Nick Lorusso

BATON ROUGE, La. -- A New Orleans state lawmaker has been called to active Army duty and will miss legislative action for a year.

Rep. Nick Lorusso, a Republican, says he found out Wednesday that he's been called up to duty in Fort Lewis, Washington. Lorusso, a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserves, is a lawyer and will be assigned as a deputy staff judge advocate.

Lorusso says his stint will begin in the spring. The next regular legislative session begins in April.

The news comes less than three weeks before voters go to the polls to vote on a constitutional amendment sponsored by Lorusso that would allow a temporary successor to be named to a vacant seat if a lawmaker is called to active military duty. Under present law, the district seat remains vacant.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)