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2025 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 107
BY REPRESENTATIVE BRYANT
DISTRICTS/ECONOMIC DEVEL: Creates an economic development district in the city
of St. Martinville
1 AN ACT
2To enact R.S. 33:2740.70.9, relative to the city of St. Martinville; to provide for the creation
3 of an economic development district within the city; to provide for the purpose,
4 boundaries, governance, and powers and duties of the district; to provide for district
5 funding; to provide for an effective date; and to provide for related matters.
6 Notice of intention to introduce this Act has been published
7 as provided by Article III, Section 13 of the Constitution of
8 Louisiana.
9Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
10 Section 1. R.S. 33:2740.70.9 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 ยง2740.70.9. Greater St. Martinville Economic Development District
12 A. There is hereby created within the city of St. Martinville, as more
13 specifically provided in Subsection B of this Section, a body politic and corporate
14 which shall be known as the Greater St. Martinville Economic Development District,
15 referred to in this Section as the "district". The district shall be a political
16 subdivision of the state as defined in the Constitution of Louisiana.
17 B.(1) The boundaries of the district shall encompass the following area:
18 south from the city limits on Main Street to the north city limits on Main Street. The
19 district shall also include any area annexed to Main Street.
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1 (2) In addition to the area provided for in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection,
2 the district shall include the following areas:
3 (a) The neighborhood of Ledoux and the Adam Carlson Park also known as
4 Southside Park.
5 (b) The historic city square, including Evangeline Boulevard, Catfish Alley,
6 and South New Market Street.
7 (c) East Bridge Street beginning at Main Street continuing east across Bayou
8 Teche to the city limits.
9 (d) Port Street beginning at Main Street continuing northwest to Terrace
10 Highway to the city limits.
11 C. The district is created to provide for cooperative economic and
12 community development among the district, the city, the state, and the owners of
13 property in the district, to enhance the development of and improvement to the
14 property within the area of the district, to provide for cultural enrichment and
15 preservation, to develop stable and more extensive employment opportunities, to
16 improve infrastructure, and to promote the overall welfare of the citizens of the
17 district.
18 D.(1) In order to provide for the orderly development of the district and
19 effect the purposes of the district, the district shall be administered and governed by
20 a board of commissioners, referred to in this Section as the "board", composed of
21 seven voting members and one nonvoting member as follows:
22 (a) The governing board of the St. Martin Economic Development Authority
23 shall appoint one member who is member of authority.
24 (b) The governing board of the St. Martinville Historic District Commission
25 shall appoint one member who is a member of the commission and a resident of the
26 city of St. Martinville.
27 (c) The member of the Louisiana House of Representatives whose district
28 encompasses all or the greater portion of the area of the district shall appoint one
29 member.
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1 (d) The member of the Louisiana Senate whose district encompasses all or
2 the greater portion of the area of the district shall appoint one member.
3 (e) The members of the governing authority of the parish of St. Martin who
4 represent District Nos. 2 and 3 shall jointly appoint one member who is a resident of
5 the city of St. Martinville.
6 (f) The mayor of the city of St. Martinville shall appoint two members who
7 are residents of the city of St. Martinville. One member shall reside north of Port
8 Street and one member shall reside south of Port Street.
9 (g) The mayor shall be a nonvoting member of the board.
10 (2) Appointed board members shall serve three-year terms after initial terms
11 as provided in this Paragraph. Three members shall serve an initial term of three
12 years; two shall serve an initial term of two years; and two shall serve an initial term
13 of one year, as determined by lot at the first meeting of the board.
14 (3) Any vacancy which occurs prior to the expiration of the term for which
15 a member of the board has been appointed shall be filled for the remainder of the
16 unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment.
17 (4) The board shall elect from its members a president, a vice president, a
18 secretary, a treasurer, and such other officers as it may deem necessary. The duties
19 of the officers shall be fixed by the bylaws adopted by the board.
20 (5) The minute books and archives of the district shall be maintained by the
21 secretary of the board. The monies, funds, and accounts of the district shall be in the
22 official custody of the board.
