The bill establishes the Baton Rouge Regional Airport Authority, which will manage the operations of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport. It empowers the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council to create this special purpose authority and defines the roles, powers, and responsibilities of its board of commissioners, which will consist of five to nine members appointed by the council. Key provisions include the authority's ability to issue bonds, manage employee retirement benefits, and ensure compliance with transparency laws such as the Open Meetings Law and the Louisiana Public Records Law. The authority will also have a chief executive officer and chief financial officer responsible for overseeing daily operations and financial management.

Additionally, the bill outlines the transition of airport operations from local government to the regional authority, allowing for the transfer of employees while maintaining their employment terms and pension benefits. It mandates the establishment of a retirement system that credits transferring employees for their prior service and allows the authority to issue self-liquidating bonds for airport improvements. The bill clarifies the definition of "Employee" to include those working for the authority and exempts them from mandatory retirement system membership if the authority creates its own plan. It also modifies the board's composition and sets a sunset date for certain membership seats, ensuring a structured governance framework for the new authority.

Statutes affected:
SB176 Engrossed: 11:2213(12)
SB176 Reengrossed: 11:2213(12)
SB176 Enrolled: 11:2213(12)
SB176 Act : 11:2213(12)