HLS 19RS-928 ORIGINAL 2019 Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO. 549 BY REPRESENTATIVE JEFFERSON TAX: Adds students located in opportunity zones to the property eligible to participate in the Restoration Tax Abatement program 1 AN ACT 2To amend and reenact R.S. 47:4311 and 4313(A)(1); relative to the Restoration Tax 3 Abatement program; to add opportunity zones to property eligible for the program; 4 to provide an effective date; and to provide for related matters. 5Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana: 6 Section 1. R.S. 47:4311 and 4313(A)(1) are hereby amended and reenacted to read 7as follows: 8 §4311. Findings and purpose 9 It is recognized as essential to the continued growth and development of the 10 state and to the continued prosperity and welfare of the people of the state that the 11 expansion, restoration, improvement, and development of existing commercial 12 structures and owner-occupied residences in downtown, historic, and economic 13 development districts, and opportunity zones be encouraged in order to provide for 14 the development and improvement of local communities, the fullest use of 15 underutilized resources, and the enhancement of the tax base. For these reasons the 16 legislature proposed and the people of Louisiana adopted Article VII, Section 21(H) 17 of the Constitution of Louisiana to provide a means by which owners of such 18 properties who expand, restore, improve, or develop them may pay ad valorem taxes 19 for five years based upon the assessed valuation of the property for the year prior to 20 the commencement of the expansion, restoration, improvement, or development. It Page 1 of 2 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. HLS 19RS-928 ORIGINAL HB NO. 549 1 is the purpose of this Chapter to provide the procedures and conditions for the 2 granting of contracts for such purpose by the State Board of Commerce and Industry 3 in accordance with the provisions of the Louisiana Constitution. 4 * * * 5 §4313. Contracts of limited exemption 6 A.(1) The board, with the approval of the governor and the local governing 7 authority, may enter into a contract granting to a property owner who proposes the 8 expansion, restoration, improvement, or development of a commercial structure or 9 structures or an owner-occupied residence in a downtown, historic, or economic 10 development district, or opportunity zone the right for five years after completion of 11 the work to pay ad valorem taxes based upon the assessed valuation of the property 12 for the year prior to the commencement of the expansion, restoration, improvement, 13 or development. 14 * * * 15 Section 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2019 and shall be applicable to all 16applications received on or after July 1, 2019. 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 549 Original 2019 Regular Session Jefferson Abstract: Adds structures located in opportunity zones to the property eligible to participate in the Restoration Tax Abatement proposal Present law authorizes the Restoration Tax Abatement program which allows owners of commercial structures or an owner-occupied residence in a downtown, historic, or economic development district who expand, restore, improve, or develop eligible property to pay ad valorem taxes for five years based upon the assessed valuation of the property for the year prior to the commencement of the expansion, restoration, improvement, or development. Proposed law retains present law and adds opportunity zones to the types of property eligible for the Restoration Tax Abatement program. Effective July 1, 2019, and applicable to all applications received on or after July 1, 2019. (Amends R.S. 47:4311 and 4313(A)(1) ) Page 2 of 2 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.