Senate Concedes to Conference Changes, Concurred on House Bill 842 Altering Fall Primary for Congressional Races

The Senate on the floor concurred in a conference committee report on House Bill 842, an omnibus set of revisions to the Louisiana election code, approving procedural changes for upcoming congressional races and other technical fixes.

A sponsor explained that the report removes the closed primary for congressional races for the upcoming cycle and returns those contests to an open (jungle) primary format for the fall. The sponsor said qualifying would run August 5–7, the open primary would occur November 3, with any runoff slated for December 12, and that existing nominating petitions would be canceled with qualifying fees returned. "It changes the secretary wording from endorsed to certifying recall petitions," the sponsor said while describing technical adjustments. Senators asked clarifying questions about timing and treatment of already-qualified candidates; the sponsor responded that the secretary of state would return qualifying fees and that existing petitions would be canceled.

After discussion the Senate voted to concur with the conference committee report. The presiding officer announced the tally as "closing 29 ayes and 7 nays," and the clerk recorded that the conference committee amendments were concurred in. The bill will proceed under the enacted conference agreement for further implementation steps.

Provenance: This article draws on the conference-committee report read on the floor and the following floor exchange and vote (topic introduction and conclusion): SEG 371–SEG 438. The verbatim closing of the roll call is recorded in the transcript as "Madam secretary, closing 29 ayes and 7 nays."