ENROLLED
ACT No. 237
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 799
BY REPRESENTATIVE ST. BLANC
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact the heading of Chapter 23 of Title 25 of the Revised Statutes of 1950
3 and R.S. 25:1011, 1012, 1013(A)(3) and (5) and (B), and 1014 and R.S. 36:4(B)(36),
4 to enact R.S. 42:17(E) and R.S. 44:4.1(B)(40), and to repeal R.S. 25:1016, relative
5 to the Louisiana Governor's Mansion Advisory Commission; to provide for the
6 jurisdictional area of the commission; to provide for membership; to provide for the
7 term of membership for certain members; to provide for the powers, duties, and
8 responsibilities of the commission; to provide for exceptions to the Public Records
9 Law and Open Meetings Law; to provide for an effective date; and to provide for
10 related matters.
11 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
12 Section 1. The heading of Chapter 23 of Title 25 of the Revised Statutes of 1950 and
13 R.S. 25:1011, 1012, 1013(A)(3) and (5) and (B), and 1014 are hereby amended and
14 reenacted to read as follows:
15 CHAPTER 23. LOUISIANA GOVERNOR'S MANSION ADVISORY COMMISSION
16 §1011. Establishment; purpose
17 The Louisiana Governor's Mansion Advisory Commission, hereafter in this
18 Chapter referred to as the commission, is hereby created and established as an
19 agency in the office of the governor, for purposes of providing recommendations on
20 the protection and enhancement of the governor's mansion, its contents, furnishings,
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1 and grounds. The purpose of the commission is to ensure a continuum in the
2 appearance, the preservation of contents, furnishings, and surrounding areas of the
3 governor's mansion consistent with the historical significance and importance of the
4 governor's mansion.
5 §1012. Jurisdictional area
6 The commission shall have jurisdiction over the public as well as private
7 areas of the governor's mansion and grounds. Public areas shall consist of the first
8 floor, the stairwell in the rotunda, the state wing of the second floor, and all grounds
9 in front and on each side of the mansion. The private areas of the governor's
10 mansion and grounds shall be all other areas within the mansion and grounds not
11 specifically described as a public area in this Section.
12 §1013. Membership; appointment; terms; officers; compensation
13 A. The commission shall be composed as follows:
14 * * *
15 (3) The chief of staff of the governor's spouse or, if the governor has no
16 spouse, the person employed at the governor's mansion in the position known as the
17 executive residence director.
18 * * *
19 (5) Three members appointed by the governor after consultation with staff
20 employed at the governor's mansion.
21 B.(1) The initial terms of the members appointed pursuant to Paragraphs
22 (A)(2), (4), and (5) of this Section shall be as determined by lot at the first meeting
23 of the commission as follows: one member shall serve an initial term of one year;
24 one member shall serve an initial term of two years; one member shall serve an
25 initial term of three years; one member shall serve an initial term of four years; and
26 one member shall serve an initial term of five years.
27 (2) After the initial term of office, the term of each of the members
28 appointed pursuant to Paragraphs (A)(2), (4), and (5) of this Section shall be five
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1 years. The members appointed pursuant to Paragraphs (A)(2), (4), and (5) shall
2 serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority.
3 * * *
4 §1014. Commission powers, duties, and responsibilities; approval of changes
5 required
6 A. No improvement, renovation, redecoration, or enhancement of the public
7 or private areas and grounds of the governor's mansion shall be made without the
8 prior approval of the commission. Commission approval shall be required prior to
9 any painting, renovation, non-appliance repair, redecoration, or significant
10 movement of or rearrangement of furniture, artwork, antique pieces, vases, or other
11 items in the public areas.
12 B. In addition, the The commission shall have the following powers, duties,
13 functions, and responsibilities:
14 (1) To make recommendations relative to improvements, renovation,
15 redecoration, or enhancement of the governor's mansion.
16 (2) To hold meetings as necessary, which shall be held at the governor's
17 mansion.
