Ward (SB 239) Act No. 129
Prior law created and provided for West Baton Rouge Parish Fire Protection District No. 1
and granted certain authority to the West Baton Rouge Police Jury to create and provide for
the district. New law replaces the police jury with the West Baton Rouge Parish Council.
Prior law provided that the district be governed by a board of commissioners and provide for
its jurisdiction and operations. New law abolishes the board and provides that the West
Baton Rouge Parish Council is the governing authority of the district.
Prior law mandates the district to include two or more fire protection subdistricts. New law
grants the option of including two or more fire protection subdistricts.
Prior law provided for the creation of subdistricts by ordinance and the adoption by
ordinance of the method or formula for allocation of the district's revenue to subdistricts.
New law repeals these provisions.
Prior law provided that the district be governed by a board of commissioners of six persons,
one each appointed by the governing body of each subdistrict. Required that each subdistrict
representative on the board be a resident of the subdistrict and may be a member of the
governing body of the subdistrict. New law repeals prior law.
Prior law required the governing board of the district to prepare a budget, deposit funds in
a separate account, allocate funds between subdistricts, submit annual audit reports, and
adopt certain procedures for requests for supplemental funding. New law repeals prior law.
Prior law authorized the board to incur debt, to contract, to sue and be sued, to accept grants
and donations, and under certain circumstances, to levy special taxes or service fees. New
law repeals prior law.
Prior law provided for governance of subdistricts by a municipality or the police jury and
provides for their powers and duties in such capacity. New law repeals prior law.
Prior law provided relative to outstanding liabilities, should any area be transferred from one
subdistrict to another, whether through annexation or otherwise.
New law mandates the parish council enact an ordinance to conform with new law on or
before July 1, 2014.
Effective upon signature of the governor (June 5, 2013).
(Amends R.S. 40:1503 (A), (B), (E)(1), and (F); repeals R.S. 40:1503 (G) through (L))