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 732 Original 2022 Regular Session Duplessis
Abstract: Relative to the Louis Armstrong Park Authority and Historic Jazz District in the city of
New Orleans, provides relative to the governance and powers and duties of the district.
Present law establishes the Louis Armstrong Park Authority and Historic Jazz District for the
primary object and purpose of acquiring ownership, leasing, or entering into a management
agreement for the Louis Armstrong Park facility from or with the city of New Orleans. Present law
provides that the district is authorized to promote, encourage, and enhance the park and all areas
within the boundaries of the district through renewed commerce, industry, and for the utilization and
development of the human resources of the area. Provides for district boundaries.
Proposed law retains present law and additionally provides that the district is a political subdivision
of the state.
Present law provides that the district's governing board is composed of 25 members as follows:
(1)Four members appointed by the Treme Community Improvement Assoc., Inc.
(2)One member appointed by the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, Inc.
(3)One member appointed by the Congo Square Foundation, Inc.
(4)One member appointed by the New Orleans Musicians Organized, Inc.
(5)One member appointed by the Women Entrepreneurs for Economic Development, Inc.
(6)One member appointed by the St. Bernard/N. Claiborne Merchants Assoc.
(7)One member appointed by the Treme Community Education Program from a list of
nominations by the Treme Brass Band, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and the New Birth Brass
Band.
(8)One member appointed by the Treme Community Education Program.
(9)One member appointed by the Kumbuka African Drum and Dance Collective.
(10)One member appointed by the Treme Community Education Program, who shall be a tavern or jazz club operator.
(11)One member appointed from a Mardi Gras Indians Tribe by the Tamborine and Fan Club,
Inc.
(12)One member appointed by the UMOJA.
(13)One member appointed by the Tamborine and Fan Club.
(14)The state senator from the 4th Senatorial District or his designee.
(15)The state representative from the 96th Representative District or his designee.
(16)The state senator from the 3rd Senatorial District or his designee.
(17)The state representative from the 93rd Representative District or his designee.
(18)One member appointed by the Downtown Development District.
(19)The mayor of the city of New Orleans or his designee.
(20)The governor or his designee.
(21)The city council member from District C or his designee.
(22)One member appointed by the New Orleans Music Commission.
Proposed law provides instead that the board is composed of 17 members as follows:
(1)One member appointed by the governing board of the Greater Treme Consortium, Inc.
(2)One member appointed by the governing board of Save Our Soul Coalition, Inc.
(3)One member appointed by the governing board of The Louis Armstrong Educational
Foundation, Inc.
(4)One member appointed jointly by the governing boards of the Claiborne Cultural Innovation
District and the Claiborne Merchants & Business Association.
(5)One member appointed by the governing board of the Historic Faubourg Treme Assoc.
(6)One member appointed by the governing board of French Quarter Citizens, Inc.
(7)One member appointed by the governing board of the Congo Square Preservation Society. (8)One member appointed by the governing board of the New Orleans Black Masking Indian
Cooperative.
(9)One member appointed by the governing board of the Kumbuka African Drum and Dance
Collective.
(10)One member appointed by the governing board of the New Orleans Culture Preservation
Committee.
(11)One member appointed by the governing board of Tamborine and Fan, Inc.
(12)One member appointed by the governing board of the New Orleans Musicians' Clinic and
Assistance Foundation.
(13)The member of the La. Senate whose district encompasses all or the greater portion of the
area of the district or his designee.
(14)The member of the La. House of Representatives whose district encompasses all or the
greater portion of the area of the district or his designee.
(15)The member of the U.S. House of Representatives whose district encompasses all or the
greater portion of the area of the district or his designee.
(16)The mayor of the city of New Orleans or his designee.
(17)The member of the governing authority of the city of New Orleans whose district
encompasses all or the greater portion of the area of the district or his designee.
Present law requires board members to be residents of Orleans Parish. Provides that board members
serve three-year terms. Proposed law retains present law but provides that terms are staggered.
Further provides that the terms of the members of the board in office on the effective date of
proposed law shall terminate on that date.
Present law grants the district the power to cooperate with and to engage in cooperative endeavors
with other persons and entities as provided by the state constitution (Art. 7, Sec. 21(H)).
Additionally grants the district the power to seek the issuance of revenue bonds through appropriate
public entities. Provides that provisions of present law shall not be interpreted so as to grant the
district any powers with regard to land use, zoning, or taxation.
Proposed law repeals present law and grants the district all powers of a political subdivision for the
purpose of funding the district and carrying out its objects and purposes, including but not limited
to the following:
(1)To incur debt. (2)To sue and be sued.
(3)To adopt, use, and alter at will a corporate seal.
(4)To adopt bylaws and rules and regulations.
(5)To receive by gift, grant, donation, or otherwise any sum of money, property, aid, or
assistance from the U.S., the state of La., or any political subdivision thereof, or any person,
firm, or corporation.
(6)To enter into contracts, agreements, or cooperative endeavors with the state and its political
subdivisions or political corporations and with any public or private association, corporation,
business entity, or individual.
Present law grants certain powers to the board in order to provide for the growth and development
of the district, including but not limited to the following:
(1)To seek the designation of the park as a national park in any way it deems appropriate,
including communication and cooperation with any state or federal authority or commission.
(2)To make recommendations concerning natural and environmental factors; trends of
industrial, population, or other developments; the habits and lifestyles of the people of the
district; the relation of land use within the district as it relates to the city as a whole; and
areas for the concentration of wholesale, retail, business, and other commercial uses.
(3)To make recommendations concerning the need for and the proposed general location of
public and private works and facilities, including but not limited to pollution control
facilities.
(4)To make or assist in studies and investigations of the resources of the district and the existing
and emerging problems of industry, commerce, transportation, population, housing, and
public service affecting the redevelopment of the district.
(5)To prepare and from time to time revise inventory listings of the district's resources and of
the major public and private works and facilities of all kinds which are deemed necessary to
the redevelopment of the district.
(6)To cooperate and confer with and upon request supply information to federal agencies and
to local and regional agencies created pursuant to a federal program or which receive federal
support and to cooperate and confer with economic development authorities in and outside
of the state.
Proposed law retains present law.
(Adds R.S. 25:850.21; Repeals R.S. 33:2740.26)