2021 Louisiana legislative session

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2021 Louisiana legislative session
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General information
Session start:    April 12, 2021

Session end:    June 10, 2021

Leadership
Senate President
Page Cortez (R)

House Speaker
Clay Schexnayder (R)
Majority Leader
N/A
Minority Leader
N/A

Elections
Next Election:    November 18, 2023

Last Election:    November 16, 2019

Previous legislative sessions
2020 • 2019 • 2018
Other 2021 legislative sessions


In 2021, the Louisiana State Legislature was scheduled to convene on April 12 and adjourn on June 10.

The legislators serving in this session took office following the 2020 elections. Republicans won a 27-12 majority in the Senate and a 68-35 majority in the House. The Democratic Party controlled the governorship, creating a divided government rather than a state government trifecta. At the start of the 2021 session, Louisiana was one of 28 state legislatures where neither party had a veto-proof supermajority in both chambers.

The Louisiana State Legislature is responsible for redistricting following each census. Legislators were expected to address redistricting as part of the 2021 legislative session. As of the 2020 Census, Louisiana was one of 37 states where legislators were responsible for redistricting.

At the beginning of the 2021 legislative session:
  • Republicans held a majority in the Louisiana state House and state Senate.
  • Louisiana was one of 14 states that had a divided government, meaning neither party had a trifecta..
  • Louisiana's governor was Democrat John Bel Edwards.

    • Leadership in 2021

    Louisiana State Senate

    Louisiana House of Representatives


    Partisan control in 2021

    See also: State government trifectas

    Louisiana was one of 14 states that had a divided government, meaning neither party had a state government trifectas at the start of 2021 legislative sessions. A state government trifecta occurs when one political party holds the governor's office, a majority in the state Senate, and a majority in the state House. For more information about state government trifectas, click here.

    Louisianawas also one of 28 state legislatures where neither party had a veto-proof supermajority in both chambers. Veto overrides occur when a legislature votes to reverse a veto issued by an executive such as a governor or the president. If one party has a majority in a state legislature that is large enough to override a gubernatorial veto without any votes from members of the minority party, it is called a veto-proof majority or, sometimes, a supermajority. To read more about veto-proof supermajorities in state legislatures, click here.

    The following tables show the partisan breakdown of the Louisiana State Legislature in the 2021 legislative session.

    Louisiana State Senate

    Party As of January 2021
         Democratic Party 12
         Republican Party 27
    Total 39

    Louisiana House of Representatives

    Party As of January 2021
         Democratic Party 35
         Republican Party 68
         Independent 2
    Total 105

    Regular session

    The following widget shows up to 25 pieces of legislation in the 2021 legislative session that most recently passed both chambers of the legislature, were signed by the governor, or were approved by the legislature in a veto override. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation met these criteria in 2021. This information is provided by BillTrack50.

    Redistricting

    See also: Redistricting in Louisiana after the 2020 census

    The districts from which Louisiana's U.S. representatives and state legislators are elected are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the census. Federal law stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.

    Congressional districts
    Litigation over congressional redistricting in Louisiana after the 2020 census is ongoing.

    A group of voters filed a lawsuit on January 31, 2024, arguing that the 2024 map containing a second majority-Black congressional district was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander and over-represents Black voters. On April 30, 2024, the district court agreed and enjoined the map's use in future elections. The state said it was "stuck in an endless game of ping-pong," having drawn the 2024 map after a federal district court struck down a 2022 version containing one majority-Black congressional district as a likely violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which prevents the denial or limitation of voting rights based on race. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on March 24, 2025.[1] On June 27, 2025, the Court scheduled the case for reargument in its next term, set to begin in October 2025.[2]

    Click here for more information about the congressional maps enacted in Louisiana after the 2020 census.

    Legislative districts
    Litigation over state legislative redistricting in Louisiana after the 2020 census is ongoing.

