§1395.1.  Charter commission, membership, number; term; preparation, submission, and publication of charter

A.  The commission shall consist of not less than seven nor more than eleven members who shall be elected or appointed in the manner provided by the governing authority of the municipality or parish.  Each member of the commission shall hold office until a charter is either adopted or rejected by the registered voters of the municipality, as provided hereafter, and any vacancies in the commission shall be filled by appointment of the remaining members.  The members of the commission shall take office immediately after election or appointment and shall propose the charter and submit it to the governing authority of the municipality within eighteen months thereafter.  The proposed charter shall not be altered or changed in any way by the governing authority of the municipality.

B.  The terms of charter commission members shall expire with either the adoption or rejection of the charter by the voters.  In situations where no charter has been drafted by the end of the eighteen-months time period, members' terms shall automatically expire.

C.  The full text of the proposed charter shall be published once in the official publication of the municipality or parish within thirty days after its submission to the local governing authority of the municipality or parish.  Responsibility for publication rests with the governing body affected.  If a parish and a municipality are involved, publication shall be by the parish in its official journal.

Acts 1980, No. 703, §1.