HLS 23RS-413 ORIGINAL
2023 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 482
BY REPRESENTATIVE ECHOLS
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
HIGHWAYS: Provides relative to a Louisiana Music Trail
1 AN ACT
2To enact Chapter 15 of Title 56 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, to be comprised
3 of R.S. 56:3011 through 3019, relative to the Louisiana Music Trail; to create the
4 Louisiana Music Trail; to establish the objective and purposes of the Louisiana
5 Music Trail; to develop tourism programs based on projects that focus on
6 highlighting music stories and related dynamics on the designated highways; to
7 provide for the membership of the board of commissioners and its powers, duties,
8 and functions; to require a biennial report that addresses goals, economic
9 development opportunities, and qualified expenses; to provide for signage reflecting
10 each designated music highway; and to provide for related matters.
11Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
12 Section 1. Chapter 15 of Title 56 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950,
13comprised of R.S. 56:3011 through 3019, is hereby enacted to read as follows
14 CHAPTER 15. LOUISIANA MUSIC TRAIL
15 §3011. Louisiana Music Trail; purpose
16 The purpose of the Louisiana Music Trail is to promote awareness and
17 encourage the enjoyment of the stories, biographies, and points of interest in blues,
18 rock and roll, country, zydeco, and gospel throughout Louisiana.
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1 §3012. Louisiana Music Trail program; objectives
2 A. The Louisiana Music Trail Commission shall establish and administer the
3 Louisiana Music Trail program to create the following programs:
4 (1) A tourism program based on music projects that focus on highlighting
5 music stories and related dynamics on the designated music highways.
6 (2) A signage program that captures the stories, biographies, and points of
7 interest in blues, rock and roll, jazz, rockabilly, soul, hip hop, opera, country, zydeco,
8 and gospel music throughout the region of Louisiana.
9 B. The office of cultural development and the byways and trails assistant
10 secretary shall provide assistance to the commission in establishing and
11 administering the program.
12 §3013. Louisiana Music Trail Commission; creation; membership
13 A. There is hereby created the Louisiana Music Trail Commission within the
14 office of cultural development.
15 B. The commission shall be composed of seven members as follows:
16 (1) The assistant secretary of the office of cultural development or his
17 designee.
18 (2) The director of byways and trails, office of tourism or his designee.
19 (3) The governor shall appoint five members as follows:
20 (a) One member from each region containing a designated music highway.
21 (i) The region for each designated music highway shall be composed of the
22 parishes through which the designated music highway runs.
23 (ii) The members appointed per region shall have a background in music.
24 (b) Three members with a background in art, history, or tourism appointed
25 from the regions.
26 C.(1) The term of office of the initial members of the commission appointed
27 shall be determined as follows:
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1 (a) Each member shall be elected for terms of six years at the time fixed for
2 congressional elections from single member parishes established by law. The
3 commission annually shall elect one member as chairman.
4 (b) A person who has served as a member of the commission for more than
5 two- and one-half terms in three consecutive terms is prohibited from being elected
6 to the commission for the succeeding term. This Subparagraph shall not apply to any
7 person elected to the commission prior to the effective date of this Chapter, except
8 that it shall apply to any term of service of any such person that begins after such
9 date.
10 (2)(a) All successor members, other than those appointed to fill unexpired
11 terms, shall serve two-year terms.
12 (b) Any vacancy on the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the
13 original appointment and shall be for the remainder of the term.
14 (3) Members of the commission shall serve without compensation for their
15 service but may receive expense reimbursement.
16 D. The office of cultural development shall provide a meeting space and
17 staffing for the commission.
18 §3014. Highway designations
19 Electronic designated music highway signage shall be permanently installed
20 in a space visible from public roadways and walkways and shall be located within
21 two miles of a designated music highway without the payment of a required fee.
22 §3015. Definitions
23 (1) "Designated music highway" shall mean each of the following:
24 (a) Jazz 'n' Blues United States Highway 425 South.
25 (b) Cajun 'n' Zydeco United States Highways 65 South.
26 (2) "Person" shall mean an individual, trust, estate, fiduciary, partnership,
27 limited liability company, limited liability partnership, corporation, or any other legal
28 entity.
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1 (3) "Qualified expenses" shall mean the costs and expenses incurred by a
2 person to create and install a music project.
3 (a) "Qualified expenses" includes without limitation the cost of supplies
4 necessary to create and install an art project and the cost of an artist's labor in
5 creating the music project.
6 (b) "Qualified expenses" shall not include costs or expenses related to
7 building a structure that is not used exclusively to support or display an art project.
8 §3016. Meetings
9 A. The Louisiana Music Trail Commission shall meet as often as necessary
10 to perform its duties under this Chapter.
11 B.(1) The commission shall meet at least quarterly.
12 (2)(a) The president of the commission shall call the first meeting of the
13 commission.