    A group of voters filed a lawsuit on March 14, 2022, arguing that the state legislative map drawn after the 2020 census violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by diluting Black votes. On February 8, 2024, the district court agreed and ordered the state to draw a new state legislative map. The state appealed the case to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which heard oral argument on January 7, 2025.[3]

    Click here for more information about the state legislative maps enacted in Louisiana after the 2020 census..

    See the sections below for further information on the following topics:

    1. Summary: This section provides summary information about the drafting and enacting processes.
    2. Enactment: This section provides information about the enacted congressional and state legislative district maps.
    3. Drafting process: This section details the drafting process for new congressional and state legislative district maps.
    4. Apportionment and release of census data: This section details the 2020 apportionment process, including data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
    5. Court challenges: This section details court challenges to the enacted congressional and state legislative district maps.
    6. Background: This section summarizes federal and state-based requirements for redistricting at both the congressional and state legislative levels. A summary of the 2010 redistricting cycle in Louisiana is also provided.

    To learn more about the redistricting process in Louisiana after the 2020 census, click here.

    Standing legislative committees

    See also: Standing committee and List of committees in Louisiana state government


    A standing committee of a state legislature is a committee that exists on a more-or-less permanent basis, from legislative session to session, that considers and refines legislative bills that fall under the committee's subject matter.

    At the beginning of the 2021 legislative session, there were 35 standing committees' in Louisiana's state government, including 2 joint legislative committees, 17 state Senate committees, and 16 state House committees.

    Joint legislative committees

    Senate committees

    House committees

    Legislatively referred constitutional amendments

    In every state but Delaware, voter approval is required to enact a constitutional amendment. In each state, the legislature has a process for referring constitutional amendments before voters. In 18 states, initiated constitutional amendments can be put on the ballot through a signature petition drive. There are also many other types of statewide measures.

    The methods by which the Louisiana Constitution can be amended:

    See also: Article XIII of the Louisiana Constitution and Laws governing ballot measures in Louisiana

    The Louisiana Constitution provides two mechanisms for amending the state's constitution— a legislative process and a state constitutional convention. Louisiana requires a simple majority vote (50% plus 1) for voters to approve constitutional amendments.

    Legislature

    See also: Legislatively referred constitutional amendment

    According to Article XII, the state Legislature can refer constitutional amendments to the ballot for voters to decide. A two-thirds (66.67%) vote is required during one session of the Louisiana State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 70 votes in the Louisiana House of Representatives and 26 votes in the Louisiana State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot. Amendments can be referred to the ballot in odd-numbered years and even-numbered years in Louisiana.

    Convention

    See also: Convention-referred constitutional amendment

    According to Article XII, the state legislature can provide for the calling of a constitutional convention by law enacted by two-thirds of the members of each chamber of the legislature.


    Historical context: A total of 52 constitutional amendments appeared on the statewide ballot in Louisiana during odd-numbered years during the 20-year period from 1999 through 2019. Of the 52 amendments, 36 (69.23%) were approved and 16 (30.77%) were defeated.

    Legislatively-referred constitutional amendments, 1999-2019
    Total number Approved Percent approved Defeated Percent defeated Odd-year average Odd-year median Odd-year minimum Odd-year maximum
    52 36 69.23% 16 30.77% 5 4 0 16


    Historical partisan control

    The table below depicts the historical trifecta status of Louisiana.

    Louisiana Party Control: 1992-2025
    Eight years of Democratic trifectas  •  Seven years of Republican trifectas
    Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

    Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
    Governor D D D D R R R R R R R R D D D D R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D R R
    Senate D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
    House D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

    Historical Senate control

    Between 1991 and 2019, partisan control of the Louisiana State Senate shifted from being heavily Democratic to a Republican majority. Democrats went from having a 27-seat advantage following the 1991 elections to being at a 15-seat disadvantage after the 2019 elections. The table below shows the partisan history of the Louisiana State Senate following every general election from 1991 to 2019. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.

