HLS 12RS-869 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2012
HOUSE BILL NO. 936
BY REPRESENTATIVE DANAHAY
MILITARY AFFAIRS: Creates the Louisiana Military Advisory Council
AN ACT1
To enact Subpart B of Part I of Chapter 1 of Title 29 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of2
1950, to be comprised of R.S. 29:61 through 67, relative to military forces; to create3
the Louisiana Military Advisory Council; to provide for the membership of the4
council and its officers; to provide for terms of office for the members of the council;5
to provide relative to compensation and expenses for council members; to provide6
the powers and duties of the council; to require the establishment of working groups;7
and to provide for related matters.8
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:9
Section 1. Subpart B of Part I of Chapter 1 of Title 29 of the Louisiana Revised10
Statutes of 1950, to be comprised of R.S. 29:61 through 68 are hereby enacted to read as11
follows: 12
SUBPART B. LOUISIANA MILITARY ADVISORY COUNCIL13
§61. Name; creation14
The Louisiana Military Advisory Council is hereby established within the15
Louisiana Department of Economic Development.16
§62. Membership; officers, and terms of office17
A. The Council shall be composed of twenty-five members.18
(1) Six members of the council shall be comprised as follows:19
(a) The governor of Louisiana, or his designee.20 HLS 12RS-869 ORIGINAL
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(b) The adjutant general of Louisiana, or his designee.1
(c) The president of the Louisiana State Senate, or a state senator designated2
by the president.3
(d) The speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives, or a state4
representative designated by the speaker.5
(e) The secretary of the Department of Economic Development, or his6
designee.7
(f) The secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, or his designee.8
(2) The governor shall appoint nineteen members in accordance with the9
following provisions:10
(a) The chair of the Louisiana Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.11
(b) The president of Barksdale Forward, or an advocate for Barksdale Air12
Force Base.13
(c) The president of Fort Polk Progress, or an advocate for Fort Polk14
Progress.15
(d) The president of Callendar Commitment, or an advocate for the Naval16
Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Belle Chasse, Louisiana, and constituent units.17
(e) The chair of the New Orleans Mayor's Military Advisory Council, or an18
advocate for the Marine Corps Support Facility located in New Orleans, Louisiana,19
or for the United States Coast Guard Eighth District, or for the United States Army20
Corps of Engineers.21
(f) Five members shall be appointed from retired flag, general or O-622
officers, or a command sergeant major representing each of the Armed Services,23
National Guard, and the Reserves.24
(3) Nine members shall be appointed at-large and shall be representative of25
national defense and homeland security businesses with operations in Louisiana,26
elected officials of an installation community, or president of a regional economic27
development organization.28 HLS 12RS-869 ORIGINAL
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B.(1) The five retired military personnel members appointed by the governor1
shall serve staggered terms so that two appointments shall expire at two years, one2
appointment shall expire at three years, and two appointments shall expire at four3
years, from the dates of initial appointment.4
(2) The nine at-large members appointed by the governor shall serve5
staggered terms so that three appointments shall expire at two years, three6
appointments shall expire at three years, and three shall expire at four years, from the7
dates of initial appointment.8
C. A vacancy on the council shall be filled in the same manner as the9
original appointment.10
D. The governor shall appoint the chair and vice-chair of the council from11
its membership. All other officers as deemed necessary by the council shall be12
elected from its membership.13
E. There shall be an executive director, appointed by the governor, who shall14
provide administrative and staff support for the council. The executive director shall15
have authority to contract for services, expend funds, and operate the normal16
business activities of the commission.17
§63. Meetings; quorum18
The council shall meet bi-annually and at any other time that the chair may19
deem necessary to call a meeting of the council.20
§64. Compensation21
A. Council members and military liaisons shall not receive additional22
compensation or a per diem from the office of the governor for serving on the board.23
B. Council members who are employees or elected public officials of the24
state of Louisiana or a political subdivision of the state of Louisiana may seek25
reimbursement of travel expenses from their employing department, agency, office,26
or elected office, in accordance with office of state purchasing travel guide PPM 49.27
C. Any member of the council who is also a member of the Louisiana28
Legislature may seek per diem from the Senate or House of Representatives, as29 HLS 12RS-869 ORIGINAL
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appropriate, for their attendance at board meetings or services rendered on behalf of1
the Board.2
§65. Duties and powers3
A. The duties and objectives of the members of the council shall include, but4
are not limited to, the following:5
(1) Provide a public forum for issues concerning the installations and units6
of the Armed Forces located in Louisiana and the military and retired military7
personnel and their families who reside in Louisiana.8
(2) Formulate goals and objectives to enhance cooperation, coordination,9
communication, and understanding among the military, United States Department10
of Defense, the Louisiana Congressional Delegation, the communities in the state11
interfacing with the military, and state and local government agencies.12
(3) Study and determine the means to increase and strengthen the state's13
support to the Armed Forces of the United States located within the state.14
(4) Review and disseminate information about proposed legislation related15
to and directly impacting the military communities within the state.16
(5) Propose and sponsor activities, legislation, initiatives, programs, or17
projects which support and enhance the military's activities within the state or which18
enhance or improve the quality of life for the military communities.19
(6) Collect information about and become familiar with the concerns and20
activities of local communities in enhancing and supporting their respective military21
bases.22
(7) Conduct an analysis of the strengths of each military base and share the23
evaluation with the affected community.24
(8) In partnership with the Department of Economic Development and local25
communities, conduct an ongoing analyses of current and proposed changes to the26
