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Regular Session, 2014
SENATE BILL NO. 310
BY SENATOR BROOME
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. Requires training for members of boards or commissions
of regional transit entities. (8/1/14)
AN ACT1
To enact Chapter 11 of Title 48 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, to be comprised2
of R.S. 48:1501, relative to regional public transportation; to provide for the3
development and implementation of training of members of boards and commissions4
of regional public transit entities; to require training for such membership; to provide5
that the lack of training is a cause for removal; and to provide for related matters.6
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:7
Section 1. Chapter 11 of Title 48 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950,8
comprised of R.S. 48:1501, is hereby enacted to read as follows:9
CHAPTER 11. REGIONAL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION10
ยง1501. Regional transit entities; training required of members11
A. All members of a regional transit entity board shall receive and12
complete at least six hours of annual training beginning in the first year of13
office. The training shall be approved by the staff of the regional planning14
commission where the transit entity is located and shall include the duties,15
responsibilities, ethics, and substance of the position held or to be held.16
B. The regional planning commission staff shall determine the eligibility17 SB NO. 310
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of training sessions which meet the criteria related to these topics: transit1
planning, financing, operations, and design best practices; parliamentary2
procedure; public hearing procedure; cultural sensitivity; ethics; workforce and3
labor issues; public engagement; transit entity governance; and requirements4
of the Americans with Disabilities Act.5
C. Documentation of continuing education. Members shall document6
their attendance of training sessions in a written statement filed with the chief7
executive officer of the transit entity. Each statement shall identify the date of8
each program attended, its subject matter, location, sponsors, and the time9
spent in each program. The chief executive officer shall submit this10
documentation to the regional planning commission annually.11
D. Removal of a member. Failure of a member to receive and complete12
the requisite number of training hours within the first year after the member13
takes office and annually thereafter or to file the statement required by14
Subsection C of this Section shall constitute a cause for removal of the member15
by the appointing body.16
E. Validity of decisions. Failure of one or more members to receive and17
complete training required by this Section shall not affect, impact, or invalidate18
any decision of the board or commission.19
F. The provisions of this Section shall apply only to persons appointed20
to a board on or after January 1, 2015.21
G. As used in this Section, the following terms shall have the following22
meaning, unless the context requires otherwise:23
(1) "Board" means the board or commission which serves as the24
governing body of a regional transit entity.25
(2) "Regional transit entity" includes each area public transit system26
and regional public transit authority which administers a public transit system27
within a metropolitan area that is created by law as a political subdivision of the28
state.29 SB NO. 310
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
The original instrument was prepared by Jerry J. Guillot. The following
digest, which does not constitute a part of the legislative instrument, was
prepared by Riley Boudreaux.
DIGEST
Broome (SB 310)
Proposed law requires all members of a "regional transit entity" board to receive and
complete at least 6 hours of annual training beginning in the first year of taking office. The
training must be approved by the staff of the commission and must include the duties,
responsibilities, ethics, and substance of the position held or to be held.
"Regional transit entity" is defined as each area public transit system and regional public
transit authority which administers a public transit system within a metropolitan area that is
created by law as a political subdivision of the state.
The staff of the commission is required to determine the eligibility of training sessions which
meet the criteria related to the topics listed in the proposed law. Members must document
their attendance in a written statement filed with the chief executive officer of the transit
entity who must submit the documentation to the regional planning commission annually.
Proposed law provides that failure to complete training or file the statement constitutes a
cause for removal of the member by the appointing body.
Proposed law provides that failure of one or more members to receive and complete the
training does not effect, impact, or invalidate any decision of the board or commission.
Provides that proposed law applies only to persons appointed to a board on or after January
1, 2015.
Effective August 1, 2014.
(Adds R.S. 48:1501)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Transportation,
Highways, and Public Works to the original bill
1. Still requires 6 hours of training in the duties, responsibilities, ethics, and
substance of the position for persons appointed to boards on and after
January 1, 2015, but substantially changes the proposed law to specify:
(a)The training must be approved by the staff of the commission rather
than the governing authority of the parish in which the regional
transit entity is located and the staff is required to determine the
"eligibility" of training sessions.
(b)Lists topics which must be included in training.
(c)Requires documentation of attendance and filing.
(d) Provides that failure of one or more members to receive and complete
the training does not invalidate actions of the board or commission.