House Bill No. by Representative Dewitt amends R.S. 33:1420.31 to establish new training requirements for mayors of municipalities with populations of 15,000 or less. The bill mandates that all mayors must complete a minimum of 16 hours of training annually, which includes specific topics such as ethics, public budgeting, and emergency preparedness. The training can be fulfilled through workshops and courses offered by state agencies, associations, or groups that specialize in municipal governance. Additionally, the Louisiana Municipal Association is tasked with ensuring mayors are informed about these training requirements and maintaining records of compliance, which will be publicly accessible.

The bill also outlines the categories of training that must be covered, including municipal authority, roles and responsibilities of mayors, and public safety operations, among others. The provisions of this act will apply to all mayors elected on or after January 1, 2027. The previous language that allowed participation in training for certain municipalities has been deleted, and new language has been inserted to clarify the training obligations and reporting requirements for mayors.

Statutes affected:
HB415 Original: