(1) Convening and Final Adjournment |
Convenes Noon, Monday, March 12, 2018; must adjourn by 6:00 PM on Monday, June 4, 2018 (Const. Art. III, '2(A)(3)(a)). |
(2) Subject Matter |
General in nature; however, no measure levying or authorizing a new state tax, increasing an existing state tax, or legislating with regard to state tax exemptions, exclusions, deductions, or credits shall be introduced or enacted (Const. Art. III, §2(A)(3)(b)). |
(3) Length of Session |
60 legislative days during an 85 calendar-day period (Const. Art. III, §2(A)(3)(a)) |
(4) Prefiling Deadlines
(a) Retirement bills – including constitutional amendments affecting retirement
(b) Constitutional Amendments other than those affecting retirement
(c) All other bills |
Retirement: Any retirement bill (including any retirement bill that is also a Constitutional Amendment) that is to be prefiled must be REQUESTED before 5:00 PM Wednesday, January 24, 2018, and PREFILED before 5:00 PM, Friday, January 26, 2018 (Const. Art. III, '2(A)(2)(c) and House Rule 7.2(F)). However, see 6(a) below regarding retirement notice.
Constitutional Amendments: ALL other Constitutional Amendments must be REQUESTED before Noon, Wednesday, February 28, 2018, and PREFILED before Noon, Friday, March 2, 2018 (Const. Art. XIII, '1(A) and House Rule 7.2(F)).
Other Bills: Any other bill that is to be prefiled must be REQUESTED before 5:00 PM, Wednesday, February 28, 2018, and PREFILED before 5:00 PM, Friday, March 2, 2018 (Const. Art. III, '2(A)(2)(b) and House Rule 7.2(F)) |
(5) Bills for Session Introduction |
A member may introduce not more than five additional bills after session begins. Such bills must be REQUESTED by 6:00 PM, Monday, April 2, 2018, and INTRODUCED by 6:00 PM, Tuesday, April 3, 2018 (Const. Art. III, '2(A)(2)(a) and (3)(a) and House Rule 7.6(A)(3)). |
(6) Constitutionally required advertisement
(a) Retirement bills – including constitutional amendments
(b) Local bills creating security districts
(c) Local bills other than bills creating security districts |
Retirement: Publication in The Advocate on two separate days at least 60 days prior to introduction. Notice for a retirement bill to be introduced on the first day of session must be submitted to The Advocate by Thursday, January 4, 2018. For Session introduction, a retirement bill must be submitted to The Advocate by Friday, January 26, 2018 (Const. Art. X, '29(C))
Security Districts: Publication in the official journal of the locality on three separate days at least 30 days prior to introduction. To be safe, for first-day introduction, local bills to create security districts should be requested by Wednesday, January 10, 2018; thereafter, opportunity to publish local notice is dependent on circumstances with local newspaper (Const. Art. III, '13(B)). (See Note 2(b) on reverse side.)
Local Bills: Publication in the official journal of the locality on two separate days at least 30 days prior to introduction. To be safe, for first-day introduction, local bills should be requested by Wednesday, January 17, 2018; thereafter, opportunity to publish local notice is dependent on circumstances with local newspaper (Const. Art. III, '13(A)). |
(7) Statutorily required advertisement of bills affecting compensation of certain local officials |
Publication on two separate days at least 30 days prior to introduction (Sheriffs (R.S. 13:5521(E)); School Board members (R.S. 17:56(D)); Registrar of Voters and confidential assistants (R.S. 18:55(B) and 59(D)); Assessor’s salary or other emolument notice and Assessor’s expense allowance notice (R.S. 47:1907.1 and 1908(D)). Deadline for notice to parishes and school boards of change to assessors’ expense allowance: Thursday, March 1, 2018 (R.S. 47:1908(D)). |
(8) Deadline for 3rd Reading/Final Passage |
6:00 PM of the 57th legislative day or the 82nd calendar day (Friday, June 1, 2018), whichever occurs first (thereafter, if authorized by 2/3 vote of both houses (Const. Art. III, '2(A)(3)(a))). |
(9) Effective date of Acts
(a) Statutes
(b)Constitutional Amendments |
Statutes: August 1, 2018, unless bill provides otherwise (Const. Art. III, '19).
Constitutional Amendments: 20 days after governor’s proclamation of the election results by which adopted, unless amendment otherwise provides (Const. Art. XIII, '1(C)). |