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House opens 2025 session; new representative sworn, speaker issues special-election proclamations and dozens of ceremonial resolutions adopted
Summary
The Louisiana House convened Feb. 27, 2025, swore in Representative Annie Spell, acknowledged two resignations and issued proclamations for special elections. Members adopted a standing-committee schedule and approved numerous ceremonial resolutions without objection.
The Louisiana House of Representatives opened the 2025 regular session on Feb. 27, 2025, administering the oath of office to Representative Annie Spell and processing formal communications including two resignations and related special-election proclamations.
Why it matters: The chamber completed the routine constitutional and procedural steps needed to begin the session, filled a membership vacancy by oath and set calendar elements that enable committee work and the introduction and referral of hundreds of bills.
Resignations and special-election proclamations: The clerk read letters notifying the House of two resignations. Representative Larry Selders submitted a letter resigning effective 11:59 p.m. March 10 (the transcript records the letter and a proclamation creating a vacancy and fixing qualifying and election dates), and Representative Brock Jared Myers submitted a letter of resignation from District 45 effective 11:59 p.m. March 10. The speaker issued proclamations to declare the vacancies and set special-election timelines, each signed by the speaker of the House.
Oath of office: Following the secretary of state’s certification that Annie Spell had been elected to the 5th Representative District, the chamber administered the oath; Spell repeated the oath and was seated as a duly elected member.
Committee and calendar actions: Speaker Pro Tempore Mike Johnson moved to adopt the standing committee meeting schedule “in accordance with House Rule 14.2,” and the motion carried by unanimous consent. The House also appointed members to notify the governor and the Senate that the chamber was convened and ready for business.
Adoption of ceremonial and introductory resolutions: During the morning hour the House introduced a long list of bills and resolutions. Several ceremonial house resolutions and committee-scheduling actions were adopted by unanimous consent or “without objection,” including a pair of proclamations creating special-election timelines and numerous commendations and recognition resolutions recorded in the journal as adopted with suspension of the rules.
Votes at a glance (selected formal outcomes recorded in the transcript): - Oath administered: Annie Spell, sworn as State Representative for the 5th Representative District (certified by Secretary of State Nancy Landry). - Proclamation: Vacancy and special-election schedule for State Representative District 67 (due to resignation of Rep. Larry Selders) — proclamation signed by the Speaker; notice entered into the journal. - Proclamation: Vacancy and special-election schedule for State Representative District 45 (due to resignation of Rep. Brock Jared Myers) — proclamation signed by the Speaker; notice entered into the journal. - Motion adopted by unanimous consent: Adoption of the standing committee meeting schedule (mover: Speaker Pro Tempore Mike Johnson; adopted "without objection"). - Multiple resolutions (HR and HCR series) were introduced and several ceremonial resolutions were adopted at the time of introduction by unanimous consent (the transcript records many motions to "suspend the rules and adopt the resolution" followed by "Without objection"). The resolutions adopted at the time of introduction are ceremonial (commendations, designations and study requests) and were recorded in the journal as adopted.
Process note: The transcript records introductions for hundreds of house bills (numbered HB 1 through HB 609 in the roll), many committee appointments and a long list of pending items; most of the items introduced in the morning hour were referred to committees. The session then proceeded to the joint session with the governor for the State of the State address.
Provenance: The sequence begins with the clerk opening the roll and communications about resignations and certifications and continues through the oath of office and adoption of the committee schedule (transcript segments s≈0.08–s≈17160).
