Proclamation by His Excellency Ruffin G. Pleasant Governor of the State of Louisiana, dated June 29 1917 convening the General Assembly of Louisiana in extraordinary session

By virtue of the authority in me vested by the Constitution of the State of Louisiana, I, Ruffin G. Pleasant, Governor of the State of Louisiana, do hereby issue this my proclamation convening the General Assembly of the State of Louisiana In extraordinary session, at the State Capitol, in the City of Baton Rouge, for a period not to exceed twenty days, beginning at 12 o’clock noon, on Monday, the 9th day of July, A. D. 1917, and ending at 12 o’clock midnight on Saturday, the 28th day of July, A. D. 1917, and I do hereby specially enumerate the following subjects to be considered and acted upon at the said extraordinary session, to-wit:

1. The amending, or changing, Article three thousand two hundred and fifty-two of the Civil Code of Louisiana, or any other law, to the end that the privileges therein granted maymade secondary to conventional mortgages where the annual interest other charges on loans secured mortgage shall not exceed six per centum of the amount loaned.

2. Granting to the Federal Land Bank of New Orleans, and to all other institutions, federal or state, doing business on a plan similar to that upon which the said federal bank operates, exemption from the application of privileges recited in Article three thousand two hundred and fifty-two of Civil Code. of Louisiana, provided, that the annual interest and other charges on loans secured by’ mortgages shall not exceed six per centum of the amount loaned.

3. The creation of a Council of State Defense, prescribing its powers and duties relative to the general welfare, security and defense of the States, its cooperation with the Council of National Defense; providing for the selection,. qualification, and terms of office of the members thereof; and making an appropriation therefor.

4. The creation of a state reserve corps or constabulary, for the purpose of preserving the public order, peace, and tranquility, and making an appropriation therefor.

5. Making provision for the exercise of the elective franchise by Louisiana voters, who are in the military, naval, or other active war service of the United States, and are absent from this State.

6. The conservation of the health and vitality of members of the National Guard, and of soldiers and sailors the United States, stationed within passing through the State of Louisiana.

7. The prohibiting of any act, detrimental to the military success of the United States and the State of Louisiana, declaring the same to be a crime, and providing penalties therefor.

8. Expropriation of land or other property by the State for military purposes.

9. Directing the Governor to assist the Government of the United States the present war by the use of all the resources of the State, and authorizing him to provide for the public safety.

10. Prescribing rules governing suits in court, the parties whereto being the active military service of this State or of the United States.

11. The prevention of idleness and vagrancy during the present war with the Imperial German Government.

12. 1 roviding for the alienation, by sale or otherwise, of the armory and grounds connected therewith owned by he State in the City of  Bogalusa.

13 The regulation of aliens, and providing penalties for the breach of such regulatory laws.

14. Regulating the handling, keeping, and sale of explosives, and providing penalties for the breach of such regulatory laws.

15. The assessment of all banks, bank stock, and bank property.

16. The assessment of the property of foreign persons, firms or corporations doing business in the State of Louisiana.

17 Amending, or  re-enacting, the laws relative to the injuring or destroying of fences, and providing penalties for the violation of such laws as amended or re-enacted.

18. Amending, or re-enacting, the laws relative to cattle tick eradication, and providing penalties for the violation of such laws as amended and reenacted.

19. Providing for the exemption from taxation of all ships, boats, barges or any other waterceraft engaged in trade on any of the rivers, lakes, or other waterways of the State of Louisiana.

20. Providing for the exemption from taxation of shipbuilding companies, together with their capital stock, and all of their property, provided said companies are domiciled in the State of Louisiana.

21. Conferring authority on Boards of Commissioners of Drainage Districts to pledge current revenues for current operating expenses in advance of the collection of  the taxes and other revenues.

