The Louisiana State Legislature (french: Législature d'État de Louisiane) is the
state legislature
A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system.
Two federations literally use the term "state legislature":
* The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United Sta ...
of the
U.S. state of
Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
. It is a
bicameral
Bicameralism is a type of legislature, one divided into two separate assemblies, chambers, or houses, known as a bicameral legislature. Bicameralism is distinguished from unicameralism, in which all members deliberate and vote as a single grou ...
body, comprising the
lower house
A lower house is one of two Debate chamber, chambers of a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house. Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has co ...
, the
Louisiana House of Representatives
The Louisiana House of Representatives (french: link=no, Chambre des Représentants de Louisiane) is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. This chamber is composed of 105 repr ...
with 105 representatives, and the
upper house
An upper house is one of two Debate chamber, chambers of a bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house.''Bicameralism'' (1997) by George Tsebelis The house formally designated as the upper house is usually smalle ...
, the
Louisiana State Senate
The Louisiana State Senate (french: Sénat de Louisiane) is the upper house of the state legislature of Louisiana. All senators serve four-year terms and are assigned to multiple committees.
Composition
The Louisiana State Senate is compose ...
with 39 senators. Members of each house are elected from
single-member districts
A single-member district is an electoral district represented by a single officeholder. It contrasts with a multi-member district, which is represented by multiple officeholders. Single-member districts are also sometimes called single-winner vot ...
of roughly equal populations.
The Louisiana State Legislature meets in the
Louisiana State Capitol
The Louisiana State Capitol (french: Capitole de l'État de Louisiane) is the seat of government for the U.S. state of Louisiana and is located in downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Baton Rouge. The capitol houses the chambers for the Louisiana Sta ...
in
Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge ( ; ) is a city in and the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-sma ...
.
Early history
Jean Noel Destréhan
Jean may refer to:
People
* Jean (female given name)
* Jean (male given name)
* Jean (surname)
Fictional characters
* Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character
* Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations
* J ...
and
Allan Bowie Magruder was selected by the joint legislature to be Louisiana's first United States Senators on 3 September 1812. Destréhan resigned within a month and was replaced with
Thomas Posey.
Terms
Members of both houses of the legislature serve a four-year term, with a
term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms an officeholder may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method of curbing the potenti ...
of three terms (twelve years). Term limits were passed by state voters in a constitutional referendum in 1995 and were subsequently added as Article III, §4, of the
Louisiana Constitution. In 2007, some legislators had served their maximum terms and could not run again, being "termed out of office". The term limits are consecutive rather than lifetime.
Officers
The officers of each house of the legislature are elected at the beginning of each term to serve for four-year terms. The
Louisiana House of Representatives
The Louisiana House of Representatives (french: link=no, Chambre des Représentants de Louisiane) is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. This chamber is composed of 105 repr ...
elects from among its members a
speaker
Speaker may refer to:
Society and politics
* Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly
* Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture
* A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially:
** In ...
and speaker ''pro tempore.'' Although the procedure is not mandated constitutionally, the speaker of the house is traditionally recommended by the
governor of Louisiana
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
to the body. The current speaker,
Clay Schexnayder
Clay John Schexnayder (; born February 25, 1969) is an American businessman and politician from Ascension Parish, Louisiana, currently serving as Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives. Schexnayder succeeded John LaBruzzo in the Lo ...
, a
Republican, presides over the House. The house also elects its chief clerical officer, the clerk of the house, who is not an elected member. The
Louisiana Senate elects its presiding officer, the
president of the Senate
President of the Senate is a title often given to the presiding officer of a senate. It corresponds to the speaker in some other assemblies.
The senate president often ranks high in a jurisdiction's succession for its top executive office: for e ...
, from among its membership; the position is also traditionally recommended by the governor. The current president is
Page Cortez
Patrick Page Cortez is an American politician and businessman from the state of Louisiana. A Republican, he has represented the Louisiana State Senate's 23rd district, based in southern Lafayette, since 2012. In 2020, Cortez was unanimously elec ...
. Each house provides for the election of its officers.
From 1853 until the adoption of the
Louisiana constitution of 1974, the
lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
was designated to preside over the Louisiana Senate. In the 21st century, the lieutenant governor exercises powers delegated to him by the governor as provided by law. He also serves as governor in the event of a vacancy in the office, if the governor is unable to act as governor, or is out of the state. Since the lieutenant governor no longer serves as president of the Senate, he has been made an ex-officio member of each committee, board and commission on which the governor serves. (Louisiana Constitution Article IV, Section 6) Additionally, the lieutenant governor serves as head of the
Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism
Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism is a state agency and department within the Office of the Lt. Governor. The department is composed of six offices, Office of the Secretary, Office of State Library, Office of State Museum, Off ...
.
Sessions and quorum
The legislature is required to convene in the state capitol in Baton Rouge for regular annual sessions. In even-numbered years, a general session convenes at noon on the second Monday in March to extend for no longer than 60 legislative days during a period of 85 days. In odd-numbered years, a limited jurisdiction session convenes at noon on the second Monday in April for no longer than 45 legislative days during a period of 60 days. The legislature also may convene for extraordinary sessions and for veto sessions.
The legislature is required to meet in an organizational session, which cannot exceed three days, on the date its members take office. A special session may be called by the governor or may be convened by the presiding officers of both houses upon a written petition of a majority of the elected members of each house. A special session is limited to the number of days stated in the proclamation, not to exceed 30 days. The power to legislate in a special session is limited to the objects specifically enumerated in the proclamation.
In order to constitute a
quorum
A quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly (a body that uses parliamentary procedure, such as a legislature) necessary to conduct the business of that group. According to ''Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised'', the ...
, both houses require a majority of members present; 53 members of the House of Representatives and 20 members of the Senate. A smaller number may adjourn from day to day and may compel the attendance of absent members. Each house is required to also keep a journal of its proceedings and have it published immediately after the close of each session.
Political immunity
Members of both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature are free from arrest, except for felony, during their attendance at sessions and committee meetings of their house and while going to and from them. No member shall be questioned elsewhere for any speech in either house.
Veto powers
The governor of Louisiana carries the power of the
line-item veto
The line-item veto, also called the partial veto, is a special form of veto power that authorizes a chief executive to reject particular provisions of a bill enacted by a legislature without vetoing the entire bill. Many countries have different ...
. However, the legislature has the constitutional power to override a gubernatorial veto by a vote of two-thirds from each house.
See also
*
Louisiana House of Representatives
The Louisiana House of Representatives (french: link=no, Chambre des Représentants de Louisiane) is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. This chamber is composed of 105 repr ...
*
Louisiana State Senate
The Louisiana State Senate (french: Sénat de Louisiane) is the upper house of the state legislature of Louisiana. All senators serve four-year terms and are assigned to multiple committees.
Composition
The Louisiana State Senate is compose ...
*
List of Louisiana state legislatures
*
Government of Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
Notes
External links
Louisiana State LegislatureLouisiana House of RepresentativesLouisiana State Senate
{{Authority control
Bicameral legislatures