RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
SB 192 2024 Regular Session Barrow
Present law establishes the Empowering Families to Live Well Louisiana Council within the
Dept. of Children and Family Services.
Present law provides for the membership, duties, and functions of the council.
Proposed law would have changed the council's membership and meeting and reporting
requirements.
Present law establishes the Research Park Corporation as a public nonprofit corporation
authorized to create, develop, construct, operate, manage, and finance a research and
development park in cooperation with the Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University
and Agricultural and Mechanical College, the Board of Supervisors of Southern University
and Agricultural and Mechanical College, and the governing authority of the appropriate
municipality or parish.
Present law provides for the membership, duties, and functions of the corporation.
Proposed law would have changed the corporation's membership and terms.
Would have become effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for
gubernatorial action.
(Proposed to amend R.S. 17:3396.4(A)(intro para) and 3396.4(A)(4)-(6) and (B) and R.S.
51:1057(B)(24) and (30), (D)(4), and (H); proposed to add R.S. 17:3396.4(A)(7) and (8);
proposed to repeal R.S. 51:1057(B)(13) and (14), (17), (23), (25), and (29))
VETO MESSAGE:
"Please be advised that I have vetoed Senate Bill 192 of the 2024 Regular Session. Senate
Bill 192 amends two separate titles to provide for the membership of two distinct entities.
The bill amends R.S. 51:1057 to change the membership of the Empowering Families to
Live Well Louisiana Council and provisions within Title 17 to change the membership of the
board of directors for the Research Park Corporation.
This bill violates Louisiana Constitution art. III, §15 (A) which states: "Every bill, except the
general appropriation bill and bills for the enactment, rearrangement, codification, or revision
of a system of laws, shall be confined to one object." The Louisiana Supreme Court has
explained that this constitutional requirement aims to prevent legislators from having to
consider multiple unrelated matters when voting on a single bill. Doherty v. Calcasieu Par.
Sch. Bd., 93-3017 (La. 4/11/94), 634 So.2d 1172, 1175-76. According to the court, as long
as, "the parts of a statute are reasonably related and have a natural connection to the general
subject matter of the legislation, the statute is considered to have one object." Id. However,
a bill cannot contain incongruous and unrelated matters. Louisiana Federation of Teachers
v. State, 13-0120 (La. 5/7/13), 118 So.3d. 1033, 1071.
There is no reasonable relationship between the amendment of the membership of the
Empowering Families to Live Well Louisiana Council and the membership of the Board of
Directors for the Research Park Corporation. Even under the most liberal of tests, and with
deference to the legislature, I cannot reasonably justify or discern a natural connection
between these two subjects.
Additionally, this bill proposes adding a designee for Senate District 15 and House District
61 to the board of directors for the Research Park Corporation. The Corporation's mission
is to promote the development of high technology industries, foster research, and increase
employment opportunities across the State of Louisiana. While Senate Bill 192 aims to
include additional members from the Baton Rouge area, it is important to note that Baton
Rouge already has representation on the Corporation's board. Adding more members from
this region does not align with the Corporation's objective of serving the entire state
equitably. For Louisiana to thrive, we must collaborate as a unified team, ensuring
opportunities for all regions. One Team. One Dream. One Louisiana."