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 853 2016 Regular Session Robert Johnson
Keyword and oneliner of the instrument as it left the House
PORTS/HARBORS/TERMINALS: Changes the composition of the Avoyelles Parish Port
Commission
Report adopts Senate amendments to:
1. Require a majority of the legislators consisting of the representative representing House
District 28, the senator representing Senate District 28, and the senator representing Senate
District 32 appoint one nominee from each list of nominees submitted pursuant to proposed
law to serve as commissioners.
2. Make a technical change.
Report rejects Senate amendments which would have:
1. Added that at least one member of the Avoyelles Parish Port Commission is required to be
a minority.
2. Provided that each member of the police jury of Avoyelles Parish is required to submit a list
of at least two and not more than three nominees, at least one of whom is a minority rather
than submitting a list of three nominees for commissioners.
3. Added that if the president of the commission is not appointed to the commission pursuant
to proposed law, then the president of the commission on the effective date of proposed law
will be an ex-officio non-voting member of the commission who will serve until Jan. 1,
2020.
Report amends the bill to:
1. Require that at least three of the nine commissioners be minorities.
2. Add that the mayor of Simmesport or his designee, who will be required to be a member of the board of aldermen of the town of Simmesport, will be an ex-officio nonvoting member
of the commission.
3. Add that no person, except for the mayor of Simmesport or his designee who will be required
to be a member of the board of aldermen of the town Simmesport, who holds an elective
public office of any kind in federal, state, or local governments will be appointed or serve as
a member of the commission. Specifies that anyt member of the commission who, during
his term of office, is elected to such office will be deemed to have resigned from the
commission by virtue of being elected to such public office.
4. Makes a technical change.
Digest of the bill as proposed by the Conference Committee
Present law creates the Avoyelles Parish Port Commission.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law provides that the Avoyelles Parish Port Commission is composed of seven members who
shall serve without compensation and who shall be appointed as follows:
(1)Four commissioners appointed by the governing authority of the parish of Avoyelles.
(2)Two commissioners appointed by the governing authority of the town of Simmesport.
(3)One commissioner elected by the appointed commissioners at their initial meeting.
Present law provides that commissioners are appointed for terms of six years.
Proposed law removes present law and instead provides that the commission will be composed of
nine members with one member domiciled in each police jury district, at least three of whom
required to be minorities, who shall serve without compensation and who will be appointed subject
to Senate confirmation.
Proposed law requires each member of the police jury of Avoyelles Parish to submit a list of three
nominees from his respective district to the representative representing House District 28, the senator
representing Senate District 28, and the senator representing Senate District 32. Each nominee will
be required to be domiciled in the police jury district that the police jury member represents.
Proposed law requires a majority of the legislators consisting of the representative representing
House District 28, the senator representing Senate District 28, and the senator representing Senate
District 32 to appoint one nominee from each list of nominees submitted to serve as commissioners.
Proposed law provides that the mayor of Simmesport or his designee, who will be required to be a member of the board of aldermen of the town of Simmesport, will be an ex-officio non-voting
member of the commission.
Proposed law provides that no person who holds an elective public office of any kind, except for the
mayor of Simmesport or his designee who will be required to be a member of the board of aldermen
of the town Simmesport, in federal, state, or local governments will be appointed or serve as a
member of the commission. Specifies that any member of the commission who, during his term of
office, is elected to such office will be deemed to have resigned from the commission by virtue of
being elected to such public office
Proposed law requires that the initial commissioners appointed following the effective date of
proposed law would serve until Jan. 12, 2020. Thereafter, any commissioner appointed would serve
a term of four years.
(Amends R.S. 34:1801)