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 350 Original 2025 Regular Session Brass
Abstract: Provides for appointments and eligibility for commissioners of drainage districts and
restricts the authority for the appointment of commissioners to parish governing authorities.
Provides for the removal and reorganization processes of commissioners.
Present law provides that drainage district commissioners or their spouses must own real estate
within the district valued at $500 or must be the representative of a corporation, who may be an
officer designated to represent the corporation by its board of directors, within the district that owns
land in the district valued at $500.
Proposed law modifies present law by eliminating the provision that the spouse of the commissioner
may own real estate within the district to meet the eligibility and it adds limited liability corporations
in addition to corporations that the commissioner may represent.
Present law provides that a drainage district commissioner is not required to be a resident of the
district and may hold another office without violating dual office holder laws.
Proposed law retains the provisions of present law for dual office holders but further allows a
drainage district commissioner to serve as commissioner in more than one drainage district without
violating dual office holder laws.
Present law provides that, in the ordinance creating a drainage district, police juries must appoint five
commissioners who meet the qualifications of present law with exceptions for Lafourche Parish
Drainage District No. 1 and Wax Lake East Drainage District in which the police jury must appoint
seven commissioners.
Proposed law retains the provisions of present law with respect to the exceptions but changes the
requirement for the creation of drainage districts and appointments of commissioners from the police
jury to the parish governing authority.
Present law provides that a police jury must appoint commissioners upon the recommendation of the
majority of landowners in a proposed district.
Proposed law provides that a parish governing authority must appoint the initial five commissioners
that meet qualification of present law by a majority vote at a properly noticed meeting with the
presence of a quorum. Present law provides that a police jury creating a drainage district must appoint one commissioner
annually after the creation and the commissioner appointed must serve a term of five years or until
his successor is appointed and qualified.
Proposed law retains provision of present law but changes the responsibility for appointing
commissioners from the police jury to the parish governing authority.
Present law provides that the secretary of the board of commissioners notify the police jury of the
expiration of a commissioner's term.
Proposed law provides that the secretary of the board of commissioners notify the parish governing
authority of the expiration of a commissioner's term.
Proposed law provides that the term of commissioners appointed before proposed law takes effect
must remain unaffected.
Proposed law removes the requirement that the recommendation of landowners for appointment of
commissioners be written and signed by the landowners.
(Amends R.S. 38:1607(A)(2), 1608(A) and (C), 1609, 1758, and 1759(A); Repeals R.S. 38:1608(D))