No state law limits number of special sessions
Published 6:10 pm Monday, July 2, 2018
Louisiana Legislature
Is there a limit to the number of special sessions the Legislature can have in a year?
No.
The state constitution empowers the governor and lawmakers themselves to call special sessions, but it places no limits on how many times they may do so.
“The legislature may be convened at other times by the governor and shall be convened by the presiding officers of both houses upon written petition of a majority of the elected members of each house. …,” reads Section 2 of Louisiana Constitution Article 3.
“At least seven calendar days prior to convening the legislature in extraordinary session, the governor or the presiding officers, as the case may be, shall issue a proclamation stating the objects of the extraordinary session, the date on which it shall convene, and the number of days for which it is convened.”
Legislators can only debate and pass laws related to “the objects specifically enumerated in the proclamation.” A session’s duration can’t exceed 30 days, state law says, and special sessions can’t overlap.
The state constitution also authorizes the governor to convene emergency sessions “without prior notice or proclamation in the event of public emergency caused by epidemic, enemy attack, or public catastrophe.”
Online: www.legis.la.gov.
LC stormwater map not fully digitized
Several years ago I happened to see a Lake Charles waste (rain) water map book that included the beginning and termination points of each drain around the city.
I was told that these would be digitized some day.
Recently I have needed to understand the draining issues in my neighborhood regarding flooding issues and would like to see where the waste water drains begin and end on my street.
Where can the wastewater drain map be seen for Lake Charles?
“The city’s stormwater map is not fully digitized, but can be reviewed in the engineering department on the seventh floor of City Hall,” Mike Huber, city planning director, said in a statement forwarded to The Informer.
“As part of an ongoing effort to survey and clean all underground stormwater lines, the maps will be updated/corrected and converted to an electronic format. We hope to have these available on the city’s website at some point in the future.”
Online: www.cityoflakecharles.com.
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The Informer answers questions from readers each Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. It is researched and written by Andrew Perzo, an American Press staff writer. To ask a question, call 494-4098 and leave voice mail, or email informer@americanpress.com.
