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Conference report dispute: term‑limits language for Sabine and DeSoto parishes fails in House after floor debate
Summary
A conference committee report that combined DeSoto Parish term limits with a separate Sabine Parish measure failed on the House floor after extended debate; opponents argued committee work was undermined and that adding Sabine to the conference report resurrected a bill that had failed in House committee. The motion to adopt failed 24‑66.
A House motion to adopt a conference committee report that included term‑limits language for DeSoto Parish and newly added language affecting Sabine Parish failed after extended floor debate on local voting rights and committee process.
Representative Mallory (sponsor on the floor) and Senator Seba’s conference conferees presented Senate Bill 113 as amended in conference to allow parish electors to vote on term‑limits for police juries. Representative Shane Shammelhorn (author in the House) and multiple House members objected to adding Sabine Parish language in conference; Rep. Stagney called the maneuver a “subversion” of the House municipal committee’s process and said the Sabine measure had no letters of support and faced wide citizen opposition in committee.
Representative Bagley, who represents DeSoto Parish, said DeSoto supported the measure and that Sabine had voted 9‑2 in committee to kill the separate Sabine bill; Representative Bagley argued the conference placement was an attempt to “sneak something in.” Rep. Marcel and others challenged the fairness of resurrecting a bill that failed in committee by placing it into an unrelated conference report. Representative Shammelhorn said his constituents had called and texted in force after the committee action and that the conference changes removed provisions (such as a permanent bar on returning after three terms) that had prompted some objections.
Motion and vote: Representative Miller moved adoption of the conference committee report; the House recorded 24 yays and 66 nays and the motion failed, the clerk announced.
Why it matters: The episode exposed tensions over local bills, committee prerogatives and whether conference reports should be used to reintroduce measures that did not pass committee. Several members called for respect for committee outcomes and transparency in conference committee work.
