RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 531 (SB 480) 2024 Regular Session Boudreaux
Existing law (R.S. 34:291) creates the Lafayette Economic Development Authority (LEDA).
New law retains existing law.
Existing law provides that the LEDA is established for the purpose of having a council
composed of representatives from the business community, parish and city governments, the
University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and the South Louisiana Community College to perform
the functions of an economic and industrial development agency. Such functions may
include, without limitation:
(1) Public relations, advertising, marketing, providing and disseminating information.
(2) Government relations, ombudsman, and government liaison.
(3) Financial and financing assistance.
(4) Tax abatement.
(5) Planning and coordination for economic development and resource utilization,
including such functions as industrial and economic research and industrial
programming and solicitation.
(6) Industrial training, technical assistance, and technology transfer.
(7) The use of public and other legal powers to facilitate development.
(8) Promoting transfer mechanisms to take ideas from their point of origin or
development to commercially successful utilization by local enterprises.
(9) Fostering entrepreneurial activity in the parish and region.
(10) Promoting the development of new products, processes, or services or new uses for
existing products, processes, or services manufactured or marketed in the parish or
region.
(11) Supporting market research aimed at identifying new markets for local or regional
products and processes.
(12) Fostering and supporting economic and industrial development and education in
cooperation with private business enterprises, financial institutions, educational
institutions, nonprofit institutions and organizations, state government and political
subdivisions of the state, the federal government, and other organizations or persons
concerned with research, development, education, commercial application, and
economic or industrial development.
New law retains existing law but adds the additional power to leverage economic and
community development strategies to engage in and foster redevelopment and revitalization
activities within distressed areas with the parish.
Existing law (R.S. 34:292) provides that the governing authority of the district shall be
known as the board of commissioners of the Lafayette Economic Development Authority.
The board shall consist of 12 members who shall be citizens of the U.S. residing within the
limits of the district during their terms of office.
New law retains existing law.
Existing law provides that the commissioners shall be appointed as follows:
(1) Two members, one of whom shall be nominated by the Lafayette Parish Farm
Bureau, shall be appointed by a majority vote of the mayors of the incorporated
municipalities of Lafayette Parish other than the city of Lafayette.
(2) Two members shall be appointed by the Lafayette Mayor-President. The Lafayette
Mayor-President may serve as one of the appointments.
(3) Two members, one of whom shall be a racial minority, shall be appointed by the
Lafayette City Council.
(4) Two members, one of whom shall be a racial minority, shall be appointed by the
Lafayette Parish Council.
(5) One member shall be appointed by One Acadiana.
(6) Two members, one of whom shall be a racial minority, shall be appointed by the
president of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The president may serve as one
of the appointments.
(7) One member shall be appointed by the chancellor of South Louisiana Community
College. The chancellor may serve as the appointment.
New law retains existing law but provides that one of the members appointed by the
Lafayette Mayor-President shall be a racial minority.
Existing law (R.S. 34:293.1) provides that the district shall have authority to enter into any
cooperative endeavor.
New law (R.S. 34:293.2) retains existing law but provides that the district shall have the
authority to convey to the U.S., the state, or to any political subdivision of the state any land,
property, right-of-way, easement, servitude, or other thing of value, which the authority may
own or acquire.
New law provides that the district, through the board, shall have all powers necessary or
convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes and provisions of new law, including but
not limited to the following:
(1) The authority shall have the power to create and execute redevelopment plans for
specified areas within the territory defined in new law.
(2) To undertake and carry out redevelopment projects and related activities.
(3) To develop, test, and report methods and techniques and carry out demonstrations
and other activities for the prevention and the elimination of slums and urban blight.
(4) To plan, develop, regulate, operate, and maintain activities and planned land uses to
foster any type of property development.
(5) The authority may purchase adjudicated properties within the territory.
(6) The authority may purchase, sell, lease, exchange, or otherwise dispose of or transfer
to or with other political subdivision of this state or public or private persons at
public or private sale any land, property, improvements, or portions thereof.
(7) The authority may sell, lease, exchange, or otherwise transfer immovable property
or any interest therein acquired by it for residential commercial or industrial uses or
for public use, subject to such covenants, conditions, and restrictions.
(8) The authority may temporarily operate, maintain, or lease immovable property.
(9) Any immovable property within a redevelopment area acquired by purchasing
adjudicated properties may be disposed of.
(10) To require and issue licenses.
(11) To levy and collect sales and use taxes within the boundaries of the district.
New law repeals the North Lafayette Redevelopment Authority.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 34:291(A), 292(B)(1)(b), 293(A)(1), 293.1(A), (E)(1) and (F)(1); adds R.S.
34:291(B)(1)(m) and 34:293.2; repeals 33:4720.171)


Statutes affected:
SB480 Original: 34:291(A), 34:292(B)(1), 34:293(A)(1), 34:1(A)
SB480 Engrossed: 34:291(A), 34:292(B)(1), 34:293(A)(1), 34:1(A)
SB480 Reengrossed: 34:291(A), 34:292(B)(1), 34:293(A)(1), 34:1(A)
SB480 Enrolled: 34:291(A), 34:292(B)(1), 34:293(A)(1), 34:1(A)
SB480 Act 531: 34:291(A), 34:292(B)(1), 34:293(A)(1), 34:1(A)