A bill that would allow the Republican and Democratic executive committees in Lafayette Parish to restructure and increase in size was approved in the Senate Thursday and referred to the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee.
The measure resets the committees’ sizes from 10 to 14, the total membership allotted before Lafayette’s consolidated council was split.
Current law sets the size of parish party executive committees at five at-large members and “as many members as there are members of the parish governing authority.” The law makes exceptions for Orleans and Jefferson parishes.
Before the councils split, Lafayette had nine parish districts. After the split, it now has five.
Beaullieu’s bill would create another exception for Lafayette Parish and expand the number of at-large members from five to nine to offset the lost district seats.
HB86 by Rep. Gerald “Beau” Beaullieu, whose District 48 includes parts of Lafayette and Iberia parishes, passed the House Tuesday 101-0.