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Regular Session, 2012
HOUSE BILL NO. 936
BY REPRESENTATIVE DANAHAY AND SENATOR JOHN SMI TH
AN ACT1
To enact R.S. 36:109(V) and Subpart B of Part I of Chapter 1 of Title 29 of the Louisiana2
Revised Statutes of 1950, to be comprised of R.S. 29:61 through 68, relative to3
military forces; to create the Louisiana Military Advisory Council within the4
Department of Economic Development; to provide for the membership of the council5
and its officers; to provide for terms of office for the members of the council; to6
provide relative to compensation and expenses for council members; to provide the7
powers and duties of the council; to require the establishment of working groups; and8
to provide for related matters.9
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:10
Section 1. R.S. 36:109(V) is hereby enacted to read as follows:11
§109. Transfer of boards, commissions, departments, and agencies to Department12
of Economic Development13
* * *14
V. The Louisiana Military Advisory Council (R.S. 29:61 et seq.) is placed15
within the Department of Economic Development and shall perform and exercise16
their powers, duties, functions, and responsibilities as provided by law.17
Section 2. Subpart B of Part I of Chapter 1 of Title 29 of the Louisiana Revised18
Statutes of 1950, comprised of R.S. 29:61 through 68, is hereby enacted to read as follows:19
SUBPART B. LOUISIANA MILITARY ADVISORY COUNCIL20
§61. Name; creation21
The Louisiana Military Advisory Council is hereby established within the22
Louisiana Department of Economic Development.23 ENROLLEDHB NO. 936
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§62. Membership; officers, and terms of office1
A. The council shall be composed of twenty-five members.2
(1) Six members of the council shall be comprised as follows:3
(a) The governor of Louisiana, or his designee.4
(b) The adjutant general of Louisiana, or his designee.5
(c) The president of the Louisiana State Senate, or a state senator designated6
by the president.7
(d) The speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives, or a state8
representative designated by the speaker.9
(e) The secretary of the Department of Economic Development, or his10
designee.11
(f) The secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, or his designee.12
(2) The governor shall appoint nineteen members in accordance with the13
following provisions:14
(a) The chair of the Louisiana Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.15
(b) The president of Barksdale Forward, or an advocate for Barksdale Air16
Force Base.17
(c) The president of Fort Polk Progress, or an advocate for Fort Polk18
Progress.19
(d) The president of Callendar Commitment, or an advocate for the Naval20
Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Belle Chasse, Louisiana, and constituent units.21
(e) The chair of the New Orleans Mayor's Military Advisory Council, or an22
advocate for the Marine Corps Support Facility located in New Orleans, Louisiana,23
or for the United States Coast Guard Eighth District, or for the United States Army24
Corps of Engineers.25
(f) Five members shall be appointed from retired flag, general, or O-626
officers, or a command sergeant major representing each of the armed services,27
national guard, and the reserves.28
(3) Nine members shall be appointed at-large and shall be representative of29
national defense and homeland security businesses with operations in Louisiana,30 ENROLLEDHB NO. 936
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elected officials of an installation community, or president of a regional economic1
development organization.2
B.(1) The five retired military personnel members appointed by the governor3
shall serve staggered terms so that two appointments shall expire at two years, one4
appointment shall expire at three years, and two appointments shall expire at four5
years, from the dates of initial appointment.6
(2) The nine at-large members appointed by the governor shall serve7
staggered terms so that three appointments shall expire at two years, three8
appointments shall expire at three years, and three shall expire at four years, from the9
dates of initial appointment.10
(3) Thereafter, each appointment shall serve a four-year term.11
C. A vacancy on the council shall be filled in the same manner as the12
original appointment.13
D. The governor shall appoint the chair and vice chair of the council from14
its membership. All other officers as deemed necessary by the council shall be15
elected from its membership.16
E. There shall be an executive director, appointed by the governor, who shall17
provide administrative and staff support for the council. The executive director shall18
have authority to contract for services, expend funds, and operate the normal19
business activities of the commission.20
§63. Meetings; quorum21
The council shall meet biannually and at any other time that the chair may22
deem necessary to call a meeting of the council.23
§64. Compensation24
A. Council members and military liaisons shall not receive additional25
