Louisiana § RS 42:1411 - Public officer; ground for removal; suspension; definitions

§ RS 42:1411. Public officer; ground for removal; suspension; definitions

A.  A public officer shall be removed from office for conviction, during his term of office, of a felony.

B.  The conviction for a felony of a public officer shall automatically suspend that individual from his public office without compensation.  The suspension from public office without compensation shall continue until the conviction is final and all appellate review of the original trial court proceedings is exhausted.  During the period of suspension, the public official shall not perform any official act, duty, or function nor shall he receive any compensation, pay, allowance, emolument, or privilege of his office.  If the conviction is reversed on appeal, the public official shall be entitled to and shall receive full back pay with legal interest thereon from the date of suspension, compensation, and all rights, duties, powers, allowances, emoluments, and privileges of office to which he would have been entitled had he not been suspended.

C.  During this period of suspension, another person shall be appointed to perform the official acts, duties, and functions of that office during the period of suspension.  Any person appointed to perform these official acts, duties, and functions shall serve in his appointed capacity until the conviction of the public official is reversed on appeal or until expiration of the term of office of the suspended public official, whichever occurs first.  Every person appointed under the provisions of this Section shall receive the same pay, compensation, allowances, emoluments, and privileges of the office to which he is appointed as the suspended public official received prior to his suspension.

D.  No person appointed under the provisions of this Section shall be eligible in the next election as a candidate for the office to which he is appointed, except as provided in R.S. 18:602(E)(1).

E.  Except as provided in this Subsection, if any public official except the governor or lieutenant governor is suspended under the provisions of this Section, the governor shall appoint another person to perform the official acts, duties, and functions of that office during the period of suspension.  If the public official suspended under the provisions of this Section is a statewide elected official, other than the governor or lieutenant governor, the first assistant appointed under the provisions of Art.  IV, Section 13 of the Constitution of Louisiana shall serve in the position during the period of suspension.  Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Section, if the public official suspended is a member of the legislature, no other person shall be appointed under the provisions of this Section to perform any official act, duty, or function of the suspended legislator.  If the public official is a member of a parish or municipal governing authority, or combination thereof, or a mayor or any other local or municipal office, except as provided in this Subsection, the governing authority of the local governmental subdivision where the vacancy occurs shall appoint a person to perform the official acts, duties, and functions of the person suspended.  If the official suspended is a member of a city or parish school board, the remaining members of the school board shall appoint the person to perform the official acts, duties, and functions of the person suspended.  If the person suspended is a district attorney, clerk of a district court, coroner, sheriff, or tax assessor, then his first assistant or deputy shall perform his official acts, duties and functions as provided in R.S. 18:602(C).

F.  Any person appointed to perform the official acts, duties, and functions of a public official suspended under the provisions of this Section shall have the same qualifications required by law to hold the office as the public official under suspension and he shall post any bond as may be required by law for that office.

G.  For purposes of this Chapter, the term "felony" includes both a felony under the laws of this state and a felony under the laws of the United States.  For purposes of this Chapter, the term "public officer" means any person holding a public office, whether state, district, parochial, ward, or municipal, whether the person is elected or appointed except judges of the courts of record.

Added by Acts 1976, No. 628, §1.  Amended by Acts 1981, No. 601, §1; Acts 1985, No. 994, §1; Acts 1990, No. 892, §2.