A little-known law in Louisiana that prohibits those age 70 and older from serving in certain public offices will oust 200 elected officials by the end of November.
The law, placed on the books in 2008, included a grandfather clause for those elected before 2006. But a recent amendment removed that clause, and now the provisions are kicking in for everybody, The Washington Post reported.
“It was an obscure law,” Connie Moore, president of the Louisiana Justice of the Peace and Constables Association, told The Post. Unless you worked in that particular legal field, she said, “you probably didn’t know it existed.”
But Sen. Elbert Guillory, who sponsored the amendment to remove the grandfather clause, said he did so based on several complaints.
“There was a problem of people who were in wheelchairs and oxygen tanks and carrying weapons. A combination of infirmity and gun powder doesn’t mix well,” Mr. Guillory said, citing some “inside information” he received about the matter from an unnamed source, The Post reported.
Both constables and justices of the peace normally carry weapons.
The removal of the grandfathering means about 160 justices and constables are not able to seek re-election this year. Another 30 or so in the field who were elected after 2006 are also now unqualified for re-election, The Post reported.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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