    Louisiana State Senate election results: 1991-2019

    Party 91 95 99 03 07 11 15 19
    Democrats 33 25 27 24 24 15 14 12
    Republicans 6 14 12 15 15 24 25 27

    Democrats maintained control of the Louisiana State Senate from 1991 to 2011 but their majority steadily decreased. Senate Democrats held their largest majority following the 1991 elections when Democrats held a 27-seat advantage. Throughout the period, Democrats usually controlled between 24 and 33 seats, while Republicans controlled between 6 and 15 seats. Democrats also held more than the 26 seats required to override a gubernatorial veto from 1991 to 1994 and again from 2000 to 2003.

    As a result of party switches and special elections, Republicans gained control of the chamber in February 2011.[4][5] The last time Republicans controlled the Senate prior to 2011 was during post-Civil War Reconstruction. For the first time in the state's modern history, Republicans controlled both chambers of the legislature and the governor's office at the same time. Republicans had a trifecta in the state from 2011 to 2015.[6] Heading into the 2011 elections, Republicans held a 22-17 majority. Republicans gained two seats in the election, giving them a 24-15 majority. Republicans gained one seat in the 2015 elections, giving them a 25-14 majority. The Republican gains from 2011 to 2015 were in line with a national trend toward Republican state legislatures during the presidency of Barack Obama (D). From 2009 to 2017, Democrats experienced losses in state legislative elections, totaling 968 seats all together.

    In the 2019 elections, Republicans increased their majority to 27-12 and acquired a supermajority in the chamber, which requires 26 seats.

    Historical House control

    Between 1991 and 2019, partisan control of the Louisiana House of Representatives shifted from being heavily Democratic to a Republican majority. Democrats went from having a 69-seat advantage following the 1991 elections to being at a 33-seat disadvantage after the 2019 elections. The table below shows the partisan history of the Louisiana House of Representatives following every general election from 1991 to 2019. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.

    Louisiana House of Representatives election results: 1991-2019

    Party 91 95 99 03 07 11 15 19
    Democrats 86 76 75 68 53 45 42 35
    Republicans 17 28 30 36 50 58 61 68
    Other 2 1 0 1 2 2 2 2

    Democrats maintained control of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1991 to 2010 but their majority steadily decreased. House Democrats held their largest majority following the 1991 election when Democrats held a 69-seat advantage. Throughout the period, Democrats usually controlled between 53 and 86 seats, while Republicans controlled between 17 and 50 seats. Democrats also held more than the 70 seats required to override a gubernatorial veto from 1991 to 2002.

    As a result of party switches and special elections, Republicans gained control of the chamber in December 2010. Prior to the party switches, the last time Republicans controlled the House was during post-Civil War Reconstruction.[7] Heading into the 2011 election, Republicans held a 57-46 majority with two independent members. Republicans gained one seat in the election, giving them a 58-45 majority with two independent members. Republicans gained three seats in the 2015 election, giving them a 61-42 majority with two independent members. The Republican gains from 2011 to 2015 were in line with a national trend toward Republican state legislatures during the presidency of Barack Obama (D). From 2009 to 2017, Democrats experienced losses in state legislative elections, totaling 968 seats all together.

    After the 2019 election, Republicans had a 68-35 majority with two independent members.


    See also

    Elections Louisiana State Government State Legislatures State Politics
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    External links

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ NBC News, "Supreme Court wrestles with Louisiana racial gerrymandering claim," March 24, 2025
    2. ↑ Louisiana Illuminator, "U.S. Supreme Court punts Louisiana redistricting case to next term," June 27, 2025
    3. ↑ United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit Office of the Clerk, "Scheduling Notice," October 23, 2024
    4. ↑ Louisiana Republican Legislative Delegation, "Republican Delegation Welcomes Senator Norby Chabert to the Republican Party," accessed February 10, 2021
    5. ↑ Four state senators switched their party affiliation from Democrat to Republican and Republicans flipped two seats in special elections.
    6. ↑ The Times-Picayune, "Senate election completes Republican takeover of Louisiana government," February 21, 2011
    7. ↑ NOLA, "Louisiana Republicans take first House majority since Reconstruction with latest party switch," December 17, 2010
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