ACT No. 1069
SENATE BILL NO. 1161 BY SENATOR JONES AND REPRESENTATIVES HUNTER AND SINGLETON
AN ACT
To amend and reenact R.S. 13:312(2)(b), 312.1(B), 477(23) and (27), 621.23 and 621.27, relative to the courts and the judiciary; to divide the districts of certain courts of appeal in this state into geographical election sections for the purpose of qualification and election of appeal court judges; to divide certain judicial districts into geographical sections for the purpose of qualification and election of certain district judges; to provide for the number of judges to be elected from the sections of such districts; to provide relative to the terms of office of certain appeal court and district court judges; to provide fcr effective date of these provisions; and to provide for related matters.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
Section 1. R.S. 13:312(2)(b), 312.1(B), 477(23) and (27), 621.23 and 621.27 are hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
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(27) The Parish of St. Landry shall compose the Twenty-Seventh District.
The Twenty-Seventh District shall consist of four election sections. Election section one shall consist of Precincts 1-1, 1-2, 1-4, 1-5, 1-7, 1-11, 1-13, 1-15, 1-16, 1-19, 1-20, 1-21, 1-24, 1-27, 1-29, 5-3, 5-5, 5-6, and 5-3A of St. Landry Parish. Election section two shall consist of Precincts 1-6, 1-10, 1-17, 1-17A, 1-26, 1-28, 3-1, 4-1, 4-2, 4-3, 4-4, 4-5, 4-6, 4-7, 4-8, 4-9, 4-10, 4-11, 4-12, 4-13, 4-14, 4-15, 4-16, 5-1, 5-2, 5-4, and 5-7 of St. Landry Parish. Election section three shall consist of Precincts 1-3, 1-8, 1-9, 1-12, 1-18, 1-22, 1-23, 1-25, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, 2-4, 2-5, 2-6, 2-7, 2-8, 2-9, 2-10, 3-2, 3-3, 3-4, 3-5, and 3-6 of St. Landry Parish. Election section four shall consist of Precincts 1-14, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, 6-5, 6-6, 6-7, 6-8, 6-9, 6-10, 6-11, 6-12, 6-13, 6-14, 6-15, 6-16, and 6-17 of St. Landry Parish.
§621.23. Twenty-third judicial district
The Twenty-third Judicial District Court shall have four judges. One judge shall be elected from election section one, and three judges shall be elected from election section two.
§621.27. Twenty-seventh judicial district
The Twenty-seventh Judicial District Court shall have four judges. One judge, Division C, shall be elected from election district one, one judge, Division A, shall be elected from election district two, one judge, Division D, shall be elected from election district three, and one judge, Division B, shall be elected from election district four.
Section 2.(A) The precincts enumerated in Section 1 of this Act are the precincts existing as of April 1, 1991 established by the governing authority of each parish in conformity with R.S. 18:532, however, if any precincts have been changed by ordinance of the respective parish governing authority under the provisions of R.S. 18:532.1(H) since April 1, 1991 and validated by the Legislature of Louisiana prior to March 1, 1992, then the precincts are those validated by the legislature.
(B) With respect to any precincts referenced in this Act that have been subdivided by action of any parish governing authority or registrar of voters on a nongeographic basis, or subdivided by action of the parish governing authority on a geographic basis under the provisions of R.S. 18:532.1(H), the reference in this Act to a precinct shall be construed to include all polling or geographic subdivisions thereof irrespective of the creation of such subdivision by a parish governing authority or registrar of voters.
(C) In any case in which a precinct as established by the parish governing authority includes an area of population which has been given an alphabetical designation in addition to the numerical designation for the purpose of convenience and clarity in taking and reporting the census count by the United States Bureau of the Census, the assignment of such precincts includes any alphabetically designated portion unless otherwise specifically enumerated in this Act.
Section 3. The provisions of this Act shall not reduce the term of office of any judge of a judicial district court or circuit court of appeal.
Section 4.(A) The election to fill the judgeships designated as election section one of district one of the Court of Appeal for the Second Circuit and election section one of the Twenty-Seventh Judicial District Court shall be conducted at any election specially called for the purpose of compliance with the Consent decree ordered in the case of Clark V. Edwards (No. 86-435A of the Middle District of Louisiana), or at the next scheduled election involving the electorate of those courts as provided herein.
(B) The judgeship designated as election section one of the Twenty-Third Judicial District shall be filled by election upon the occurrence of the first judgeship vacancy to occur in the district through the earlier of the death, resignation or retirement of a judge, or at the next election held pursuant to the judgeship term next to expire in that district.
Section 5. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana.
Approved by the Governor, July 14, 1992.
Published in the Official Journal of the State:
August 5, 1992.
A true copy:
W. Fox McKeithen
Secretary of State