14 (b) The commission shall select a chairman at its first meeting.
15 (3) The chairman shall serve for the period of time determined by the
16 commission.
17 (4)(a) A quorum for each meeting of the commission shall be four members.
18 (b) A majority vote of the members present is required for the commission
19 to take action.
20 §3017. Powers and duties
21 A. The Louisiana Music Trail Commission shall have the following duties
22 and responsibilities:
23 (1) To develop, implement, and administer a tourism program based on
24 music projects that focus on highlighting music stories and related dynamics on
25 designated music highways.
26 (2) To create a signage program that captures the stories, biographies, and
27 points of interest in blues, rock and roll, jazz, rockabilly, soul, hip hop, opera,
28 country, zydeco, and gospel music throughout the Louisiana Music Trail.
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1 (3) To maintain information about federal and state grant opportunities to
2 encourage cities and parishes to develop exhibits related to the musical heritage of
3 the city.
4 (4) To adopt rules necessary to implement the Louisiana Music Trail
5 program created under this Chapter, including rules that provides for the following:
6 (a) The procedure to apply for approval of qualified expenses.
7 (b) The criteria to be used by the commission when determining whether to
8 approve qualified expenses and issue a certificate of completion for an music project.
9 B. The commission may accept, receive, and use grants, monies, equipment,
10 material, services, and immovable and movable property donated, bequeathed, or
11 devised for any purpose relating to the activities of the commission and not expressly
12 designated for any other agency.
13 §3018. Biennial report
14 A. The Louisiana Music Trail Commission shall submit a report by
15 December thirty-first of each even-numbered year to the following:
16 (1) The governor.
17 (2) The chairman of the Senate Committee on Revenue and Fiscal Affairs.
18 (3) The chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means.
19 B. The report required by this Section shall include the following:
20 (1) The commission's goals for increasing the number of music projects and
21 signage over the next biennium.
22 (2) The economic development opportunities the commission will focus on
23 over the next biennium.
24 (3) The qualified expenses approved under this Chapter during the biennium
25 for which the report is being made, including the following:
26 (a) The name of the person who applied for approval of qualified expenses
27 for an music project.
28 (b) A description of the music project for which the qualified expenses were
29 approved.
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1 (c) The location of the music project for which the qualified expenses were
2 approved.
3 §3019. Highway signage
4 A. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development shall erect
5 appropriate signage along each of the designated music highways, including a sign
6 at or near each of the designated music highways.
7 B. If the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development does not
8 have the funds available to erect the signage required under this Chapter, it may
9 accept and use gifts, grants, and donations received from private, public, and
10 nonprofit sources.
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 482 Original 2023 Regular Session Echols
Abstract: Creates the Louisiana Music Trial and provides for a commission to administer
the program.
Proposed law designates U.S. Highway 425 South as the Jazz 'n' Blues Hwy. Designates
U.S. Highway 65 South as the Cajun 'n' Zydeco Hwy.
Proposed law establishes the purpose of the La. Music Trail which is to promote awareness
and encourage the enjoyment of the stories, biographies, and points of interest in the blues,
rock and roll, country, zydeco, and gospel throughout Louisiana.
Proposed law establishes the objective of the La. Music Trail which is to establish and
administer a tourism program based on music projects focusing on highlighting music stories
and related dynamics on designated music highways.
Proposed law provides for the office of cultural development and the byways and trails
assistant secretary to provide assistance to the commission in establishing and administering
the music trail.
Proposed law creates the La. Music Trail Commission and specifies that it is composed of
seven members and appoints authority to be vested in the director of the commission.
Specifies the governor will appoint five members.
Present law specifies the term of office of the initial members of the commission and
specifies that each member will be elected for terms of six years at a time for elections from
single member parishes. Specifies that a person who has served as a member of the
commission for more than two- and one-half terms is prohibited from being elected to the
commission for the succeeding term.
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Proposed law authorizes the president of the commission to call the first meeting of the
commission in which the commission will select a chairman.
Proposed law establishes the powers and duties and the criteria to be used by the commission
when approving expenses.
Proposed law requires a biennial report to be submitted by Dec. 31st of each even- numbered
year to the governor, the chairman of the Senate Committee on revenue and fiscal affairs,
and to the chairman of the House Committee on ways and means.
Proposed law authorizes the electronic music installation signage be permanently installed
in a space visible from public roadways and walkways within two miles of a designated
music highway without the payment of a required fee.
Proposed law adds the creation of a signage program to reflect biographies, stories, and
music types throughout La. Requires that the La. Dept. of Transportation and Development
erect appropriate signage along each of the designated music highways, including a sign at
or near each of the music projects.
Proposed law allows Dept. of Transportation and Development to accept and use gifts,
grants, and donations to erect the signage.
(Adds R.S. 56:3011-3019)
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