The bill, introduced by Representative Braud, amends the governance structure of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East and the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-West Bank. Key changes include restructuring the board of commissioners for the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East to consist of nine members, with specific provisions for including two members who do not reside in the designated parishes and one member with no residency limitations. The executive director of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority is appointed as the secretary of the nominating committee, replacing previous requirements for regional directors to fulfill this role. Additionally, the bill reduces the number of members with engineering or science backgrounds from five to four and increases the number from other disciplines from two to three.

The bill also revises the nomination process for board vacancies, reducing the timeframe for submitting nominees for unexpected vacancies from 120 days to 90 days and increasing the number of nominees required from one to two. It designates the nominating committee as a "public body" under the Open Meetings Law, allowing for remote meetings, and shifts the responsibility for notifications regarding vacancies from regional directors to the chair of the nominating committee. Furthermore, it allows commissioners to serve up to three consecutive terms instead of two, while maintaining that serving two years or more of an unexpired term counts as a full term. Overall, the bill aims to enhance the diversity, efficiency, and operational procedures of the flood protection authorities.

Statutes affected:
HB688 Original: 38:1(C)(1)
HB688 Engrossed: 38:1(C)(1)
HB688 Reengrossed: 38:1(C)(1)