House Bill No. by Representative Knox seeks to amend the legal framework governing the Ernest N. Morial-New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority by clarifying its jurisdiction to explicitly include the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The bill updates the definition of "project" to encompass a wider range of facilities and infrastructure, while removing the term "expansion project" to allow for more flexible future developments. Key enhancements to the authority's powers include the ability to incur debt and issue bonds, as well as an increase in the maximum lease term from sixty to ninety-nine years. Additionally, the authority can require lessees to make payments in lieu of ad valorem taxes to local taxing authorities.

The legislation also introduces new tax provisions, such as a one percent hotel occupancy tax and a quarter percent food and beverage tax, aimed at generating revenue for the authority's projects. It mandates that the authority ensure equal participation for minority businesses in procurement and contracting and requires an annual financial report to be presented to the city council. The bill retains existing tax provisions while broadening the applicability of laws related to leasing and taxation, ultimately promoting economic growth and development in New Orleans through a more adaptable operational framework for the authority.

Statutes affected:
HB298 Original: 33:11(A), 33:13(3), 33:1(A), 33:2(A), 33:17(A), 33:24(A), 33:25(A), 33:26(B), 33:28(A), 33:19(B)(5), 33:15(B)(5), 33:1(B)(4), 33:2(B)(5), 33:23(A)(4), 33:24(E), 33:25(D), 33:26(C)