LAW ENFORCEMENT: Provides with respect to deputy constables in St. Tammany Parish (EN SEE FISC NOTE LF EX See Note)

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Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Kim Carver
Last action: 2026-05-15
Official status: Signed by the Governor - Act 143
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Law Enforcement for Deputy Constables in St. Tammany Parish

This act allows constables in St. Tammany Parish to appoint one deputy, sets training and residency requirements, and outlines compensation rules.

What This Bill Does

Allows a constable of a justice of the peace court in St. Tammany Parish to hire one deputy if needed.
Requires deputies to take an oath before starting work and meet certain training standards.
Specifies that deputies cannot receive pay from local governments or political subdivisions other than their constable's office.
Gives constables the power to set their deputies' salaries using fees generated by their office.

Who It Names or Affects

Constables in St. Tammany Parish
Deputy constables appointed by these constables

Terms To Know

Justice of the Peace Court: A court that handles minor legal matters and small claims.
Residency Requirement: The rule that a person must live in a specific area to be eligible for certain jobs or positions.

Limits and Unknowns

This act only applies to St. Tammany Parish and does not affect other parishes.
It does not specify how many deputies can be appointed by each constable, but limits it to one if needed.

Bill History

2026-05-15 H
Effective date: 08/01/2026.
2026-05-15 H
Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 143.
2026-05-14 H
Sent to the Governor for executive approval.
2026-05-14 S
Signed by the President of the Senate.
2026-05-13 H
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-05-13 H
Received from the Senate without amendments.
2026-05-12 S
Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 35 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-05-04 S
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-04-29 S
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-04-28 S
Reported favorably.
2026-03-31 S
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary B.
2026-03-30 S
Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
2026-03-26 H
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 92, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
2026-03-25 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 03/26/2026.
2026-03-24 H
Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-03-23 H
Reported favorably (17-0).
2026-03-09 H
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
2026-02-20 H
First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/20/2026.
2026-02-20 H
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
2026-02-20 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

LAW ENFORCEMENT: Provides with respect to deputy constables in St. Tammany Parish (EN SEE FISC NOTE LF EX See Note)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED
ACT No. 1432026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 242
BY REPRESENTATIVE CARVER
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 13:2583.8, relative to constables in St. Tammany Parish; to authorize a
3 constable of a justice of the peace in St. Tammany Parish to appoint a deputy; to
4 require certain training; to provide for the filing of certain oaths of office; to provide
5 for compensation; to provide for qualifications of office; to provide for residency
6 requirements; to provide for prohibitions; and to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 13:2583.8 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 §2583.8. Deputies; oath; compensation; St. Tammany Parish
10 A. Each duly elected constable of a justice of the peace court in St.
11 Tammany Parish may appoint one deputy constable, if necessary, for whose acts the
12 constable shall be responsible. Before entering upon his duties, the deputy shall take
13 the oath required by the Constitution of Louisiana and the laws of this state and meet
14 the requirements of R.S. 40:2402 through 2406. A duplicate copy of the oath of
15 office shall be filed with the office of the attorney general within seventy-two hours
16 after being administered. Any deputy constable appointed pursuant to this Section
17 is not entitled to any compensation from any local governing body or political
18 subdivision, other than the constable's office, nor any compensation from the state.
19 Each constable may fix the compensation of his deputy. He may pay from the fees
20 generated by his office any compensation due to the deputy, the premiums on bonds
21 required by him of a deputy in charge of public funds, insurance premiums, and any
22 expenses necessary for the performance of duties required of the deputy. He may
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HB NO. 242 ENROLLED
1 issue monthly or twice per month, at his discretion, to the deputy warrants or checks
2 for the amounts due to him.
3 B. Each deputy constable authorized by this Section shall have the same
4 qualifications and training as required by law for a constable of a justice of the peace
5 court. However, a deputy constable need not be a resident of the ward from which
6 the constable is elected, but he shall be a resident of St. Tammany Parish.
7 C. The provisions of this Section have no effect on nor limit the authority of
8 a justice of the peace to appoint a special deputy constable pursuant to R.S. 13:3477.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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