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Regular Session, 2010
SENATE BILL NO. 779
BY SENATORS LAFLEUR AND MICHOT AND REPRESENTATIVE MONTOUCET
STATE AGENCIES. Creates the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana.
(8/15/10)
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 25:651 through 653, and to enact R.S. 25:654 through 657,2
relative to the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana; to provide for3
membership; to provide for the domicile; to provide its purpose and mission; to4
provide for the powers; to provide for appointment of an executive committee; to5
provide for an executive director; to provide for compensation of members; to6
provide for funding; to provide for an annual report; and to provide for related7
matters.8
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:9
Section 1. R.S. 25:651 through 653 are hereby amended and reenacted, and R.S.10
25:654 through 657 are hereby enacted to read as follows:11
CHAPTER 13. COUNCIL FOR DEVELOPMENT OF FRENCH12
IN LOUISIANA13
§651. Council authorized Creation; membership; powers domicile14
A. The governor is hereby authorized to establish the Council for the15
Development of French in Louisiana, said agency to consist of no more than fifty16
members and including a chairman appointed by the governor from names17 SB NO. 779
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recommended to him by legislators. Said council is empowered to do any and all1
things necessary to accomplish the development, utilization and preservation of the2
French language as found in the state of Louisiana for the cultural, economic and3
tourist benefit of the state. The Council for the Development of French in4
Louisiana, hereafter referred to as the "council", is hereby created within the5
office of cultural development of the Department of Culture, Recreation and6
Tourism.7
B. The council shall be domiciled in Lafayette.8
§652. Cooperation with other agencies Purpose and mission9
A. The Council for the Development of French in Louisiana may cooperate10
with and advise other state agencies, including public institutions of education. The11
purpose of the council shall be to preserve and develop Louisiana's French and12
Creole culture, heritage, and language.13
B. The mission of the council shall be to:14
(1) Promote, develop, and enhance French language immersion15
education and instruction at all levels of elementary and secondary education16
in the state by working cooperatively with the Department of Education and the17
State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.18
(2) Promote, develop, and oversee cultural and educational relations and19
exchanges between the state of Louisiana and other countries, provinces, and20
states that share Louisiana's historical French language, heritage, and culture.21
(3) Promote and oversee the development of Louisiana's French cultural22
economy and tourism.23
C. The council shall be the official agency of the state of Louisiana in all24
relations and exchanges between the state and all countries, provinces, and25
states enjoying membership or observer status in the International26
Francophone Organization and similar organizations.27
§653. Donations and grants Powers; membership; term of office; quorum28
A. The Council for the Development of French in Louisiana may receive29 SB NO. 779
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donations and grants from individuals, corporations and governments in order to1
further the provisions of this section. The council shall:2
(1) Establish the policies necessary to carry out the mission of the3
council.4
(2) Meet at least once annually at the call of the chairman of the council5
and at such other times deemed necessary by the executive committee.6
(3) Appoint an executive director.7
(4) Identify all sources of funding.8
B. The council shall consist of not more than twenty-five members.9
C. The members of the council shall be appointed by the governor,10
confirmed by the Senate, upon the nomination of the entities named herein, and11
shall serve for a term of four years. The council shall consist of the following:12
(1) Two members nominated by the Acadiana Legislative Delegation.13
(2) Two members nominated by the Louisiana section of the Assemblee14
des parlementaires Francophones.15
(3) Four members nominated by the council Consortium of Louisiana16
Colleges and Universities which includes representatives of the consortium of17
university French departments.18
(4) One member nominated by the Centre International of the city of19
Lafayette.20
(5) One member nominated by the Louisiana Cultural Economy21
Foundation.22
(6) One member nominated by the French-American Chamber of23
Commerce - Louisiana.24
(7) One member nominated by the World Studies Institute of Louisiana.25
(8) One member nominated by the Louisiana Educational Television26
Authority.27
(9) One member nominated by La Fondation Louisiane.28
(10) Four members nominated by the Association of French Immersion29 SB NO. 779
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Schools.1
(11) Two members nominated by the Louisiana Section of the American2
Association of Teachers of French.3
(12) One member nominated by the United Houma Nation.4
(13) One member nominated by the Cajun Music Hall of Fame.5
(14) One member nominated by the Association Louisiane-Acadie.6
D. A majority of the council members shall constitute a quorum for the7
transaction of official business. All official actions of the council shall require8
the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present and voting.9
E. Members of the council and executive committee shall serve without10
compensation.11
F. The council may:12
(1) Develop a certification system for vendors, festivals, and restaurants,13
to be designated as Francophone friendly.14
(2) Design and issue annually a marquee which designates that the15
certified entity as provided in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection has met the16
standards set by the council to be considered Francophone friendly.17
(3) Make the information provided in Paragraphs (1) and (2) of this18
Subsection available to information outlets for public access.19
(4) Cooperate with and advise other state agencies, including public20
institutions of education.21
(4) Establish committees as it deems necessary.22
§654. Executive committee; membership; requirements; appointment of23
chairman; terms of office; removal of chairman from office24
A. The members of the council shall elect an executive committee, which25
shall consist of not more than seven members.26
B. The members of the executive committee shall be fluent in the French27
language.28
C. The executive committee shall adopt bylaws and establish policies29 SB NO. 779
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and procedures for its operation and the operation of the council.1
D. The chairman of the council shall be appointed by the governor and2
confirmed by the Senate upon the nomination of the executive committee of the3
council, and shall be fluent in the French language.4
E. The chairman of the council shall serve for a term of two years. The5
chairman may be removed from office during his term by a two-thirds vote of6
the council.7
§655. Executive director; requirements; compensation8
A. The council, upon recommendation of the executive committee, shall9
employ an executive director to carry out the policies established by the council10
and the executive committee.11
B. The executive director shall be fluent in the French language.12
C. The executive director shall be in the unclassified service of the state13
and his compensation shall be determined by the council.14
§656. Funding15
To achieve the purposes of this Chapter, the council may seek, accept,16
and expend monies from any source, including donations, state appropriations,17
and federal grants and may seek, accept, and use services from individuals,18
corporations, and governmental entities.19
§657. Annual report20
The council shall submit a report annually to the governor, the president21
of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives no later than22
thirty days prior to the beginning of each regular session of the legislature.23
Each annual report shall include specific recommendations to promote, develop24
and enhance language immersion education and instruction at the elementary25
and high school levels.26 SB NO. 779
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The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Nancy Vicknair.