18 (3) To promote a greater understanding and awareness of the importance and
19 significance of the governor's mansion and enhance and maintain the appearance,
20 furnishings, and surroundings thereof so that it may serve as a symbol and actual
21 representation of the history and cultural heritage of the state.
22 (2) (4) To assist in research for and promote the publication of appropriate
23 materials concerning the governor's mansion and its contents and grounds and the
24 history and significance thereof, and to coordinate and guide any such activity by
25 other state and local agencies.
26 (3) (5)(a) To enter into loan agreements, subject to the approval of the
27 governor, for the loan of any item that is not owned by the state and that is to be
28 housed in the governor's mansion or located on its grounds and for the loan of any
29 item owned or controlled by another state agency which is to be housed in the
30 governor's mansion or located on its grounds.
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1 (b) Any item that is the subject of a loan agreement shall be included in the
2 property inventory of the governor's mansion as required by R.S. 39:324.
3 (c) Any item that is the subject of a loan agreement shall be covered by
4 adequate insurance through the office of risk management to insure repair or
5 replacement. The commission shall participate in the state's risk management
6 program and provide for such coverage through the program.
7 (4) (6) To create a program for annual audit, spot-check inventory, and
8 post-audit functions for the protection of all items contained in the inventory that are
9 owned by the state or on loan to the state and that are housed in the governor's
10 mansion or located on its grounds.
11 (7) To provide the office of risk management in the division of
12 administration with a property inventory for the assessment of adequate insurance
13 through the office of risk management to insure the repair or replacement of items
14 housed in the governor's mansion or located on its grounds, including items that are
15 not owned by the state.
16 (5) (8) To provide a procedure for receiving inventory items at the end of a
17 governor's term and for turning over the inventory items to the incoming governor's
18 spouse or designee.
19 (9) To assist and advise in the orderly transition from one governor to his
20 successor with respect to all matters within the jurisdiction of the commission.
21 (6) (10) To monitor public and private areas and grounds of the governor's
22 mansion to ensure proper maintenance and repair.
23 B.(1) Meetings of the commission shall be exempt from the provisions of
24 R.S. 42:11 et seq.
25 (2) Records of the commission shall be exempt from the provisions of R.S.
26 44:1 et seq.
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1 Section 2. R.S. 36:4(B)(36) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
2 §4. Structure of executive branch of state government
3 * * *
4 B. The office of the governor shall be in the executive branch of state
5 government. The governor may allocate within his office the powers, duties, funds,
6 functions, appropriations, responsibilities, and personnel of the agencies within his
7 office and provide for the administration thereof and for the organization of his
8 office. The following agencies and their powers, duties, functions, and
9 responsibilities are hereby transferred to the office of the governor:
10 * * *
11 (36) Louisiana Governor's Mansion Advisory Commission (R.S. 25:1011 et
12 seq.).
13 * * *
14 Section 3. R.S. 42:17(E) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
15 §17. Exceptions to open meetings
16 * * *
17 E. The provisions of this Chapter shall not apply to meetings of the
18 Louisiana Governor's Mansion Advisory Commission.
19 Section 4. R.S. 44:4.1(B)(40) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
20 §4.1. Exceptions
21 * * *
22 B. The legislature further recognizes that there exist exceptions, exemptions,
23 and limitations to the laws pertaining to public records throughout the revised
24 statutes and codes of this state. Therefore, the following exceptions, exemptions, and
25 limitations are hereby continued in effect by incorporation into this Chapter by
26 citation:
27 * * *
28 (40) R.S. 25:1014.
29 Section 5. R.S. 25:1016 is hereby repealed.
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1 Section 6. The Louisiana State Law Institute is hereby authorized and directed to
2 arrange in numerical order the provisions of R.S. 44:4.1(B) as amended by this Act.
3 Section 7. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
4 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
5 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
6 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
7 effective on the day following such approval.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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