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HLS 26RS-693 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 641
BY REPRESENTATIVE CARVER
DISTRICT ATTORNEYS: Provides with respect to the salaries of assistant district
attorneys and the operating budget of the district attorney in the Twenty-Second
Judicial District
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 16:483 and 484, to enact R.S.16:488, and to repeal R.S. 16:485
3 through 487, relative to the office of the district attorney in the Twenty-Second
4 Judicial District; to provide for the number of assistant district attorneys; to provide
5 for the salaries of the assistant district attorneys; to provide for the payment of the
6 salaries; to provide for an operating budget for the district attorney; to provide for
7 funding of the salaries and the operating budget; and to provide for related matters.
8 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 16:483 and 484 are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 16:488
10 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 §483. Assistant district attorney
12 The office offices of assistant district attorney attorneys of the
13 Twenty-Second Judicial District is are created. The minimum number of assistant
14 district attorneys shall be the number as provided in R.S. 16:51. Any additional
15 assistant district attorneys shall be appointed by the district attorney of the
16 Twenty-Second Judicial District and shall serve at the pleasure of the district
17 attorney.
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HLS 26RS-693 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 641
1 §484. Additional salary of assistant district attorney
2 A. The said assistant district attorney shall receive as compensation for his
3 services as such officer, in addition to the annual salary paid by the state, an
4 additional salary of eight thousand dollars per annum, payable monthly on his own
5 warrant. The additional salary shall be paid by the parishes comprising the
6 Twenty-Second Judicial District, apportioned as follows:
7 (1) By the parish of St. Tammany, the sum of four thousand dollars per
8 annum.
9 (2) By the parish of Washington, the sum of four thousand dollars per
10 annum.
11 B. Provided, in lieu of the payment by the respective parishes as set forth in
12 Subsection A of this Section, the said additional salary may be paid from the
13 criminal court funds of the respective parishes where the money is available from
14 such funds, all according to law.
15 A. The assistant district attorneys of the Twenty-Second Judicial District
16 shall receive, in addition to any salary paid to them by the state, an annual salary as
17 set by the district attorney from the annual budgeted funds provided by the governing
18 authorities of the parishes comprising the Twenty-Second Judicial District for
19 salaries for assistant district attorneys. The salaries shall be set for each assistant
20 district attorney by the district attorney at his discretion. The total amount of the
21 budgeted salary funds for the assistant district attorneys shall not be reduced after
22 being in effect for a period of six months. The salaries shall be paid monthly on
23 warrant of the district attorney.
24 B. The governing authorities of the parishes comprising the Twenty-Second
25 Judicial District shall annually, at the time they prepare the general budget, budget
26 an amount sufficient to pay the salaries of the assistant district attorneys.
27 * * *
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HLS 26RS-693 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 641
1 §488. Expenses; operating budget
2 A. In addition to the expense allowance provided by R.S. 16:6, the district
3 attorney of the Twenty-Second Judicial District is entitled to an operating budget,
4 paid by the governing authorities of the parishes comprising the Twenty-Second
5 Judicial District, for the expenses of the operation of the office of the district
6 attorney. Such expenses shall include but are not limited to the following:
7 (1) Salaries of stenographers, clerks, administrators, secretaries, and
8 investigators.
9 (2) Salaries of assistant district attorneys, as provided by R.S. 16:484.
10 (3) Expenses for stationery, telephones, automobiles, office equipment, and
11 office supplies.
12 (4) Funds for matching federal grants, parochial retirement coverage for
13 employees, as provided by law, and hospitalization insurance coverage for
14 employees, as provided to other employees of the parish.
15 (5) Travel expenses where appropriate for operation of the office or for
16 training seminars and registrations for seminars, schools, and professional societies.
17 (6) Any other expenses which may be incurred in the normal operation of the
18 office of the district attorney.