23 (6) The board shall adopt such rules and regulations as it deems necessary
24 or advisable for conducting its business affairs. It shall hold regular meetings as
25 shall be provided for in the bylaws and may hold special meetings at such times and
26 places within the district as may be prescribed in the bylaws.
27 (7) A majority of the voting members of the board shall constitute a quorum
28 for the transaction of business. The board shall keep minutes of all meetings and
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1 shall make them available through the secretary of the board to residents of the
2 district.
3 (8) The members of the board shall serve without compensation; however,
4 they may be reimbursed for expenses incurred while attending to the business of the
5 board or the district.
6 E. The district, acting by and through its board, shall have and exercise all
7 powers of a political subdivision necessary or convenient for carrying out its objects
8 and purposes, including but not limited to the following:
9 (1) To sue and to be sued.
10 (2) To adopt, use, and alter at will a corporate seal.
11 (3) To adopt bylaws and rules and regulations.
12 (4) To receive by gift, grant, or donation any sum of money, property, aid,
13 or assistance from the United States, the state of Louisiana, or any political
14 subdivision thereof, or any person, firm, or corporation.
15 (5) To enter into contracts, agreements, or cooperative endeavors with the
16 state and its political subdivisions or political corporations and with any public or
17 private association, corporation, business entity, or individual.
18 (6) To appoint officers, agents, and employees; prescribe their duties; and
19 fix their compensation.
20 (7) To acquire by purchase, gift, grant, donation, lease, or otherwise property
21 as may be necessary or desirable for carrying out the objectives and purposes of the
22 board.
23 (8) To fund and host festivals, parades, and other arts and cultural activities.
24 (9) To perform any other necessary and ancillary acts to effectuate its
25 functions, to perform its duties, or to give effect to its powers in accordance with this
26 Section.
27 F.(1) In addition to the authority provided to the district by this Section, the
28 district may levy and collect a sales and use tax within the boundaries of the district
29 not to exceed one percent.
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1 (2) The tax shall be imposed by resolution of the board and shall be levied
2 upon the sale at retail, the use, the lease or rental, the consumption, the distribution,
3 and the storage for use or consumption of tangible personal property or digital
4 products and upon the sales of services within the boundaries of the district, all as
5 defined in R.S. 47:301 et seq. However, the resolution imposing the tax shall be
6 adopted only after the proposition authorizing the levy of the tax is approved by a
7 majority of the qualified electors of the district voting on the proposition at an
8 election held for that purpose and conducted in accordance with the Louisiana
9 Election Code. The purpose and rate of the tax shall be as provided in the resolution.
10 (3) Except where inapplicable, the procedure established by R.S. 47:301 et
11 seq. shall be followed in the imposition, collection, and enforcement of the tax, and
12 procedural details necessary to supplement those Sections and to make them
13 applicable to the tax authorized in this Subsection shall be fixed in the resolution
14 imposing the tax.
15 (4) The tax shall be imposed and collected uniformly throughout the
16 jurisdiction of the district.
17 (5) The tax levied pursuant to this Subsection shall be in addition to all other
18 taxes other political subdivisions within the jurisdiction of the district are authorized
19 to levy and collect.
20 (6) Any monies received by the district shall be used exclusively for the
21 benefit of the district.
22 G.(1)(a) In addition to any authority provided to the district by this Section,
23 the district shall have the authority provided to an economic development district by
24 Part II of Chapter 27 of this Title to implement tax increment financing and may
25 issue revenue bonds payable from an irrevocable pledge and dedication of up to the
26 full amount of tax increments available to an economic development district as
27 provided in this Section and in such Part to be derived from any project or projects
28 of the district as provided for in this Section, or parts of the projects, in an amount
29 to be determined as provided for in this Section, in order to finance or refinance any
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1 project or projects, or parts thereof, which are consistent with the purposes of the
2 district.
