Lawrason Act
Encyclopedia
The Lawrason Act is an 1898 measure of the Louisiana State Legislature
which permits municipalities in the state to incorporate into towns or cities without specific clearance from the legislature.
It is named for the attorney Samuel McCutcheon Lawrason
, who was a state senator
from St. Francisville
, the seat of West Feliciana Parish
for two nonconsecutive terms, 1896-1900 and 1920-1924.
The Lawrason Act was used, for instance, on April 4, 1951, in Newellton
in Tensas Parish
to upgrade the community from a village to a town.
In 1912, the Lawrason Act established a city commission government
for Alexandria
. The mayor under that system served as the Commissioner of Public Health and Safety (Police, Fire, Sanitation). There were separate Commissioners of Streets and Parks and Finance and Utilities, all elected citywide. The last to hold those positions, which ended in 1977, were Mayor John K. Snyder
, Malcolm P. Hebert, Sr., and Arnold Jack Rosenthal, respectively. The commission form ended with a new mayor-council charter in 1977.
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
which permits municipalities in the state to incorporate into towns or cities without specific clearance from the legislature.
It is named for the attorney Samuel McCutcheon Lawrason
Samuel Lawrason
Samuel McCutcheon Lawrason was an attorney who served two nonconsecutive terms in the Louisiana State Senate from West Feliciana Parish, located north of Baton Rouge, Louisiana...
, who was a state senator
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
from St. Francisville
St. Francisville, Louisiana
St. Francisville is a town in and the parish seat of West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,712 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:St...
, the seat of West Feliciana Parish
West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 15,111 people, 3,645 households, and 2,704 families residing in the parish. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 4,485 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile...
for two nonconsecutive terms, 1896-1900 and 1920-1924.
The Lawrason Act was used, for instance, on April 4, 1951, in Newellton
Newellton, Louisiana
Newellton is a town in northern Tensas Parish in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population is 1,227 in the 2010 census, a decline of 255 from 2000. Newellton is some 65 percent African American. It is just west of the Mississippi River on Lake St. Joseph, an ox-bow lake....
in Tensas Parish
Tensas Parish, Louisiana
Tensas Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The seat of the parish is St. Joseph. In 2010, the population of Tensas Parish was 5,252; it is the least-populous of all sixty-four parishes....
to upgrade the community from a village to a town.
In 1912, the Lawrason Act established a city commission government
City commission government
City commission government is a form of municipal government which once was common in the United States, but many cities which were formerly governed by commission have since switched to the council-manager form of government...
for Alexandria
Alexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria is a city in and the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes....
. The mayor under that system served as the Commissioner of Public Health and Safety (Police, Fire, Sanitation). There were separate Commissioners of Streets and Parks and Finance and Utilities, all elected citywide. The last to hold those positions, which ended in 1977, were Mayor John K. Snyder
John K. Snyder
John Kenneth Snyder, Sr., sometimes known as Tillie Snyder , was a colorful, outspoken Democratic mayor of Alexandria, Louisiana, from 1973–1977 and again from 1982-1986....
, Malcolm P. Hebert, Sr., and Arnold Jack Rosenthal, respectively. The commission form ended with a new mayor-council charter in 1977.