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)]
HB 771 Original 2015 Regular Session Mike Johnson
Abstract: Establishes an incentive program for development of new tourism infrastructure and
assets in exchange for certain sales and use tax revenues.
Proposed law creates and provides for tourism development incentives in the form of sales tax
rebates over specified periods of time, to approved, eligible companies for specified tourism
development projects under certain conditions. Eligible projects include various tourism attraction
projects, crafts and products center projects, entertainment destination center projects, and theme
restaurant destination attraction projects.
For the purpose of administering the tourism development incentive program, proposed law creates
the Tourism Development Incentives Authority within the Dept. of Culture, Recreation and Tourism
(CRT) and provides that it shall continue to be composed as provided by law and shall exercise all
powers and authority as provided by law. Specifies that the secretary of CRT shall exercise all
functions necessary for the administration and implementation of the policies and rules of the
authority, including those which relate to rulemaking and adjudication and payroll, personnel
management, procurement, and contract management and the undersecretary of CRT shall, under
the supervision and control of the secretary, perform and administer all functions of the authority in
the nature of accounting and budget control, management and program analysis, and grants
management.
Proposed law provides for the membership and powers and duties of the authority.
Proposed law provides for the criteria to qualify for the tourism development incentives and provides
that CRT promulgate rules to establish standards for applications for incentives and the
recommendation of eligible companies and tourism development projects to the authority. Provides
that an agreement, including incentives provided pursuant to proposed law shall not be transferable
or assignable by an approved company without the written consent of the authority and passage of
a resolution approving the proposed assignee of the incentives as an approved company. Requires
the authority to file an annual report with the governor and the legislature by Nov. 1 of each year,
including specified information for all approved projects.
Proposed law provides definitions for its purposes including "agreement", "approved company",
"approved costs", "crafts and products center", "eligible company", "eligible costs", "entertainment
destination center project", "full-service lodging facility", "incentives", "lodging facility project",
"net positive fiscal impact", and "recreational facility". (Adds R.S. 36:209(I) and 808 and R.S. 47:6361-6368)