created from territory contiguous thereto, it shall be entitled to a just proportion of the property and assets and liable for a just proportion of the existing debts or liabilities of the parish or parishes from which such territory shall be taken.
Adopted in convention at New Orleans, the twenty-third day of July, A.D. 1879
Louisiana Constitution of 1898
Art. 277. The General Assembly may establish and organize new parishes, which shall be bodies corporate, with such powers as may be prescribed by law; but no new parish shall contain less than six hundred and twenty-five square miles, nor less than seven thousand inhabitants; nor shall any parish be reduced below that area or number of inhabitants.
Art. 278. All laws changing parish lines or removing parish seats shall, before taking effect, be submitted to the electors of the parish or the parishes to be affected thereby, at a special election held for that purpose, and be adopted by a majority of votes of each parish cast at such election.
Art. 279. Any parish may be dissolved and merged by the General Assembly into a contiguous parish or parishes, two-thirds of the qualified electors of the parish proposed to be dissolved voting in favor thereof, at an election held for that purpose; provided, that each of the parishes into which the dissolved parish proposes to become incorporated consents thereto by a majority of its qualified electors voting therefor.
Art. 280. Whenever a parish shall be enlarged or created from territory contiguous thereto, it shall be entitled to a just proportion of the property and assets and liable for a just proportion of the existing debts or liabilities of the parish or parishes from which such territory shall be taken.
Done in convention in New Orleans, the 12th Day of May, 1898.
Louisiana Constitution of 1913
Art. 277. The General Assembly may establish and organize new parishes, which shall be bodies corporate, with such powers as may be prescribed by law; but no new parish shall contain less than six hundred and twenty-five square miles, nor less than seven thousand inhabitants; nor shall any parish be reduced below that area or number of inhabitants.
Art. 278. All laws changing parish lines or removing parish seats shall, before taking effect, be submitted to the electors of the parish or the parishes to be affected thereby, at a special election held for that purpose, and be adopted by a majority of votes of each parish cast at such election.
Art. 279. Any parish may be dissolved and merged by the General Assembly into a contiguous parish or parishes, two-thirds of the qualified electors of the parish proposed to be dissolved voting in favor thereof, at an election held for that purpose; provided, that each of the parishes into which the dissolved parish proposes to become incorporated consents thereto by a majority of its qualified electors voting therefor.
Art. 280. Whenever a parish shall be enlarged or created from territory contiguous thereto, it shall be entitled to a just proportion of the property and assets and liable for a just proportion of the existing debts or liabilities of the parish or parishes from which such territory shall be taken.
Adopted in convention at the city of Baton Rouge, November 22, 1913.
Louisiana Constitution of 1921
ARTICLE XIV.
PAROCHIAL AND MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS
Section 1. The General Assembly may establish and organize new parishes, which shall be bodies corporate, with such powers as may be prescribed by law; but no new parish shall contain less than six hundred and twenty-five square miles (625), nor less than seven thousand inhabitants (7000); nor shall any parish be reduced below that area or number of inhabitants.
Section 2. All laws changing parish lines or removing parish seats shall, before taking effect, be submitted to the electors of the parish or the parishes to be affected thereby, at a special election held for that purpose, and be adopted by a majority of votes of each parish cast at such election.
Section 4. Any parish may be dissolved and merged by the General Assembly into a contiguous parish or parishes, two-thirds of the qualified electors of the parish proposed to be dissolved voting in favor thereof, at an election held for that purpose; provided, that each of the parishes into which the dissolved parish proposes to become incorporated consents thereto by a majority of its qualified electors voting therefor.
Section 5. Whenever a parish shall be enlarged or created from territory contiguous thereto, it shall be entitled to a just proportion of the property and assets and liable for a just proportion of the existing debts or liabilities of the parish or parishes from which such territory shall be taken.
Adopted in convention at the city of Baton Rouge, June 18, 1921
Louisiana Constitution of 1974
ARTICLE VI. LOCAL GOVERNMENT
PART I. GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 1. Parishes
Section 1. (A) Parishes and Boundaries Ratified. Parishes and their boundaries as established on the effective late of this constitution are recognized and ratified.
(B) Creation; Dissolution; Merger; Boundaries. The legislature by law may establish and organize new parishes, dissolve and merge parishes, and change parish boundaries if approved by two-thirds of the electors in each parish affected voting thereon at an election held for that purpose.
(C) Change of Parish Seat. The governing authority of a parish may call an election on the question of changing the parish seat. The parish seat shall be changed if approved by two-thirds of the electors voting thereon.
(D) Adjustment of Assets and Liabilities. When a parish is enlarged or established from contiguous territory, it shall be entitled to a just proportion of the property and assets and shall be liable for a just proportion of the existing debts and liabilities of the parish or parishes from which the territory is taken.
Done and signed in convention in the city of Baton Rouge, January 19, 1974
For more information on these texts, please see the libguide Louisiana's Constitutions.