19 B. All such expenses shall be paid by the governing authorities of the
20 parishes comprising the Twenty-Second Judicial District from their general funds
21 and any other funds made available for this purpose.
22 C. The operating budget shall not be reduced without the consent of the
23 district attorney during the year in which it is effective, nor shall the district
24 attorney's annual budget for any year be less than the annual budget for the preceding
25 year without the consent of the district attorney, except in the case of a pro rata
26 reduction in the operating budgets of all other departments in a parish comprising the
27 Twenty-Second Judicial District due to reduction in revenues. This Subsection does
28 not apply to the capital outlay portion of the annual budget for the office of the
29 district attorney provided that, for purposes of this Subsection, the capital outlay
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HLS 26RS-693 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 641
1 portion of the budget does not include office equipment, furniture, communication
2 equipment, expenses associated with maintaining a law library, and computer
3 systems.
4 Section 2. R.S. 16:485 through 487 are hereby repealed in their entirety.
5 Section 3. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
6 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
7 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
8 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
9 effective on the day following such approval.
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 641 Original 2026 Regular Session Carver
Abstract: Provides for the salaries of the assistant district attorneys and the operating
budget of the office of the district attorney for the 22nd Judicial District.
Present law created the office of the assistant district attorney of the 22nd Judicial District.
Proposed law retains present law and provides that the number of assistant district attorneys
shall be set by law and that the district attorney shall appoint assistant district attorneys who
shall serve at his pleasure.
Present law provides that the salary and compensation of the assistant district attorneys of
the 22nd Judicial District shall be $8,000 in addition to any salary provided by the state. The
additional salary is divided equally between the parishes of St. Tammany and Washington.
Further provides that in lieu of funding by the parishes, the additional salary may be paid
from the criminal court funds of the parishes of St. Tammany and Washington when
available.
Proposed law repeals present law and provides that the district attorney shall set the amount
of the salaries of the assistant district attorneys and shall pay the salaries from the annual
budgeted funds provided by the governing authorities of the parishes of the 22nd Judicial
District.
Proposed law provides that the salary shall not be reduced once it is in effect for six months
and shall be paid monthly on warrant of the district attorney.
Proposed law requires the parishes of the 22nd Judicial District to annually budget an
amount sufficient to pay the salaries of the assistant district attorneys.
Proposed law provides for an operating budget for the payment of certain expenses of the
district attorney. Provides that the expenses to be paid from the operating budget include
but are not limited to:
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HLS 26RS-693 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 641
(1) Salaries of stenographers, clerks, administrators, secretaries, and investigators.
(2) Salaries of assistant district attorneys, as provided in present law (R.S. 16:484).
(3) Expenses for stationery, telephones, automobiles, office equipment, and office
supplies.
(4) Funds for matching federal grants, parochial retirement coverage for employees and
hospitalization insurance coverage for employees, as provided to other employees
of the parish.
(5) Travel expenses where appropriate for operation of the office or for training seminars
and registrations for seminars, schools, and professional societies.
(6) Any other expenses which may be incurred in the normal operation of the office of
the district attorney.
Proposed law provides that the expenses shall be paid by the governing authorities of the
22nd Judicial District from their general funds or other funds made available for this
purpose.
Proposed law provides that the following budgetary expenses shall not be reduced without
the consent of the district attorney:
(1) The operating budget.
(2) The district attorney's annual budget, except for a pro rata reduction in all operating
budgets of all departments.
Proposed law provides that the limitation on reduction of the budget does not apply to the
capital outlay portion of the budget provided that the capital outlay portion does not include
the following:
(1) Office Equipment.
(2) Furniture.
(3) Communication equipment.
(4) Expenses for a law library.
(5) Computer systems.
Present law provides for second, third, and fourth assistant district attorneys along with a set
salary and payment of salaries by the parishes of St. Tammany and Washington.
Proposed law repeals present law.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 16:483 and 484; Adds R.S. 16:488; Repeals R.S. 16:485-487)
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