compensation or a per diem from the office of the governor for serving on the board.26
B. Council members who are employees or elected public officials of the27
state of Louisiana or a political subdivision of the state of Louisiana may seek28
reimbursement of travel expenses from their employing department, agency, office,29
or elected office, in accordance with office of state purchasing travel guide PPM 49.30 ENROLLEDHB NO. 936
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C. Any member of the council who is also a member of the Louisiana1
Legislature may seek per diem from the Senate or House of Representatives, as2
appropriate, for their attendance at board meetings or services rendered on behalf of3
the board.4
§65. Duties and powers5
A. The duties and objectives of the members of the council shall include but6
are not limited to the following:7
(1) Provide a public forum for issues concerning the installations and units8
of the armed forces located in Louisiana and the military and retired military9
personnel and their families who reside in Louisiana.10
(2) Formulate goals and objectives to enhance cooperation, coordination,11
communication, and understanding among the military, United States Department12
of Defense, the Louisiana congressional delegation, the communities in the state13
interfacing with the military, and state and local government agencies.14
(3) Study and determine the means to increase and strengthen the state's15
support to the armed forces of the United States located within the state.16
(4) Review and disseminate information about proposed legislation related17
to and directly impacting the military communities within the state.18
(5) Propose and sponsor activities, legislation, initiatives, programs, or19
projects which support and enhance the military's activities within the state or which20
enhance or improve the quality of life for the military communities.21
(6) Collect information about and become familiar with the concerns and22
activities of local communities in enhancing and supporting their respective military23
bases.24
(7) Conduct an analysis of the strengths of each military base and share the25
evaluation with the affected community.26
(8) In partnership with the Department of Economic Development and local27
communities, conduct ongoing analyses of current and proposed changes to the28
mission and military force structure and alignment of the United States Department29
of Defense.30 ENROLLEDHB NO. 936
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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 National26
Guard, Reserve, and retired military personnel from any branch of the military.27 ENROLLEDHB NO. 936
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§66. Funding and expenses1
The council may receive and expend funds made available from any source,2
including donations or gifts of money or services from public or private3
organizations, to be utilized for the purposes of the council.4
§67. Working groups5
A. The council shall establish the following working groups:6
(1) Military Sustainment Working Group.7
(a) The Military Sustainment Working Group shall interface directly with8
military installation and command leadership on matters related to mission9
sustainment, quality of life, installation operations, and community and state10
relations.11
(b) The Military Sustainment Working Group shall meet regularly, no less12
than eight times annually, and at the call of the chair.13
(c) The Military Sustainment Working Group shall receive, collate,14
prioritize, and present to the council no less than twice annually the key initiatives15
derived from Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph.16
(d) The Military Sustainment Working Group will report no less than twice17
annually to the council on recommendations to optimize conditions in Subparagraph18
(a) of this Paragraph and a strategic plan to achieve optimal conditions.19
B. The council may create working groups composed of council members,20
stakeholders, and non-council members, which meet in accordance with the open21
meetings laws, as provided for in R.S. 42:12, et seq.22
§68. Coordination; state government23
All departments, commissions, boards, offices, entities, agencies, and officers24
of the state of Louisiana, or any political subdivision thereof, are authorized and25
directed to cooperate with the council in implementing the provisions of this Subpart.26
Section 3.(A) The Louisiana State Law Institute is hereby directed to change the27
heading of Part 1 of Chapter 1 of Title 29 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950 from28
"GENERAL PROVISIONS FOR MILITARY FORCES OF THE STATE" to "MILITARY29
FORCES OF THE STATE".30 ENROLLEDHB NO. 936
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(B) The Louisiana State Law Institute is hereby directed to create a Subpart A within1
Part 1 of Chapter 1 of Title 29 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950 with a heading2
"SUBPART A. GENERAL PROVISIONS" to be comprised of Revised Statutes 29:13
through 42.4
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED: