Oaths – Oath of office

Oaths – Oath of office

Constitution §30. Oath of Office. Every official shall take the following oath or affirmation: “I, . . ., do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the constitution and laws of the United States and the constitution and laws of this state and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as. . ., according to the best of my ability and understanding, so help me God.”

R.S. 42:161. Public officers to take constitutional oath. All public officers shall take and subscribe to the oath or affirmation required by Article X, Section 30 of the constitution before acting in their respective offices.

R.S. 42:162. Administration and recordation of oath or affirmation. A .The oath or affirmation of all officers of the state may be administered by the governor, any judge, justice of the peace, notary public, or clerk of court. Except as otherwise provided in Subsection B of this Section, the oath or affirmation shall be subscribed to by the party taking it, and certified in his commission by the person administering it and shall be deposited in the office of the secretary of state and recorded by him. The oath or affirmation of all parish officers shall also be recorded in the clerk of court’s office of the parish where the same may have been administered, to be recorded by the clerk of court in a book kept for that purpose.

B. For members of each house of the legislature who take the oath or affirmation at the organizational session of the legislature as provided in Article III, Section 2(D) of the Constitution of Louisiana, the clerical officer of each house of the legislature shall deposit in the office of the secretary of state a certified journal entry of the proceedings of that house which reflects the taking of the oath of office as provided in the constitution. The secretary of state shall record each certified journal entry in the same manner the oaths or affirmations received pursuant to Subsection A of this Section are recorded. For the members of the legislature who took the oath of office at the organizational session of the legislature, the certified journal entry shall fulfill the requirements of this Part to take and subscribe to the oath or affirmation.

C. The oath or affirmation shall be deposited for recordation within one month after the same shall have been administered. A certified journal entry submitted pursuant to Subsection B of this Section shall be deposited for recordation no later than one month following the organizational session of the legislature.