LOCAL GOVERNMENT: (Constitutional Amendment) Provides for home rule charter or plan of government provisions affecting certain parish officials and school boards

HLS 26RS-439 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 530
BY REPRESENTATIVE BERAULT
LOCAL GOVERNMENT: (Constitutional Amendment) Provides for home rule charter or
plan of government provisions affecting certain parish officials and school boards
1 A JOINT RESOLUTION
2 Proposing to amend Article VI, Sections 5(G) and 6 of the Constitution of Louisiana,
3 relative to local ethics entities; to provide that a home rule charter or other plan of
4 government may authorize a local ethics entity to audit or investigate certain boards
5 and offices; to provide that the legislature is not prohibited from enacting certain
6 laws relating to local ethics entities; to provide for submission of the proposed
7 amendment to the electors; and to provide for related matters.
8 Section 1. Be it resolved by the Legislature of Louisiana, two-thirds of the members
9 elected to each house concurring, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the state of
10 Louisiana, for their approval or rejection in the manner provided by law, a proposal to
11 amend Article VI, Sections 5(G) and 6 of the Constitution of Louisiana, to read as follows:
12 §5. Home Rule Charter
13 Section 5.
14 * * *
15 (G) Parish Officials and School Boards Not Affected. (1) No home rule
16 charter or plan of government shall contain any provision affecting a school board
17 or the offices of district attorney, sheriff, assessor, clerk of a district court, or
18 coroner, which is inconsistent with this constitution or law.
19 (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subparagraph (1) of this Paragraph,
20 a home rule charter or other plan of government may authorize a local ethics entity
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-439 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 530
1 to audit or investigate a school board or the offices of district attorney, sheriff,
2 assessor, clerk of a district court, or coroner.
3 §6. Home Rule Charter or Plan of Government; Action by Legislature Prohibited
4 Section 6. (A) The legislature shall enact no law the effect of which changes
5 or affects the structure and organization or the particular distribution and
6 redistribution of the powers and functions of any local governmental subdivision
7 which operates under a home rule charter.
8 (B) The provisions of Paragraph (A) of this Section shall not prohibit the
9 legislature from enacting laws related to local ethics entities.
10 Section 2. Be it further resolved that this proposed amendment shall be submitted
11 to the electors of the state of Louisiana at the statewide election to be held on November 3,
12 2026.
13 Section 3. Be it further resolved that on the official ballot to be used at the election,
14 there shall be printed a proposition, upon which the electors of the state shall be permitted
15 to vote YES or NO, to amend the Constitution of Louisiana, which proposition shall read as
16 follows:
17 Do you support an amendment to permit a home rule charter or other plan of
18 government to authorize a local ethics entity to audit or investigate a school
19 board or the offices of district attorney, sheriff, assessor, clerk of a district
20 court, or coroner and to specify that the legislature is not prohibited from
21 enacting a law affecting a local governmental subdivision operating under a
22 home rule charter if the law relates to a local ethics entity? (Amends Article
23 VI, Sections 5(G) and 6)
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 530 Original 2026 Regular Session Berault
Abstract: Provides that a home rule charter or other plan of government may authorize a
local ethics entity to audit or investigate certain boards and offices and provides that
the legislature is not prohibited from enacting a law affecting a local governmental
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-439 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 530
subdivision operating under a home rule charter if the law relates to a local ethics
entity.
Present Constitution (Const. Art. VI, §5) authorizes a local governmental subdivision to
draft, adopt, or amend a home rule charter. Provides the governing authority of a local
subdivision may appoint a commission to prepare and propose a charter or an alternate
charter, or may call an election to elect such a commission. Provides for the method of
approving or amending a home rule charter. Provides for the adoption of a home rule charter
by two or more local governmental subdivisions. Provides for the structure, organization,
powers, and functions of a local governmental subdivision that has adopted a home rule
charter.
Proposed constitutional amendment retains present constitution.
Present constitution provides that a home rule charter or other plan of government shall not
contain provisions that affect a school board or the offices of district attorney, sheriff,
assessor, clerk of a district court, or coroner, which is inconsistent with present constitution.
Proposed constitutional amendment provides that a home rule charter or other plan of
government may authorize a local ethics entity to audit or investigate a school board or the
offices of district attorney, sheriff, assessor, clerk of a district court, or coroner.
Present constitution (Const Art. VI, §6) prohibits the legislature from enacting a law the
effect of which changes or affects the structure and organization or the particular distribution
and redistribution of the powers and functions of any local governmental subdivision which
operates under a home rule charter.
Proposed constitutional amendment provides that present constitution does not prohibit the
legislature relating to local ethics entities.
Provides for submission of the proposed amendment to the voters at the statewide election
to be held November 3, 2026.
(Amends Const. Art. VI, §§5(G) and 6)
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.