Most parishes, for example operate under the state's police jury laws. Most municipalities are governed by the Lawrason Act. Cities created before 1900 may have special legislative charters adopted as state laws. The charters for several cities were originally authorized by the constitution. In each of the cases, the structure of the government was determined largely outside the community, and any changes required legislative action.
Parishes serve the same role as counties in other states.
The parish is the general local government which provides certain basic services for all residents of the state, and is the only local general government serving citizens who live outside of municipalities. Fifty of the state's 64 parishes operate under the general law providing for the traditional police jury form of government. The Orleans consolidation eliminated the parish general government, leaving only a city government that has the same boundaries as the parish. A municipality is an area within a parish which has been incorporated under state law. Louisiana municipalities are classified, by population size, as cities, towns or villages.