Lower coast gazette., 1914-09-05
Amendments Proposed to
the Constitution of Louisiana.

ACT NO. 81.
House Bill No. 1853. By Mr.. johnson
Chairman of the Committee on
Public Education.
Substitute for House Bill No. 275.
JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to Article 255
of the Constitution of the State of
Louisiana, relative to the support of
the public schools of the State of Louisi-
ana, and the levying of taxes thereon
by parishes, cities and towns, under
certain conditions.
Section /. Be it resolved by the Gen
eral Assembly of the State of Louisiana,
twO-thirds (2-3rds) of all members elect
ed to each House concurring, That the
Legislature may appropriate to the same
funds the proceeds of public lands not
designated or set apart for any other
purpose, and shall provide that each par
ish may levy a tax for the public schools
therein, which shall not exceed the entire
State Tax; provided, that with such tax
the whole amount of parish taxes shall
not exceed the limits of parish taxation
fixed by this constitution.
The City of New Orleans shall make
such appropriation for the support, main
tenance and repair of the public schools of
said city as it may deem proper, but not
less than eight-tenths of one mill for any
one year; and said schools shall also
continue to receive from the Board of
Liquidation of the city debt, the amounts
to which they are now entitled under the
Constitution amendment, adopted in the
year 1892.
The Police Juries of the several par
ishes and boards of trustees and municipal
councils of incorporated cities and towns
(the parish of Orleans excepted) shall
levy, collect and turn over to the Parish
School Boards of their respective par
ishes, cities or towns, the proceeds of at
least three mills of the annual tax which
they are empowered to levy on each doE
lar of the assessed valuation of the prop
erty thereof; provided, that cities and
towns that are not exempted by the
terms of their charters from, the payment
of parish taxes and which are subjected
to the similar burdens of taxation rs are
the parishes shall not pay this tax, as
same is included in the taxes imposed
by the parish in which the town is situ-
ated, unless the parish boards of school
directors of that parish certify that the
needs of the schools can be met by a
smaller levy of such taxes.
Provided, that this shall not apply to
cities that under legislative authority now
conduct, maintain and support public
schools, open and free to the youth of
the parish in which said city is located,
and levy, collect and expend annually for
the conduct, maintenance and support of
said schools the proceeds of at least three
mills of the annual tax which they are
empowered to levy on each dollar Of the
assessed valuation of property; and such
cities shall not pay and turn over to the
parish school board the proceeds of at
least three mills of the annual tax, or
any part thereof, as herein provided, and
shall be exempted from tine same so long
as such cities continue to conduct, main
tain and support free schools as herein
provided, under the supervision and con-
troll of the State Board of Education and
Independent of parochial school authori-
ties; provided further, that such city shall
not be eligible to vote at the elections for
such directors for the parish in which
such city is situated.
Section 2. Be it further resolved, That
at the congressional election to be held
in this State on the first Tuesday follow
ing the first Monday in November, 1914,
the foregoing amendment to the constitu-
ton of this State shall be submitted to
the electors of this State; that on the
official ballot to be used in said election
shall be placed the words "for the pro-
posed Amendment to Article 255 of the
Constitution and the words Against
the proposed Amendment to Article 255
of the Constitution" and every elector
shall indicate his vote on the proposed
amendment as provided by the general
Election Laws Of this State.
L. E. THOMAS,
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
THOMAS G. BARRETT,
Lieutenant Governor and President of the
Senate.
Approved: July LIST, 1914.
l.. q. HALL,
Governor of the State of Louisiana
A true copy:
ALVIN r. HEBERT,
Secretary of State.
ACT NO. SS
Senate Bill No. 40 By MI. Clinton
JOINT RESOINTJON