SB 75: CIVIL PROCEDURE: Provides for legislative continuances and extensions of time for legislators and legislative employees. (gov sig) - Louisiana

SB75 Original → SB75 Act · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill reenacts and slightly refines Louisiana's law allowing legislators and legislative employees to request court continuances during legislative sessions. The changes clarify who qualifies for these requests, update the timeline for filing motions to align with modern electronic filing standards, and strengthen the presumption that such requests will be granted to ensure lawmakers can focus on their duties without penalty.

Scope change

The scope remains focused on civil and administrative proceedings during legislative sessions, but the definition of 'legislative employee' was expanded to include staff from the Legislative Bureau and those employed full-time during the session.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'legislative employee' was broadened to explicitly include employees of the Legislative Bureau and any person employed full-time during the legislative session, ensuring more staff members are protected.

REQUIREMENT

The requirement for legislators to submit an affidavit proving their attendance was removed, while legislative employees must still provide an affidavit confirming their active participation in legislative work.

TIMELINE

The law was updated to allow motions to be filed electronically (via email or fax) in accordance with current civil procedure rules, replacing older methods of service.

ENFORCEMENT

New provisions were added to protect the requesting party from irreparable harm if they are forced to hire new counsel due to a denied continuance, balancing the interests of both sides.

SB75 Enrolled → SB75 Original · 1 edit

MINOR

The bill text was reformatted from an 'Enrolled' version to an 'Original' version, which involved reordering lines and inserting page headers and footers. No substantive policy changes, legal definitions, or eligibility criteria were altered; the core provisions regarding legislative continuances remain identical.

TECHNICAL

The document structure was reorganized to include page numbers and coding instructions found in the original draft, while removing the 'Enrolled' title page.

SB75 Reengrossed → SB75 Enrolled · 4 edits · May 29, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was finalized as an Enrolled version, changing the title from 'Reengrossed' to 'Enrolled' and updating the enactment language from 'reenacted' to 'enacted'. While the core text of the law remains the same, the final version adds specific protections for legislative employees by including the Legislative Bureau and defining full-time employment status. It also clarifies that members of the legislature do not need to submit affidavits to request continuances and expands electronic filing options to include facsimile transmission.

Scope change

The scope of eligibility for requesting continuances was slightly expanded to explicitly include employees of the Legislative Bureau and to define 'legislative employee' based on full-time employment during the session.

TECHNICAL

The document title and status were updated from 'REENGROSSED' to 'ENROLLED', and the preamble was changed from 'reenacted' to 'enacted' to reflect the final passage of the bill.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'legislative employee' was expanded to include employees of the Legislative Bureau, in addition to the clerk of the House, secretary of the Senate, and House of Representatives employees.

REQUIREMENT

A new provision was added stating that members of the legislature are exempt from the requirement to submit an affidavit when filing a motion for a continuance.

The allowed methods for filing motions were updated to explicitly include facsimile transmission alongside electronic mail and other electronic means.

SB75 Engrossed → SB75 Reengrossed · 2 edits · May 22, 2025

MINOR

The bill was reengrossed to fix a grammatical error in the title and to clarify that legislative members are entitled to court continuances for any court, including the Louisiana Supreme Court. This ensures that the legal protections for legislators apply to all levels of the judiciary, not just lower courts.

Scope change

The scope of court proceedings covered by the bill was expanded to explicitly include the Louisiana Supreme Court.

TECHNICAL

Corrected the title from 'Solely to reenact' to 'To amend and reenact' and changed the enactment verb from 'enacted' to 'reenacted' for grammatical accuracy.

SCOPE

Added 'including the Louisiana Supreme Court' to the list of courts where legislators can request continuances, ensuring the law applies to the state's highest court.

CIVIL PROCEDURE: Provides for legislative continuances and extensions of time for legislators and legislative employees. (gov sig)

What changed between versions

How they voted

Actions timeline

Sponsors