DIGEST
Present law authorizes the governor to establish the Council for the Development of French
in Louisiana, hereafter referred to as the "council", which consists of no more than 50
members, including a chairman appointed by the governor from names recommended to him
by legislators.
Present law further authorizes the council to do all things necessary to accomplish the
development, utilization and preservation of the French language in Louisiana for the
cultural, economic and tourist benefit of the state.
Proposed law creates the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana within the
office of cultural development of the Dept. of Culture, Recreation and Tourism. Requires
the council to be domiciled in Lafayette.
Present law authorizes the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana to cooperate
with and advise other state agencies, including public institutions of education. Proposed
law deletes this provision.
Proposed law provides that the purpose of the council is to preserve and develop Louisiana's
French and Creole culture, heritage, and language.
Proposed law provides that the mission of the council is to:
(1)Promote, develop, and enhance French language immersion education and
instruction at all levels of elementary and secondary education in the state by
working cooperatively with the Dept. of Education and BESE.
(2)Promote, develop, and oversee cultural and educational relations and exchanges
between the state of Louisiana and other countries, provinces, and states that share
Louisiana's historical French language, heritage, and culture.
(3)Promote and oversee the development of Louisiana's French cultural economy and
tourism.
Proposed law further requires the council to be the official agency of the state in all relations
and exchanges between La. and all countries, provinces, and states enjoying membership or
observer status in the International Francophone Organization and similar organizations.
Proposed law requires the council to:
(1)Establish the policies necessary to carry out the mission of the council.
(2)Meet at least once annually at the call of the chairman of the council and at such
other times deemed necessary by the executive committee.
(3)Appoint an executive director.
(4)Identify all sources of funding.
Proposed law authorizes the council to establish committees as it deems necessary.
Proposed law requires that the council consist of not more than 25 members appointed by
the governor and confirmed by the Senate. SB NO. 779
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Proposed law provides that council members serve for a term of 4 years and consist of:
(1)Two members nominated by the Acadiana Legislative Delegation.
(2)Two members nominated by the Louisiana section of the Assemblee des
parlementaires Francophones.
(3)Four members nominated by the council Consortium of Louisiana Colleges and
Universities.
(4)One member nominated by the Centre International of the city of Lafayette.
(5)One member nominated by the Louisiana Cultural Economy Foundation.
(6)One member nominated by the French-American Chamber of Commerce -
Louisiana.
(7)One member nominated by the World Studies Institute of Louisiana.
(8)One member nominated by the Louisiana Educational Television Authority.
(9)One member nominated by La Fondation Louisiane.
(10)Four members nominated by the Association of French Immersion Schools.
(11)Two members nominated by the Louisiana Section of the American Association of
Teachers of French.
(12)One member nominated by the United Houma Nation.
(13)One member nominated by the Cajun Music Hall of Fame.
(14)One member nominated by the Association Louisiane-Acadie.
Proposed law requires that a majority of the council members constitute a quorum for the
transaction of official business, and that all official actions of the council require the
affirmative vote of a majority of the members present and voting.
Proposed law requires members of the council and executive committee to serve without
compensation.
Proposed law requires the members of the council to elect an executive committee consisting
of not more than 7 members.
Proposed law requires members of the executive committee to be fluent in the French
language.
Proposed law requires that the chairman of the council be appointed by the governor and
confirmed by the Senate upon the nomination of the executive committee of the council, and
be fluent in the French language.
Proposed law requires that the chairman of the council serve for a term of 2 years, and
authorizes the council to remove him from office during his term by a 2/3 vote.
Proposed law requires that the council, upon recommendation of the executive committee,
employ an executive director to carry out the policies established by the council and the
executive committee. SB NO. 779
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Proposed law further requires the executive director to be fluent in the French language, be
in the unclassified service of the state, and requires his compensation to be determined by
the council.
Proposed law authorizes the council to seek, accept, and expend monies from any source,
including donations, state appropriations, and federal grants and to seek, accept, and use
services from individuals, corporations, and governmental entities.
Proposed law requires the council to submit an annual report to the governor, the president
of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives no later than 30 days prior to
the beginning of each regular session of the legislature. Further requires each annual report
to include specific recommendations to promote, develop and enhance language immersion
education and instruction at the elementary and high school levels.
Effective August 15, 2010.
(Amends R.S. 25:651-653; adds R.S. 25:654-657)