Louisiana § RS 24:77.1 - Temporary successor; selection; definitions

§ RS 24:77.1. Temporary successor; selection; definitions

A.  In accordance with Article III, Section 4(F) of the Constitution of Louisiana, for each legislator who is ordered to active duty in the armed services for a period of one hundred eighty days or more, a person shall be designated to act as a temporary successor to his powers and duties in the manner provided in this Part during the period the legislator is on active duty in the armed services.  No person shall be designated to act as a temporary successor for a legislator who is ordered to active duty in the armed services for a period of less than one hundred eighty days.

B.(1)  Each person designated to serve as a temporary successor for a legislator shall have the qualifications and eligibility to serve as a member of the legislature from the district of the legislator for whom such person has been designated.

(2)  No person who is a member of the immediate family of a legislator shall be nominated or designated to serve as a temporary successor for that legislator.  For purposes of this Paragraph, the term "immediate family" shall have the same meaning as provided in R.S. 42:1102.

C.(1)  Each legislator who may be ordered to active duty in the armed services for a period of one hundred eighty days or more shall submit in writing to the presiding officer of the house of the legislature of which he is a member the names and contact information of at least three qualified nominees to be his temporary successor.  Upon receipt of the information regarding the nominees, the presiding officer shall transmit the information to the governmental affairs committee of his house of the legislature.  The governmental affairs committee shall hold hearings and conduct interviews of the nominees and may make recommendations concerning the nominees to the presiding officer.

(2)  A legislator who is notified that he is being ordered to active duty in the armed services for a period of one hundred eighty days or more shall immediately notify the presiding officer of his house of the legislature of the time period he anticipates being unavailable to perform the powers and duties of his office.

(3)  Upon notification that a legislator has been ordered to active duty in the armed services for a period of one hundred eighty days or more, the appropriate presiding officer shall immediately designate a temporary successor from the list of qualified nominees submitted by the legislator.  This designation shall be made by proclamation of the presiding officer, attested to by the clerical officer of the house, and shall be deposited in the office of the secretary of state and recorded by him.  The presiding officer shall immediately notify each member of his house of the legislature of the name of the person designated to serve as temporary successor.

D.  A temporary successor shall serve at the pleasure of the house of the legislature of which he is a temporary member, and all constitutional and statutory provisions pertaining to the discipline and expulsion of a legislator shall be applicable to a temporary successor.

E.  If a person designated as temporary successor is unable to serve for any reason, the appropriate presiding officer shall designate a different person to serve from the list of qualified nominees submitted by the legislator.

F.  For purposes of this Part, "armed services" means the armed forces of the United States as defined by 10 U.S.C. 101(a)(4), including reserve components of the armed forces, the Army National Guard, and the Air National Guard.

Acts 2008, No. 702, §1, eff. Dec. 8, 2008.