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Proposal to redraw 2nd-district appellate election sections also left tied in committee
Summary
Representative Marcel’s companion bill to realign election sections for a First Circuit Court of Appeal seat prompted similar debate over RS 13:61 and representation; the committee recorded a 5-5 tie and kept House Bill 443 in committee.
Representative Marcel presented House Bill 443 to redraw election sections for a judgeship in the 2nd district of the First Circuit Court of Appeal; after debate the committee voted 5-5 and left the bill in committee.
Marcel said HB 443 mirrors the family court proposal and seeks to align appellate election sections with population and census data last updated decades ago. "This bill is very similar to the bill that we just previously discussed," Marcel said, adding the effort is intended to make districts "equal."
Judge Don Johnson told the committee he has long faced barriers to appellate election because of how district lines were drawn, and urged the committee to create opportunities for underrepresented candidates. "I will never be on a court of appeal... I will never get there because now it's too late," Johnson said, and framed the change as giving the next generation more opportunity.
Representative Thomas again objected under RS 13:61, saying the Judicial Council's standards and a proper referral should have occurred. Marcel and Johnson replied the statute governs creation of new judgeships or splitting/merging courts, not boundary redistricting; Vice Chair Lyons offered a Supreme Court document for the record to clarify practice.
Representative Walters supported the bill, listing parishes the proposal would affect and noting the Court of Appeal currently has few African American judges. Marcel accused opponents of inconsistent treatment, saying earlier similar bills received less scrutiny.
The motion to report HB 443 favorably was called and, after roll call, resulted in five yeas and five nays. The chair announced: "House Bill 4 43 will stay here in committee."
