SLS 19RS-91 ORIGINAL
2019 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 35
BY SENATOR HEWITT
SPECIAL DISTRICTS. Provides for the change in name of the the Northshore Harbor
Center District. (8/1/19)
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 33:4575 and 4575.3(7), (10), and (20)(a), and R.S.
3 47:302.26(C)(3); and to repeal R.S. 33:4575.6, relative to the Northshore Harbor
4 Center District in St. Tammany Parish; to provide for a change in name of the
5 district; to provide for powers and duties of the district; to provide relative to certain
6 taxes; to provide for the allocation of certain funds from the St. Tammany Parish
7 Fund; and to provide for related matters.
8 Notice of intention to introduce this Act has been published.
9 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
10 Section 1. R.S. 33:4575 and 4575.3(7), (10), and (20)(a) are hereby amended and
11 reenacted to read as follows:
12 §4575. Northshore Harbor Center District
13 There is hereby created the Northshore Harbor Center District. The district
14 shall consist of the entire area within Ward Eight and Ward Nine of St. Tammany
15 Parish, including any municipalities in those wards. The district is created for the
16 purposes set forth in R.S. 33:4575 through 4575.6, and shall be responsible for the
17 acquisition, construction, development, maintenance, and operation of an events
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 35
SLS 19RS-91 ORIGINAL
1 center and the programs and events undertaken therein.
2 * * *
3 §4575.3. Powers and duties
4 The board shall have all powers necessary or convenient to effectuate the
5 purposes of the district, including, but not limited to the following rights and powers:
6 * * *
7 (7) To accept gifts, grants, and donations of property and money. Title to
8 immovable property acquired shall reside with the Northshore Harbor Center
9 District.
10 * * *
11 (10) To levy and collect annual taxes, fees, or assessments to the extent
12 permitted by law. Ad valorem taxes may be levied at a rate not to exceed twenty-
13 five mills. Any such tax, fee, or assessment shall be used solely for the acquisition,
14 construction, development, maintenance, repair, reconstruction, refurbishment,
15 renovation, operation, and administration of the facilities of any facility owned, to
16 be owned or operated by the district and the acquisition, construction, repair or
17 replacement of machinery, equipment and furnishings, and shall be subject to
18 approval by a majority of the electors of the district voting at an election called by
19 the district and held for that purpose. The taxes, fees, or assessments when levied,
20 shall be from year to year or for such period of years in accordance with the
21 proposition authorizing the imposition of such taxes, fees, or assessments; however,
22 no person and no property shall be exempt from payment of the taxes, fees, or
23 assessments, except to the extent permitted by the provisions of Article VII, Section
24 20 of the Constitution of Louisiana. The district, upon its own initiative, may call
25 a special election and submit to the qualified electors of the district the question of
26 authorizing the levy of such a tax, fee, or assessment. The district shall call such a
27 special election when requested to do so by petition in writing signed by one-fourth
28 of the qualified electors eligible to vote at such election. These special taxes, fees,
29 or assessments shall be levied, assessed, and collected on the property within the
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1 district under the same methods, terms, and conditions at the same time as parish and
2 district taxes are levied, assessed, and collected.
3 * * *
4 (20)(a) With the approval of the State Bond Commission, to levy a tax based
5 upon the occupancy of hotel rooms, motel rooms, and overnight camping facilities
6 within the district in order to provide funds for the operation of the district, including
7 the construction, acquisition, development, maintenance, repair, reconstruction, or
8 refurbishment, renovation, operation of or administration of any facility owned,
9 or to be owned or operated by the district and the acquisition, or construction repair
10 or replacement of machinery, equipment, and furnishings. The tax shall not exceed
11 one dollar two dollars per occupant day and shall not be made effective by the board
12 until the electorate of the district has approved a bond or tax proposition authorizing
13 the financing of an events center.
14 * * *
15 Section 2. R.S. 47:302.26(C)(3) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
16 §302.26. Disposition of certain collections in St. Tammany Parish
17 * * *
18 C. Beginning Fiscal Year 2012-2013, monies in the fund shall be subject to
19 annual appropriation by the legislature and shall be allocated as follows:
20 * * *
21 (3) Northshore Harbor Center District, nine percent.
22 * * *
23 Section 3. R.S. 33:4575.6 is hereby repealed.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Michael Bell.
DIGEST
SB 35 Original 2019 Regular Session Hewitt
Present law authorized the creation of the Northshore Harbor Center District in St. Tammany
Parish for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, developing, maintaining, and operating an
events center and the programs and events in accordance with present law.
Proposed law retains present law but changes the name of the district from Northshore
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SLS 19RS-91 ORIGINAL
Harbor Center District to Harbor Center District.
Present law provides for the district's board of commissioners to levy and collect annual
taxes, fees, or assessments to the extent permitted by law.
Proposed law retains present law and authorizes the board of commissioners to use the tax,
fee, or assessment for repair, reconstruction, refurbishment, and renovation of any facility
owned or to be owned by the district and for the replacement of machinery, equipment, and
furnishings.
Proposed law changes the amount the tax shall not exceed from one dollar to two dollars.
Present law allocates a certain amount of monies from the state sales tax levied on room
rentals in St. Tammany Parish into the St. Tammany Parish Fund.
Proposed law retains present law relative to the allocation of monies but corrects the name
of the district from Northshore Harbor Center District to Harbor Center District.
Effective August 1, 2019.
(Amends R.S. 33:4575 and 4575.3(7), (10), and (20)(a), and R.S. 47:302.26(C)(3); repeals
R.S. 33:4575.6)
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.