Executive Government
Governor
The executive branch is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the constitution and laws passed by the legislative branch. The governor is the chief executive officer of the state. The governor must be 25 years of age, be an elector, have been a citizen of the United States and live in Louisiana for 5 years. He is responsible for preparing and submitting to the legislature both a fiscal year operating budget and a five-year capital outlay program.
Statewide Elected Officials
The lieutenant governor serves as governor in the event of a vacancy in the office of governor or if the governor is unable to act as governor or is out of the state. He is given the power to appoint, with Senate approval, the secretary and other key positions in the department formerly appointed by the governor. The Secretary of State heads the Department of State and is the state’s chief election officer. He is responsible for preparing and certifying the ballots for all elections, announcing election returns, administering the election laws, administering the voter registration laws and overseeing parish registrars of voters, and purchasing, maintaining, repairing and storing voting machines. The Attorney General heads the Department of Justice and is the state's chief legal officer. His responsibility is to protect the rights and interest of the state.
Lieutenant Governor
Billy Nungesser
Secretary of State
Tom Schedler
Attorney General
Jeff Landry
Statewide Elected Officials
Treasurer heads the Department of the Treasury and is the custodian of state funds. He disburses public money as a required by law and keeps a record of the money received and distributed. The commissioner of agriculture and forestry heads the Department of Agriculture and Forestry and is responsible for the promotion, protection, and advancement of agriculture and forestry. The department oversees seedling nurseries and fire protection services for the forestry industry. The Commissioner of Insurance heads the Department of Insurance and administers Louisiana’s laws governing the insurance industry. The commissioner is responsible for regulating all phases of insurance and approving insurance rates charged by insurance companies.
Treasurer
John Neely Kennedy
Commissioner of Agriculture
Mike Strain
Commissioner of Insurance
James J Donelon
State Officials Selected from District
Supervisory and policy boards for two departments are composed entirely or in part of members elected from districts. These are the Public Service Commission and Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. The most important function is its power to set rates that consumers may be charged by public utilities such as electric, telephone, natural gas, and water companies and by common carriers such as trucking, bus, and taxi companies.
Department of Civil Service
Department of Civil Services was established by constitutional amendment. Under the department’s guidance, merit selection of job applicants was instituted; a uniform system of pay schedules was established; and promotion became dependent upon objective factors, such as length of service, qualifications and test results.
Officers
Each secretary has the option of appointing a deputy secretary, subject to Senate confirmation; however, the secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections is required to appoint a deputy secretary for public safety services and a deputy secretary for corrections services. Each cabinet department in the executive branch has an office of management and finance. This office is under the direction and control of an undersecretary, who is the chief fiscal and accounting officer of the entire department.
Appointed Boards and Commissions
Boards and Commissions are sometimes referred to as the “fourth branch of government.” Most fall into the following major categories: occupational licensing, policy and advisory, higher education management, regional or local special purpose, marketing and promotion, special clientele programs, and independent boards that were created to remove them from politics.
Departments
Division of Administration is the central management and administrative support agency for the State. Department of Agriculture and Forestry is responsible for the development and growth of markets for Louisiana agricultural products. Department of Children and Family provides agricultural and . Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism. Department of Economic Development. Department of Education. Department of Environmental Quality. Department of Health and Hospitals. Department of Insurance. Department of Justice. Louisiana Workforce Commission.
Departments
Department of Natural Resources. Department of Public Safety and Corrections. Department of Public Services. Department of Revenue. Department of State. Department of State Civil Services. Department of Transportation and Development. Department of the Treasury. Department of Veterans Affairs. Department of Wildlife and Fishers.