The bill amends Louisiana law concerning the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans, establishing the public water, sewerage, and drainage systems as state entities independent from the city. It modifies the board's membership structure by removing specific appointment requirements, allowing the city council to set rules for appointments, terms, and service. A selection committee will now recommend nominees based on relevant professional experience, and the bill mandates that board appointments reflect the racial and gender diversity of the city's population. Additionally, the bill grants the city council regulatory authority over the board's operations, including oversight of rates, budgets, and policies, while ensuring that existing obligations of the board are not impaired.

The legislation also streamlines the governance of the board by eliminating the requirement for a billing ordinance working group and empowering the city council to directly regulate billing policies. It expands the circumstances under which the city council can investigate the board, allowing inquiries into any matter within its regulatory authority rather than only after catastrophic failures. Furthermore, the bill modifies the attendance requirements for board representatives at city council meetings, broadening the scope to include any meeting of the city council or its committees. Overall, the bill aims to enhance accountability, oversight, and operational efficiency of the Sewerage and Water Board while ensuring compliance with open meeting laws.

Statutes affected:
HB1243 Original: 33:4072(A), 33:2(A)