STAFF WRITER

Voters all over the state will be voting for local elections and statewide propositions. In Bienville Parish, here’s what’s on your ballot.

CA No. 1 (ACT No. 405, 2024 – SB 177) – Provides relative to the investigative authority and membership of the judiciary commission.

Do you support an amendment to allow the supreme court to sanction a judge upon an investigation by the judiciary commission, and provide that the recommended sanction shall be instituted by the judiciary commission or by a majority of the supreme court, and to provide for the appointment of five members of the judiciary commission? (Amends Article V, Section 25(C); adds Article V, Section 25(A)(4))

A VOTE FOR WOULD: Increase the number of members of the state Judiciary Commission and give the Louisiana Supreme Court authority to direct the commission to investigate judicial misconduct allegations.

A VOTE AGAINST WOULD: Maintain the current nine-member Judiciary Commission and keep the Louisiana Supreme Court’s authority over judicial ethics and discipline limited to action based on recommendations from the commission.

CA No. 2 (ACT No. 406, 2024 – HB 48) – Provides relative to the timing of consideration and required information of appropriations bill.

Do you support an amendment to require that the legislature wait for at least forty-eight hours prior to concurring in a conference committee report or amendments to a bill appropriating money? (Adds Article III, Section 16(F))

A VOTE FOR WOULD: Require lawmakers to wait at least 48 hours to review proposed amendments to bills appropriating money before they can take a final vote.

A VOTE AGAINST WOULD: Continue to allow state lawmakers to take a final vote on bills appropriating money and send them to the governor at any time in a legislative session.

CA No. 3 (ACT No. 407, 2024 – HB 49) – Allows the legislature to extend a regular session for a limited time period for a specific purpose.

Do you support an amendment to allow the legislature to extend a regular session in increments of two days up to a maximum of six days if necessary to pass a bill appropriating money? (Amends Article III, Sections 2(A)(3)(a) and (4)(a); Adds Article III, Section 2(A)(5))

A VOTE FOR WOULD: Allow lawmakers, with a two-thirds vote, to extend a regular legislative session up to six days if they need more time to pass a bill appropriating money.

A VOTE AGAINST WOULD: Maintain the current legislative session calendar, in which the House and Senate meet during a period of 85 calendar days in even-numbered years and during a period of 60 calendar days in odd-numbered years

CA No. 4 (ACT 409, 2024 – SB 119) – Provides relative to the administration of tax sales of immovable property.

Do you support an amendment to eliminate mandatory tax sales for nonpayment of property taxes and require the legislature to provide for such procedures by law; to limit the amount of penalty and interest on delinquent property taxes; and to provide for the postponement of property tax payments under certain circumstances? (Amends Article VII, Section 25)

A VOTE FOR WOULD: Shift Louisiana from a tax sale process to a tax lien auction process when a property owner hasn’t paid property taxes and the local government wants to satisfy the tax debt.

A VOTE AGAINST WOULD: Keep Louisiana’s tax sale process in place for local governments seeking to satisfy a tax debt when a property owner hasn’t paid property taxes.

Parishwide Proposition – 1.02 Mills Continuation – Bienville Parish Police Jury – 10 Years.

Shall the Parish of Bienville, State of Louisiana (the “Parish”), continue to levy a special tax of 1.02 mills on all the property subject to taxation within the Parish (an estimated $434,000 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of 10 years, beginning with the year 2027 and ending with the year 2036, to acquire, improve, maintain and operate Parish Senior Citizens’ Centers and to provide funding for Parish Senior Citizens’ Programs operated by the Bienville Parish Council on Aging, said millage to represent a .02 mills increase (due to reappraisal) over the 1 mill tax authorized to be levied through the year 2026 pursuant to an election held on April 9, 2016?

Just a few reminders before Election Day:  

• Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. on Election Day. Anyone in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
• Voters can find their polling location and sample ballot by downloading the GeauxVote Mobile app for smartphones, or by visiting www.GeauxVote.com and logging into the Voter Portal.
• Voters are encouraged to sign up for electronic notifications via GeauxVote Mobile.
• Voters should bring an ID with them to vote (Louisiana driver’s license, Louisiana Special ID card, a generally recognized picture identification card with name and signature such as a passport, or a digital license via LA Wallet).
• Election results can be viewed in real-time via GeauxVote Mobile or at www.sos.la.gov.