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)]
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP ORT DIGEST
HB 528 2015 Regular Session Leger
Keyword and oneliner of the instrument as it left the House
MUNICIPALITIES/NO: Authorizes the city of New Orleans to create a municipal revenue amnesty
program
Report adopts Senate amendments to:
1. Limit the applicability of the program to the waiver of interest, collection costs, and penalties
owed on delinquent fines, fees, and assessments.
2. Provide that the program cannot extend for a period of more than 60 calendar days.
3. Remove provisions requiring the finance director to submit an annual report to the mayor and
instead require the finance director to submit a report to the mayor at the conclusion of the
program.
4. Specify that both state and federal ongoing criminal prosecutions for failure to pay delinquent
fees, fines, or assessments render a person ineligible to participate in the program.
Report rejects Senate amendments which would have:
1. Limited the implementation of the program to once every eight calendar years.
Report amends the bill to:
1. Limit the city's authority to allow participation in the program by the New Orleans Sewerage
and Water Board and other political subdivisions to once every eight calendar years.
2. Authorize the city of New Orleans to issue RFPs in order to procure a third-party contractor
to manage the program.
Digest of the bill as proposed by the Conference Committee Proposed law authorizes the city of New Orleans, upon the initiative of the mayor, to establish a
municipal revenue amnesty program. Provides that the program may provide for the waiver of all
or a uniform percentage of interest, collection costs, and penalties owed to the city on delinquent
fines, fees, and assessments.
Proposed law requires the director of finance for the city to administer the program and to adopt rules
and regulations for the operation and administration of the program. Provides that the rules and
regulations may authorize the city to issue RFPs in order to procure a third-party contractor to
manage the program. Limits the amount of fees paid to the contractor to not more than 15% of the
total amount of interest, collection costs, and penalties collected by the city. Provides that the
program cannot extend for more than 60 calendar days.
Proposed law requires the director, at the conclusion of the program, to submit a report to the mayor,
not later than March 1st of the year the program is implemented, relative to the amnesty provided
to persons who participated in the program. Provides relative to the content of the report.
Proposed law prohibits persons who are under state or federal criminal prosecution for the failure
to pay delinquent fines, fees, or assessments owed to the city, or the interest, collection costs, or
penalties owed, from participating in the program.
Proposed law authorizes the city of New Orleans, through the mayor, to cooperate once every eight
calendar years with the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board and other political subdivisions in
the city to allow the board and other political subdivisions to provide for the waiver of all or a
uniform percentage of interest, collection costs, and penalties on delinquent fines, fees, and
assessments owed to them.
(Adds R.S. 33:3101)