ENROLLED
ACT No. 689
2018 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 680
BY REPRESENTATIVE LEGER
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 51:2365.1(A)(3) through (5) and (B) through (D) and to enact
3 R.S. 51:2365.1(A)(8), relative to the Major Events Incentive Program and the Major
4 Events Incentive Program Subfund; to provide for definitions; to provide relative to
5 authorizations of the secretary of the Department of Economic Development; to
6 provide for certain written notice requirements; to provide relative to certain fund
7 disbursements of the treasurer; to provide relative to requirements for qualified major
8 events; and to provide for related matters.
9 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
10 Section 1. R.S. 51:2365.1(A)(3) through (5) and (B) through (D) are hereby
11 amended and reenacted and R.S. 51:2365.1(A)(8) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
12 ยง2365.1. Major Events Incentive Program and the Major Events Incentive Program
13 Subfund
14 A. As used in this Section:
15 * * *
16 (3) "Event support contract" or "event contract" means a joint undertaking,
17 a joint agreement, or a similar contract executed by a local organizing committee, an
18 endorsing municipality, or an endorsing parish, or any combination thereof, and a
19 site selection organization.
20 (4) "Local organizing committee" means an organization created or
21 recognized as the official host entity sanctioned by an endorsing municipality or
22 parish for a specified qualified major event.
Page 1 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HB NO. 680 ENROLLED
1 (5) "Qualified event" or "qualified major event" means a National Football
2 League Super Bowl, a National Collegiate Athletic Association Final Four
3 tournament game, the National Basketball Association All-Star Game, the X Games,
4 a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision
5 postseason playoff or championship game, a college tournament or championship,
6 the World Games, a national collegiate championship of an amateur sport sanctioned
7 by the national governing body of the sport that is recognized by the United States
8 Olympic Committee, an Olympic activity including a Junior or Senior activity,
9 training program, or feeder program sanctioned by the United States Olympic
10 Committee's Community Olympic Development Program, a mixed martial arts
11 championship, the Breeders' Cup World Championships, a Bassmasters Classic, a
12 National Motorsports race, the Red Bull Signature Series, a National Collegiate
13 Athletic Association football kickoff game, a national championship or Olympic
14 trials of an amateur or professional sport sanctioned by the national governing body
15 of the sport, the United States Bowling Congress Tournament, the WWE
16 WrestleMania, the Bayou Classic, the Essence Festival, the Zurich Classic, a national
17 military event, or a national political convention of the Republican National
18 Committee or of the Democratic National Committee. The term includes any
19 activities related to or associated with a qualified event.
20 * * *
21 (8) "Treasurer" means the treasurer of the state of Louisiana.
22 * * *
23 B.(1) There is hereby established in the state treasury a special subfund in
24 the Mega-Project Development Fund to be known as the "Major Events Incentive
25 Program Subfund", hereafter in this Section, the "subfund".
26 (2) Beginning with the 2015-2016 Fiscal Year and for each fiscal year
27 thereafter, and after allocation of money to the Bond Security and Redemption Fund
28 as provided in Article VII, Section 9(B) of the Constitution of Louisiana, the
29 treasurer shall transfer in and credit to the subfund an amount equal to the sum of the
30 incremental increase in state tax receipts generated by the occurrence of all qualified
Page 2 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HB NO. 680 ENROLLED
1 events. the amount appropriated to the fund by the legislature. In determining the
2 amount of the annual appropriation to the fund, the legislature shall consider the
3 contracts which have been entered into pursuant to Subsection (C) of this Section as
4 well as any recruitment efforts being made by the local organizing committee for
5 qualified events.
6 (3) Monies in the subfund shall be invested in the same manner as monies
7 in the Louisiana Mega-Project Development Fund and any interest earned on the
8 investment of monies in the subfund shall be credited to the subfund. All unexpended
9 and unencumbered monies in the subfund at the end of the fiscal year shall remain
10 in the subfund.
11 (4) Subject to legislative appropriation and the approval of the Joint
12 Legislative Committee on the Budget, the treasurer shall disburse monies as provided
13 in R.S. 51:2365 to each eligible entity at times and in amounts as determined by the
14 secretary and approved by the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget.
15 C.(1) Subject to legislative appropriation and the approval of the Joint
16 Legislative Committee on the Budget, the The secretary of the Department of
17 Economic Development is hereby authorized to enter into a contract with a local
18 organizing committee, endorsing parish, or endorsing municipality to recruit, solicit,
19 or acquire for Louisiana any qualified event that will have a significant positive
20 impact on economic development in the state. The contract shall provide for a
21 financial commitment to the local organizing committee, endorsing parish, or
22 endorsing municipality which shall be subject to legislative appropriation. Prior to
23 executing the contract, the secretary shall obtain the approval of the commissioner
24 of administration and the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget.
25 (2) The Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget may meet in executive
26 session pursuant to the procedures and requirements of R.S. 42:18 when the
27 members have reason to believe that the discussion at such meeting may otherwise
28 result in the public disclosure of information which may negatively impact the ability
29 of the local organizing committee, endorsing parish, or endorsing municipality to
30 recruit, solicit, or acquire for Louisiana any qualified event.
Page 3 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HB NO. 680 ENROLLED
1 (3) The treasurer shall disburse monies to an eligible entity only in
2 accordance with a legislative appropriation.
3 D.(1) An event not included in the definition of qualified event is ineligible
4 for funding under R.S. 51:2365 as provided for in this Section. A qualified major
5 event may receive funding under R.S. 51:2365 as provided by this Section only if all
6 such event meets either of the following conditions are met described in this
7 Paragraph and the provisions of Paragraph (2) of this Subsection:
8 (1)(a) After considering through a highly competitive selection process one
9 or more sites that are not located in this state, a site selection organization selects a
10 site located in this state for an event to be held once, or for an event scheduled to be
11 held annually for a period of years under an event contract.
12 (2)(b) A site selection organization selects a site in this state as the sole site
13 for the event.
14 (3)(2) The event is held not more frequently than annually.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
Page 4 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.