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Louisiana House of Representatives
| Louisiana House of Representatives | |
 | |
| General Information | |
| Type: | Lower house |
| Term limits: | 3 terms (12 years) |
| 2012 session start: | March 12, 2012 |
| Website: | Official House Page |
| Leadership | |
| House Speaker: | Charles Kleckley |
| Structure | |
| Members: | 105 |
| Democratic Party (45) Republican Party (58) Independent (2) | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Art III, Louisiana Constitution |
| Salary: | $16,800/year + per diem |
| Elections | |
| Last Election: | November 7, 2007 (105 seats) |
| Next election: | November 19, 2011 (105 seats) |
| Redistricting: | Louisiana legislature has control |
Contents |
The Louisiana House of Representatives is one of the five state legislative lower houses whose members are elected to four-year terms, as opposed to the more common two-year term.
Sessions
Article III of the Louisiana Constitution establishes when the Louisiana State Legislature, of which the House of Representatives is a part, is to be in session. Section 2 of Article III states that, in even-numbered years, the Legislature shall convene on the last Monday in March and meet for no more than sixty legislative days during a period of eighty-five calendar days. In odd-numbered years, the Legislature is to convene on the last Monday in April and meet for no more than forty-five legislative days during a period of sixty calendar days. During regular sessions in odd-numbered years, the Legislature can only consider measures regarding the state budget, revenues, and appropriations.
Section 2 of Article III also allows the Legislature to be called into a special session by the Governor of Louisiana or by a majority of the members of each legislative house. During special sessions, the Legislature can only legislate on matters related to the proclaimed purposes of the session.
Section 2 of Article III also authorizes the Governor of Louisiana to call an emergency session without prior notice in the event of a public emergency.
2012
- See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions
In 2012, the House will be in session from March 12 through June 4.
2011
- See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions
In 2011, the House was in regular session from April 25 through June 23. The Legislature was in a special session regarding the census and redistricting from March 20-April 15. [3]
2010
- See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions
In 2010, the House of Representatives was in session from March 29th to June 21st. [4]
Elections
Louisiana is one of only four states that hold state elections in odd-numbered years. Clerk of the Louisiana House Alfred "Butch" Speer explains why:
For scores of years we conducted our party primaries in the winter of the odd numbered years, with any necessary 2d primary held in January. Because Republican voter registration was so miniscule from 1877 until 1980, the general elections were mere irritants to the Democrat primary victor. Once we scrapped the partisan primary system [1975] we set the entire system up to run in the fall of the odd numbered year, our traditional election season.[5]
2011
Primary elections for the office of Louisiana's state house representatives were held in Louisiana on October 22, 2011. Necessary runoffs will take place on November 8, 2011.
2007
As of the 2000 Census, Louisiana's 105 state representatives each represent an average populaation of 42,562 people. In 2007, the candidates for state house raised a total of $23,068,639 in campaign contributions.
| Year | Number of candidates | Total contributions |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 292 | $23,068,639 |
| 2003 | 237 | $12,267,180 |
The top 10 donors were:[6]
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Louisiana House Democratic Campaign Cmte | $464,391 |
| Leblank, Patrick L | $381,647 |
| Louisiana Association of Business and Industry | $328,662 |
| Louisiana Republican Legislative Delegation Campaign Cmte | $317,500 |
| Brown, Troy | $276,738 |
| Scott Simon | $201,288 |
| Louisiana Manufacturers Association | $182,513 |
| Louisiana State Farm Agents | $170,750 |
| Crescent River Port Pilots Association | $168,650 |
| Aycock, Michelle | $160,134 |
Vacancies
| How Vacancies are filled in State Legislatures |
 |
If there is a vacancy in the State House, the vacant seat must be filled by a special election. An election is required if there is six months or more left in the unexpired term. The Speaker of the House must call for an election no later than 10 days after the vacancy occurred. The House Speaker must determine the dates for the election along with all filing deadlines. The person elected to the seat serves for the remainder of the unexpired term[7].
Representatives
Partisan composition
- See also: Partisan composition of state houses
| Party | As of May 2012 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 45 | |
| Republican Party | 58 | |
| Independent | 2 | |
| Total | 105 | |
Leadership
The Speaker of the House is the presiding officer of the body. Duties of the Speaker include preserving order and decorum, deciding all points of order, and appointing the membership of all House committees.[8][9]
Current leadership
Salaries
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
As of 2011, members of the Louisiana legislature are paid $16,800/year. Additionally, legislators receive $6,000/year for expenses and $152/day per diem tied to the federal rate.[10]
The $16,800/year that Louisiana legislators are paid as of 2011 is the same as they were paid during legislative sessions in 2007. Per diem has increased from $138/day in 2007 to $152/day in 2011.[11]
When sworn in
Louisiana legislators assume office at noon on the second Monday in January after their election.
Current members
Standing committees
Louisiana House of Representatives has 16 standing committees:
- Administration of Criminal Justice
- Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture and Rural Development
- Appropriations
- Civil Law and Procedure
- Commerce
- Education
- Health and Welfare
- House and Governmental Affairs
- Insurance
- Judiciary
- Labor and Industrial Relations
- Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs
- Natural Resources and Environment
- Retirement
- Transportation, Highways and Public Works
- Ways and Means
External links
- Official website of the Louisiana House of Representatives
- Project Vote Smart on the Louisiana House of Representatives
- Louisiana House of Representatives on Wikipedia
References
- ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
- ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
- ↑ StateNet, Daily Session Summary, 4 March 2011
- ↑ 2010 session dates for Louisiana Legislature
- ↑ The Thicket, "Why do Four States Have Odd-Year Elections?," August 25, 2011
- ↑ Follow the Money: "Louisiana House 2007 Campaign Contributions"
- ↑ Louisiana Legislature "Louisiana Election Code"(Referenced Statute 18:601, Louisiana Statutes)
- ↑ Key Responsibilities and Duties of the Speaker of the Louisiana House
- ↑ Major Office Holders of the Louisiana House
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2011 Legislator Compensation Data"
- ↑ Empire Center, "Legislative Salaries Per State as of 2007"
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State of Louisiana Baton Rouge (capital) |
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