3 (b) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any portion of the
4 tax of any local governmental subdivision or other tax recipient body may only be
5 used as a tax increment for tax increment finance purposes with the consent of the
6 local governmental subdivision or other tax recipient body expressed by ordinance
7 or resolution and upon approval of a majority of the qualified electors voting at an
8 election held for that purpose and conducted in accordance with the Louisiana
9 Election Code.
10 (2) For purposes of the tax increment financing authority derived from Part
11 II of Chapter 27 of this Title which is conferred upon the district by this Section, and
12 only for purposes of this Section, "local governmental subdivision" as defined in
13 such Part shall include the parish of St. Martin and all political subdivisions within
14 the parish.
15 (3) For purposes of this Section, a tax increment shall consist of that portion
16 of any tax levied within the district by a local governmental subdivision or other tax
17 recipient body determined and pledged in the manner provided for in Part II of
18 Chapter 27 of this Title. However, if the proceeds of the tax have been expressly
19 dedicated to another purpose set forth in a proposition approved by the electorate of
20 the local governmental subdivision or other tax recipient body, then the tax proceeds
21 may not be used as a tax increment until a proposition which authorizes the use is
22 submitted to and approved by the electorate.
23 H. The district shall dissolve and cease to exist one year after the date that
24 all bonds, notes, and other evidences of indebtedness of the district, including
25 refunding bonds, are paid in full as to both principal and interest.
26 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
27signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
28by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
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1vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
2effective on the day following such approval.
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 107 Original 2025 Regular Session Bryant
Abstract: Creates the Greater St. Martinville Economic Development District in the city
of St. Martinville.
Proposed law creates the Greater St. Martinville Economic Development District as a
political subdivision in the city of St. Martinville to provide for cooperative economic and
community development among the district, the city, the state, and the owners of property
in the district. Provides for district boundaries.
Proposed law provides that the district is governed by a board of commissioners composed
of seven voting members and one nonvoting member as follows:
(1)One member appointed by the governing board of the St. Martin Economic
Development Authority who is member of authority.
(2)One member appointed by the governing board of the St. Martinville Historic
District Commission who is a member of the commission and a resident of the city
of St. Martinville.
(3)One member appointed by the member of the La. House of Representatives whose
district encompasses all or the greater portion of the area of the district.
(4)One member appointed by the member of the La. Senate whose district encompasses
all or the greater portion of the area of the district.
(5)One member appointed jointly by the members of the governing authority of St.
Martin Parish who represent District Nos. 2 and 3. The member shall be a resident
of the city of St. Martinville.
(6)Two members appointed by the mayor of the city of St. Martinville who are residents
of the city. One member shall reside north of Port Street and one member shall
reside south of Port Street.
(7)The mayor shall be a nonvoting member of the board.
Proposed law provides that members serve three-year staggered terms.
Proposed law provides for the powers and duties of the district, including but not limited to
the following:
(1)To sue and to be sued.
(2)To adopt, use, and alter at will a corporate seal.
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(3)To receive by gift, grant, or donation any sum of money, property, aid, or assistance
from the U.S., the state, or any political subdivision thereof, or any person, firm, or
corporation.
(4)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.
(5)To appoint officers, agents, and employees; prescribe their duties; and fix their
compensation.
(6)To fund and host festivals, parades, and other arts and cultural activities.
Proposed law authorizes the district to levy and collect a sales and use tax, subject to voter
approval, not to exceed 1%.
Proposed law specifically empowers the district to issue revenue bonds payable from an
irrevocable pledge and dedication of up to the full amount of "tax increments" available to
an economic development district as provided in proposed law and present law (Part II of
Chapter 27 of Title 33) which is derived from any project or projects of the district.
Prohibits the use of tax increments without the consent of the particular local governmental
subdivision or tax recipient body and without the approval of a majority of the qualified
electors voting in an election conducted in accordance with the general election laws.
Proposed law specifies that a "tax increment" consists of that portion of any tax levied within
the district by a local governmental subdivision or other tax recipient body determined and
pledged in the manner provided for in present law (Part II of Chapter 27 of Title 33).
Provides that if the proceeds of any tax have been expressly dedicated to another purpose
set forth in a proposition approved by the electorate of the local governmental subdivision
or other tax recipient body, then the tax proceeds shall not be used as a tax increment until
a proposition which authorizes such use is submitted to and approved by the electorate.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 33:2740.70.9)
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