mission and military force structure and alignment of the United States Department27
of Defense.28 HLS 12RS-869 ORIGINAL
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(9) Identify the most effective methods and practices used by local1
communities to address the issue of military base support and enhancement and2
disseminate such best practices among affected communities.3
(10) Ensure that affected communities and stakeholders are informed of and4
invited to assist and support state-level efforts to affect statewide coordination of5
information gathering, strategy development, and the sharing of best practices.6
(11) Educate the legislature on the importance of supporting legislation7
relating to the state's military bases.8
(12) Ensure that the council is strategically positioned to interface with9
decision makers in the executive branch of the federal government, national and state10
homeland security agencies, intelligence agencies, and the United States Congress,11
concerning the state's military installations and major units.12
(13) Research and identify best practices and strategies throughout the13
country with respect to other military communities in order to leverage the state's14
competitive advantage.15
(14) Increase public awareness of the presence and value of United States16
military installations and their missions in Louisiana and public investment in17
supporting the state's military bases.18
B. The council shall submit an annual report on the first day of January, to19
the governor to provide the status of and progress achieved on the issues addressed20
in Subsection A of this Section.21
C. The council shall make, or cause to be made, all such studies, reviews, or22
analysis which it finds necessary to effect the duties and objectives expressed above,23
including but not limited to a quadrennial statewide and regional military economic24
impact analysis.25
D. For purposes of this Section, "military" shall mean the Active Guard,26
National Reserve and retired military personnel from either branch of the military.27
§66. Working groups28
A. The Council shall establish the following working groups:29 HLS 12RS-869 ORIGINAL
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(1) Military Sustainment Working Group1
(a) The Military Sustainment Working Group shall interface directly with2
military installation and command leadership on matters related to mission3
sustainment, quality of life, installation operations, and community and state4
relations.5
(b) The Military Sustainment Working Group shall meet regularly, no less6
than eight times annually, and at the call of the chair.7
(c) The Military Sustainment Working Group shall receive, collate,8
prioritize, and present to the council no less than twice annually the key initiatives9
derived from Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph.10
(d) The Military Sustainment Working Group will report no less than twice11
annually to the council on recommendations to optimize conditions in Subparagraph12
(a) of this Paragraph and a strategic plan to achieve optimal conditions.13
B. The council may create working groups composed of council members,14
stakeholders and non-council members, which meet in accordance with the open15
meetings laws, as provided for in R.S. 42:12, et seq.16
§67. Coordination; state government17
All departments, commissions, boards, offices, entities, agencies, and officers18
of the state of Louisiana, or any political subdivision thereof, are authorized and19
directed to cooperate with the council in implementing the provisions of this Subpart.20
Section 2.(A) The Louisiana State Law Institute is hereby directed to change the21
heading of Part 1 of Chapter 1 of Title 29 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950 from22
"GENERAL PROVISIONS FOR MILITARY FORCES OF THE STATE" to "MILITARY23
FORCES OF THE STATE".24
(B) The Louisiana State Law Institute is hereby directed to create a Subpart A within25
Part 1 of Chapter 1 of Title 29 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950 with a heading26
"SUBPART A. GENERAL PROVISIONS" to be comprised of Revised Statutes 29:127
through 42.28 HLS 12RS-869 ORIGINAL
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DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Danahay HB No. 936
Abstract: Establishes the Louisiana Military Advisory Council and provides for the
membership, officers, terms of office, compensation, and its powers and duties.
Proposed law establishes the La. Military Advisory Council within the La. Dept. of
Economic Development.
Proposed law provides for the council to be comprised of 25 members as follows:
(1)The governor or his designee.
(2)The adjutant general or his designee.
(3)The president of the Senate or a designated senator.
(4)The speaker of the House of Representatives or a state representative.
(5)The secretary of the Dept. of Economic Development or his designee.
(6)The secretary of the Dept. of Veterans Affairs or his designee.
(7)The following members as appointed by the governor:
(a)The chair of the Louisiana Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.
(b)The president of Barksdale Forward or an advocate.
(c)The chair of the Louisiana Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.
(d)The president of Fort Polk Progress, or an advocate.
(e)The president of Callendar Commitment, or an advocate.
(f)The chair of the New Orleans Mayor's Military Advisory Council, or an
advocate.
(g)Five from retired flag, general or O-6 officers, or a command sergeant major
representing each of the Armed Services, National Guard, and the Reserves.
(h)Nine members to be appointed at-large representing certain organization.
Proposed law provides for staggered terms for all those appointments made by the governor.
Proposed law provides for appointment of chair, vice-chair, and executive director to be
made by the governor and any additional officers to be elected by the membership.
Proposed law requires the council to meet bi-annually. HLS 12RS-869 ORIGINAL
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Proposed law prohibits members and military liaisons from receiving additional
compensation or per diem for their service, and authorizes state employees and elected
public officials to receive per diem.
Proposed law provides for certain duties and powers of the council.
Proposed law requires the council to submit an annual status and progress report on Jan. 1
st
of each year to the governor.
Proposed law authorizes the council to request studies or analysis to be made for purposes
of accomplishing their required duties and objectives.
Proposed law requires the council to establish working groups to include the Military
Sustainment Working Group to accomplish specific objectives.
Proposed law requires all departments, commissions, boards, offices, entities, agencies, and
officers of the state to cooperate with the council in implementing the provisions of this
proposed law.
(Adds R.S. 29:61-67)