22. Expropriation of property for canal purposes, the title to which expropriated property shall vest in the public.

23. Authorizing the Boards of Commissioners of Levee Districts to make all necessary contributions to the Mississippi River Commission for the purpose of taking advantage of, and carrying out, the provisions and conditions of the Flood Control Bill of Congress, and imposing all the duties necessary on the State Auditor and State Treasurer to this end, and authorizing the said Boards of Commissioners to issue and negotiate bonds for said purpose.

24. Amending, or re-enacting, the statutes relative to the building of public roads, the issuance of bonds therefor, the creation of road districts, and the governing bodies thereof.

25. To provide for the speedy and prompt transportation of material for road construction, and granting further power to the Railroad Commission in order to compel such transportation.

26. To make provision for the proper disbursement of road funds in the State treasury, whether such funds are derived from taxation, federal aid, subscription, or from any other source whence such funds may be derived for road purposes and placed in the State treasury.

27. Providing the necessary funds to defray the expenses of  the Board of Public Utilities of the City of New Orleans, and providing salaries for the members of the Board to be paid out of said funds.

28. Providing for the execution of criminals sentenced to the death penalty.

29. Regulating the docket of the Supreme Court.

30. Providing for the taking of Testimony, in civil cases, of witnesses absent from, or residing out of, the State.

31. Making appropriations to cover the amounts borrowed from the fiscal agents of the State by the Board of Liquidation of the State Debt and the Governor on the authority of the members of the General Assembly.

32. Making provision for the payment of the mileage and per diem of the members of the General Assembly and other expenses of the extra, session.

33. Amending, and re-enacting Section eight of Act number one hundred and fifty-nine of the Acts of the General Assembly for the year nineteen hundred and twelve so as to give the Commission Council of the City of New Orleans the right to sell or change the destination of any street in said ‘City for the enlargement, or extension, of any hospital which the said City may utilize, in whole or in part, for the care and treatment of destitute persons.

34. Considering and acting upon appointments made by the Governor during the recess of the Senate, or to be made during the extra session.

(Seal)In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Louisiana to he affixed, at the State Capitol. in the City of Baton Rouge, on this the 29th day of June, A.D. 1917.

(Signed) R. G. PLEASANT. By the Governor: (Signed) James J. Bailey, Secretary of State.

By virtue of the authority in me vested by the Constitution of the State of Louisiana, I, Ruffin G. Pleasant, Governor of the State of Louisiana, do hereby issue this my supplemental proclamation convening the General Assembly of the State of Louisiana in extraordinary session, at the State Capitol, in the City of Baton Rouge, for a period not to exceed twenty days, beginning at 12 o’clock noon on Monday, the 9th day of July, A. D. 1917, and ending at 12 o’clock midnight on Saturday, the 28th day of July, A. D. 1917, and, in addition to the objects submitted to the General Assembly in my original proclamation of June 29, A. D. 1917, I do hereby specially enumerate the following objects to be considered and acted upon at the said extraordinary session, to—wit:

1. Providing for the seizure, by expropriation or otherwise, and the disposition or use, by the State, of food, fuel, seeds, or any other personal property, and of warehouses, buildings, or other storage facilities, during the period of any war in which the United States is, or may be, engaged.

2. Prohibiting insurrection and sedition, and prescribing penalties for the violation of the provisions of such legislation.

3. Exempting soldiers and sailors and other persons in the active military and naval service of the United States from the payment of any debt while the Nation is at war, and for reasonable period thereafter to be fixed in the statute dealing with this subject.

4. Prohibiting any person from taking or carrying away oysters, shells, or cultch from any leased water bottoms belonging to, and within the jurisdiction of, the State of Louisiana, without one permission of the lessee thereof; and providing penalties for the violation of such prohibitory laws.

(Seal) In testimony whereof, 1 have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Louisiana. to be affixed, at the State Capitol, in the City of Baton Rouge, on this, the 3rd day of July, A. D.1917. (Signed) R. G. PLEASANT. By the Governor: (Signed) JAMES J. BAILEY, Secretary of State.

Official Journal of the House of Representatives of the State of Louisiana July 9, 1917