HLS 15RS-1989 ENGROSSED
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 846 (Substitute for House Bill No. 202 by Representative Ortego)
BY REPRESENTATIVE ORTEGO
WATERWAYS: Provides relative to the Lafayette Parish Bayou Vermilion District
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 33:9201, 9202(introductory paragraph), and 9203(A) and to
3 enact R.S. 33:9206(11), relative to the Lafayette Parish Bayou Vermilion District;
4 to authorize the district to perform public works on certain bayous; to provide
5 relative to the name of the district; to provide relative to access to certain water
6 bodies; and to provide for related matters.
7 Notice of intention to introduce this Act has been published
8 as provided by Article III, Section 13 of the Constitution of
9 Louisiana.
10Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
11 Section 1. R.S. 33:9201, 9202(introductory paragraph), and 9203(A) are hereby
12amended and reenacted and R.S. 33:9206(11) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
13 CHAPTER 32. LAFAYETTE PARISH BAYOU
14 VERMILION DISTRICT
15 §9201. Creation of district; limits and jurisdiction
16 The Lafayette Parish Bayou Vermilion District, hereafter referred to in this
17 Chapter as the district, is hereby created as a political subdivision of the state of
18 Louisiana. The territorial limits of the district shall be coterminous with the
19 boundaries of the parish of Lafayette and jurisdiction of its authority shall extend
20 throughout the parish of Lafayette. For the purposes of this Chapter, any and all
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 15RS-1989 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 846
1 references to Bayou Vermilion shall include that body of water known as either
2 Bayou Vermilion or Vermilion River within the boundaries of Lafayette Parish,
3 Louisiana.
4 §9202. Purposes
5 The Lafayette Parish Bayou Vermilion District, hereinafter referred to as "the
6 district" district, is created for the following purposes:
7 * * *
8 §9203. Board of Commissioners; qualification of members; appointment; terms;
9 vacancies; removal of members
10 A. The governing authority of the Lafayette Parish Bayou Vermilion District
11 district shall be a board of commissioners which is hereby created and which is
12 hereinafter referred to as "the board". The board shall be composed of nine voting
13 members who shall be citizens of the United States residing within the limits of the
14 district during their term of office. The members of the board shall serve without
15 compensation.
16 * * *
17 §9206. General powers and duties of the board
18 In addition to the power and authority granted elsewhere in this Chapter, the
19 board shall have all powers necessary and convenient for carrying out the purposes
20 of the district enumerated in R.S. 33:9202 including the following:
21 * * *
22 (11) To undertake, as otherwise provided by Paragraph (10) of this Section,
23 any work that it deems necessary and proper to improve water quality and to remove
24 obstructions to natural water flow in Bayou Vermilion within Lafayette Parish,
25 Bayou Carencro, and Evangeline Canal. No political subdivision of the state shall
26 restrict public access to Evangeline Canal unless the restriction is approved by the
27 House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment and the Senate Committee
28 on Natural Resources.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
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HB NO. 846
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 846 Engrossed 2015 Regular Session Ortego
Abstract: Authorizes the Lafayette Parish Bayou Vermilion District to perform public
works on specified bayous and provides relative to restrictions on access to
Evangeline Canal.
Present law creates the Lafayette Parish Bayou Vermilion District to improve water quality
and beautify Bayou Vermilion to promote the bayou as a recreational and cultural asset and
to create and control an economic development adjacent to the bayou. Provides that the
jurisdiction of the district is coterminous with Lafayette Parish. Provides for governance and
powers and duties of the district. Proposed law changes the name of the district to the Bayou
Vermilion District.
Present law authorizes the district to make or construct any works of public improvement
within the geographic limits of the district that may be necessary or useful for the business
of the board by purchasing machinery or materials and equipment for performing such work
and supervising the work or by making and constructing such works through contracts with
others, all subject to laws applicable to public works contracts.
Proposed law authorizes the district to undertake, as otherwise provided in present law, any
work that it deems necessary and proper to improve water quality and flow in Bayou
Vermilion within Lafayette Parish, Bayou Carencro, and Evangeline Canal. Prohibits any
political subdivision from restricting public access to Evangeline Canal unless the restriction
is approved by the legislative natural resources committees.
(Amends R.S. 33:9201, 9202(intro. para.), and 9203(A); Adds R.S. 33:9206(11))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.