State Summary
Louisiana’s congressional and state legislative lines are drawn by the legislature, as normal legislation, subject to gubernatorial veto. Louisiana’s state Senate and state House will next be up for election in 2023.
In the 2020 cycle, the legislature enacted a congressional plan (HB 1 & SB 5), a state Senate plan (SB 1), and a state House plan (HB 14). The state legislative plans became law on Mar. 14, 2022. Gov. Edwards vetoed the congressional plan, but the legislature overrode the veto, and the plan became law on Mar. 30, 2022.
In the 2010 cycle, the legislature enacted a congressional plan (HB 6), state Senate plan (SB 1), and state House plan (HB 1), all signed by the Governor on Apr. 14, 2011.
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Seats: (projected)
Institution:
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Key Info for 2000 Cycle
Website
Primary governing law
Key Info for 2010 Cycle
Website
Primary governing law
Key Info for 2020 Cycle
Primary governing law
Data
Website
The Latest Updates
Institution
Louisiana’s congressional and state legislative lines are both drawn by the state legislature, as a regular statute, subject to gubernatorial veto.
The Louisiana constitution grants the state Supreme Court jurisdiction to redraw state legislature lines if the legislature fails to do so. No similar provision exists for congressional lines. [La. Const. art. III, § 6(B)]
Timing
Louisiana state law does not impose a particular deadline for drawing congressional lines, though candidates must file for congressional primary elections by July 22, 2022. [La. Rev. Stat. §§ 18-467(2), –468(a)] The legislative session is currently scheduled to begin on Apr. 12, 2021, and end on June 10, 2021. The legislature is planning to hold a special redistricting session in February 2022.
The state constitution requires that state legislative lines be drawn by Dec. 31, 2021. Candidates must qualify for state legislative primary elections by Aug. 10, 2023. [La. Const. art. III, § 6(A); La. Rev. Stat. §§ 18-467(1), -468(b)]
Louisiana places no limits on the ability to redraw congressional or state legislative district lines at any time, including before the next Census. [La. Op. Atty. Gen. No. 99-54 (1999)]
Public input
The legislature will hold a series of public hearings on the redistricting process from October 20, 2021, to January 20, 2022.
In the 2010 cycle, public hearing records were available here for the state House, and here for the state Senate.
Criteria
Like all states, Louisiana must comply with constitutional equal population requirements. The state constitution also asks that state legislative districts be apportioned as equally as practicable on the basis of population. [La. Const. art. III, § 6]
Louisiana must also, like all states, abide by the Voting Rights Act and constitutional rules on race.
2010 cycle
Louisiana’s legislature enacted congressional plans (HB 6) on Apr. 13, 2011, which were signed by the Governor on Apr. 14, 2011, and precleared on Aug. 1, 2011. Challenges to the congressional map were voluntarily dismissed.
Louisiana’s legislature passed a state Senate plan (SB 1) on Apr. 12, 2011, and a state House plan (HB 1) on Apr. 11, 2011; both were signed by the Governor on Apr. 14, 2011. HB 1 was precleared on June 20, 2011, and SB 1 was precleared on June 28, 2011.
2000 cycle
Louisiana’s legislature enacted congressional plans (HB 2) on Oct. 19, 2001, which were precleared on Apr. 1, 2002.
The legislature enacted both state Senate (SB 1) and state House (HB 1) plans on October 16, 2001. The Senate plans were precleared through the Department of Justice on July 2, 2002, but the state sought preclearance through federal court in Washington, D.C., for House plans. A settlement led to a new state House plan (HB 779) enacted by the legislature on May 7, 2003, and precleared on May 20, 2003. It appears that the plans were not further challenged in court.
State House plans were further modified on June 3, 2003 (HB 2011) and June 25, 2004 (HB 910); state Senate plans were further modified on May 13, 2003 (SB 927).
Redistricting Cases in Louisiana
PENDING - Federal court action challenging congressional redistricting plan as a VRA violation
No. 3:22-cv-00211 (M.D. La.); No. 22-30333 (5th Cir.); Nos. 21A814, 21-1596 (S. Ct.)
PENDING - Federal court challenge to state legislative maps: alleged violation of the VRA
No. 3:22-cv-00178 (M.D. La.)
State court challenge to malapportioned congressional maps, mooted after new maps were drawn
No. C-716690-24 (La. Dist. Ct., E. Baton Rouge Parish); No. 2022-CA-1136 ((La. Ct. App., 1st Cir.)
