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)]
Schroder HB No. 538
Abstract: Provides for security and the allocation and use of space within the state capitol
complex and provides for a security plan for the state capitol and its grounds.
Present law, relative to the allocation and use of space in the capitol complex, provides that
notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the allocation and use of space within the state
capitol, pentagon court buildings, and the Old Arsenal Museum, including the subbasement,
basement, and all floors of the state capitol, all buildings in the pentagon court, and the Old
Arsenal Museum, shall be as follows:
(1)The fourth floor and three floors of the state capitol building shall be allocated to and be
used by the governor for his office, the offices of the members of his personal staff, and
the offices of such other personnel of agencies within the office of the governor as the
governor shall determine.
(2)Four floors of the state capitol building shall be designated for use by the attorney general
and one floor of the state capitol building shall be designated for use by the treasurer and
the secretary of state. That space leased to members of the press on July 1, 1979, by the
division of administration shall constitute the press area of the capitol and shall be under
the control of the governor; provided however, if renovations require temporary or
permanent reassignment of the press to another area of the capitol such reassignment shall
be determined and made jointly by the governor, the House speaker, and Senate president.
(3)The designation of the eight floors set forth in (1) and (2), not including the fourth floor,
shall be jointly determined by the governor, the House speaker, and Senate president.
(4)All areas of the state capitol, pentagon court buildings, and Old Arsenal Museum not
allocated in (1) and (2) shall be for the sole use of the legislature, its agencies and
officers, and the employees of the legislature and its agencies. In addition, the former
nurses' dormitory at the Our Lady of the Lake Hospital, located on Capitol Lake, shall be
for the sole use of the legislature, its agencies and officers, and the employees of the
legislature and its agencies until such time as it shall be renovated in accordance with the
Capitol Complex Master Plan and it shall then revert to the control of the division of
administration. Provides that at the time at which such renovation shall begin shall be
determined jointly by the Senate president, the House speaker, and the commissioner of
administration. The allocation of these areas shall be made by the legislature by joint rule
or through the Legislative Budgetary Control Council. (5)Provides that except as otherwise provided in present law, the superintendent of state
buildings shall have charge of the management, operation, and maintenance of the state
capitol building, pentagon court buildings, the Old Arsenal Museum, and the capitol
complex grounds and that in the performance of such duties, the superintendent shall be
under the authority and direction of the governor, the House speaker, and the Senate
president.
(6)Provides that subject to the joint approval and oversight of the governor, the Senate
president, and House speaker, the superintendent of state buildings shall (a) set aside and
maintain an area on the grounds of the state capitol east of the Old Arsenal Museum for a
memorial honoring law enforcement officers and firefighters who are killed in the line of
duty; (b) plan, implement, and maintain the memorial itself; and (c) establish and
maintain a fund to consist of private donations, grants, and other similar, but nonstate,
monies which shall be used with respect to the establishment, and maintenance of the
memorial.
Proposed law includes additions or appurtenances to state capitol and deletes specific reference
to the subbasement, basement, and all floors of the capitol. Changes references from state capitol
building to state capitol. Removes provision that designation of the floors in the state capitol for
use by specified statewide elected officials, excluding the fourth floor, be made jointly by the
governor and the presiding officers of the legislature and instead specifically provides as follows:
(1)Changes provision allocating the fourth floor and three floors of the state capitol to the
governor by specifying instead that the fourth, fifth, and sixth floors of the state capitol
are allocated to the governor.
(2)Removes provisions allocating four floors to the attorney general and one floor to the
treasurer and secretary of state and instead allocates the third and twenty-first floor to the
treasurer and provides that the commissioner of agriculture shall have space on one of the
floors allocated to the treasurer. Specifies that the secretary of state shall have space on
the twentieth floor and may designate an office for use by the commissioner of insurance
and allocates space on the twenty-second and twenty-third floors to the attorney general.
(3)Provides that the designation of the floors not otherwise specifically designated shall be
determined jointly by governor, the speaker of the House, and the president of the Senate.
Proposed law further requires the office of state police to develop and implement a security plan
for the state capitol and the surrounding grounds, subject to the approval of the Legislative
Budgetary Control Council.
Proposed law changes reference from pentagon courts buildings to pentagon barracks buildings.
Proposed law changes reference from Old Arsenal Museum to Old Arsenal Magazine Museum.
Further specifies that the superintendent of state buildings shall have charge of the maintenance
of the Old Arsenal Magazine Museum and provides, notwithstanding present law and proposed law, that the Dept. of State shall have charge of its management and operation.
Proposed law deletes reference to the former nurses' dormitory at the Our Lady of the Lake
Hospital.
(Amends R.S. 49:150.1) Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on House and Governmental Affairs
to the original bill.
1. Removes proposed provisions regarding the allocation of and use of space in the
capitol annex.
2. Removes provision that the lieutenant governor, the secretary of state, the attorney
general, and the commissioner of insurance shall have space on the twentieth floor
and instead provides that the secretary of state shall have space on the twentieth floor
and may designate an office for use by the commissioner of insurance and provides
that the attorney general shall have space on the twenty-second and twenty-third
floors of the state capitol.
3. Includes the governor in addition to the Speaker of the House and the President of the
Senate in the determination of the designation of floors of the state capitol not
specifically designated by proposed law.
4. Makes technical changes.