HB867 • 2026

LOCAL OFFL/POLICE CHIEFS: Provides for an appointed chief of police in the town of Fordoche

Elections

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Jeremy LaCombe
Last action: 2026-05-27
Official status: Sent to Governor
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide details on how this change will affect other towns in Louisiana or what happens if the mayor and aldermen disagree on an appointment.

Appointing the Chief of Police for Fordoche

This bill changes how the chief of police is chosen in the town of Fordoche, making it an appointed position instead of an elected one.

What This Bill Does

Changes the way the chief of police is selected in Fordoche to be appointed by the mayor with approval from the board of aldermen.
Specifies that no new appointment can happen until after the current elected chief's term ends, unless there is a vacancy or emergency situation.
Sets the term of the appointed chief to match the terms of the appointing mayor and aldermen.
Gives the board of aldermen the power to set the salary, duties, qualifications, and responsibilities for the chief of police.

Who It Names or Affects

The town of Fordoche
The mayor of Fordoche
The board of aldermen in Fordoche

Terms To Know

Mayor: The elected leader of a city or town who is responsible for running the local government.
Board of Aldermen: A group of people chosen by voters to make decisions and laws for their town, similar to a council.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if the mayor or aldermen do not agree on an appointment.
It is unclear how this change will affect current chief of police positions in other towns in Louisiana.

Bill History

2026-05-27 H
Sent to the Governor for executive approval.
2026-05-27 S
Signed by the President of the Senate.
2026-05-26 H
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-05-26 H
Received from the Senate without amendments.
2026-05-26 S
Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 34 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-05-20 S
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-05-19 S
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-05-18 S
Reported favorably.
2026-04-20 S
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Local and Municipal Affairs.
2026-04-15 S
Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
2026-04-15 H
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 92, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
2026-04-14 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 04/15/2026.
2026-04-13 H
Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-04-09 H
Reported favorably (15-0).
2026-03-09 H
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs.
2026-02-27 H
First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.
2026-02-27 H
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs.
2026-02-27 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

LOCAL OFFL/POLICE CHIEFS: Provides for an appointed chief of police in the town of Fordoche

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 867
BY REPRESENTATIVE LACOMBE
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 33:381(C)(38), relative to the town of Fordoche; to provide relative to the
3 office of chief of police; to provide that the office is appointive and not elective; to
4 provide relative to the salary, qualifications, supervision, powers and duties, and
5 term of the office of chief of police; and to provide for related matters.
6 Notice of intention to introduce this Act has been published
7 as provided by Article III, Section 13 of the Constitution of
8 Louisiana.
9 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
10 Section 1. R.S. 33:381(C)(38) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 §381. Municipal officers
12 * * *
13 C.
14 * * *
15 (38) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the chief of
16 police of the town of Fordoche shall not be elected at large but shall be appointed by
17 the mayor upon approval by majority vote of the board of aldermen of the town.
18 However, no such appointment shall be made until the end of the term of the elected
19 chief of police in office on the effective date of this Paragraph, unless the office is
20 vacant or filled by an officer temporarily appointed as of that date. The term of
21 office of the chief of police shall be concurrent with that of the appointing mayor and
22 aldermen. The board of aldermen, upon recommendation of the mayor, shall
23 establish the salary of the chief of police and shall, by ordinance, establish the duties,
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 867 ENROLLED
1 qualifications, and responsibilities of the chief of police. The chief of police shall
2 report directly to the mayor.
3 * * *
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.