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2025 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 651
BY REPRESENTATIVE YOUNG
DISTRICTS/AIRPORT: Creates Claiborne Parish Airport District No. 31
1 AN ACT
2To enact Subpart D of Part IV of Chapter 2 of Title 2 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of
3 1950, to be comprised of R.S. 2:350.1 through 350.6, relative to the creation of the
4 Claiborne Parish Airport District No. 31; to create the Claiborne Parish Airport
5 District No. 31; to provide for powers and duties of the district; to provide for the
6 governance of the board of commissioners; to provide specific authority to the board
7 upon an approval date by the Federal Aviation Administration; to provide for local
8 government compliance; to provide for an effective date; and to provide for related
9 matters.
10 Notice of intention to introduce this Act has been published
11 as provided by Article III, Section 13 of the Constitution of
12 Louisiana.
13Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
14 Section 1. Subpart D of Part IV of Chapter 2 of Title 2 of the Louisiana Revised
15Statutes of 1950, comprised of R.S. 2:350.1 through 350.6, is hereby enacted to read as
16follows:
17 SUBPART D. PARISH AIRPORT DISTRICTS
18 §350.1. Claiborne Parish Airport District No. 31
19 There is hereby created the "Claiborne Parish Airport District No. 31",
20 hereinafter referred to in this Subpart as the "district". The district shall be a political
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1 subdivision of the state within the meaning of Article VI, Section 30 through 33 of
2 the Constitution of Louisiana and those provisions of the Louisiana Revised Statutes
3 of 1950 applicable to airport districts and the levy of taxes, the incurring of debt, and
4 the issuing of bonds by those districts.
5 §350.2. Domicile
6 The domicile of the district shall be in Claiborne Parish. The domicile,
7 provided there is appropriate action of the board of commissioners, may be at any
8 place located within the boundaries of the district, or may be the seat of any political
9 subdivision a portion of which is included within the boundaries of the district.
10 §350.3. Board of commissioners
11 A. The district shall be governed by a board of commissioners, referred to
12 in this Subpart as the "board".
13 B.(1) The board shall be composed of five members, all of whom shall
14 control and manage the affairs of the district. The members of the board shall be
15 appointed as follows:
16 (a) Two members shall be appointed by the state representative from House
17 District No. 11.
18 (b) One member shall be appointed by the state senator from Senate District
19 No. 33.
20 (c) One member shall be appointed by the mayor of Homer, or his designee.
21 (d) One member shall be appointed by the Claiborne Parish Police Jury.
22 (2) The commissioners shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority.
23 (3) Commissioners may receive per diem of seventy-five dollars for each
24 meeting attended, not to exceed twenty-four meetings in one calender year, as funds
25 are appropriated by the governing authority of Claiborne Parish or as otherwise made
26 available for such purpose.
27 §350.4. Powers of the board
28 A.(1) The district is a public corporation and has all powers of public
29 corporations including the right and power to incur debt and contract obligations, to
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1 sue and be sued, to have a corporate seal, and to perform in its corporate capacity and
2 in its corporate name all acts necessary and proper for the purpose of acquiring,
3 constructing, maintaining, and operating airport and airport facilities, including both
4 movable and immovable property within its jurisdiction.
5 (2)(a) The district shall have all the authority as provided in R.S. 2:326 et
6 seq., and upon the "approval date" the board shall acquire the following powers:
7 (i) Accessibility to the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) approval
8 of the assignment of existing grant agreements to the district, or, in the case of an
9 uncertified report, the date specified in the agreement under which the airport is to
10 be transferred to the district.
11 (ii) Enter into contracts and agreements necessary or incidental to the
12 performance of its duties and execution of its powers under this Subpart with a
13 department or agency of the United States, with a state or local governmental
14 agency, or with another person, public or private, with terms and conditions
15 acceptable to the district.
16 (iii) Exercise exclusive responsibility to study and plan any improvements,
17 expansion, or enhancements that affect the airport and commission planning,
18 engineering, economic, and other studies to provide information for making
19 decisions about the location, design, management, and other features of the airport
20 or airport facilities.
21 (iv) Exercise responsibility for developing all aspects of the airport and
22 airport facilities, including but not limited to all the locations of terminals, hangars,
23 aids to air navigation, parking lots and structures, cargo facilities, and all other
24 facilities and services necessary to serve passengers and other customers of the
25 airport.
26 (v) Obtain street and highway access and egress with the objective of
27 minimizing, to the extent practicable, traffic congestion on access routes in the
28 vicinity of the airport.
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1 (vi) Participate in demonstration programs and economic development that
2 directly benefits the airport.
3 (vii) Act as a sponsor and submit requests for, accept, and be responsible to
4 perform all of the assurance associated with accepting grants from the FAA, or
5 another agency of the United States or of this state, with respect to the airport under
6 the operational jurisdiction of the district, and perform the duties and responsibilities
7 previously assumed by the local government by virtue of its acceptance of grants
8 from the FAA or another agency of the United States or this state. The district shall
9 serve as the agent of the local government for the preparation, submission, execution,
10 and administration of any state or federal grants pending the effective date of this
11 Subpart.
12 (b) For purposes of this Subsection, "approval date" shall mean the date on
13 which the FAA issues a certificate to the district, conferring operational jurisdiction
14 over the airport under 14 CFR Part 139.
15 B. The district shall have the additional power to do the following:
16 (1) Acquire, and assume the exclusive right, responsibility, and authority to
17 occupy, operate, control, and use the airport and the airport facilities owned by the
18 local government on that date, or under the jurisdiction of the Claiborne Parish
19 Airport Authority, subject only to any restrictions imposed by this Subpart.
20 (2) Exclusive rights and authority to occupy, operate, control, and use the
21 airport facilities.
22 (3) Acquire the operational jurisdiction over all real property of the airport
23 under its jurisdiction, including but not limited to terminals, runways, taxiways,
24 aprons, hangars, aids to air navigation, vehicles or facilities, parking facilities for
25 passengers and employees, and all buildings and facilities used to operate, maintain,
26 and manage the airport, including governmental, industrial, commercial, and
27 agricultural within the geographical area of the airports property, subject to any liens
28 on the real property and restrictions and limitations on the use of the real property.
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1 (4) Assume the local government's right, title, and interest in, and to all of
2 the local government's responsibilities arising under leases, concessions, and other
3 contracts for the airport facilities.
4 (5) Assume all financial obligations secured by revenues and fees generated
5 from the operations of the airport, including but not limited to airport revenue bonds,
6 special facilities revenue bonds, and all bonded indebtedness associated with the
7 airport.
8 (6) Assume ownership of all cash balances and investments relating to or
9 resulting from operations of the airport for which operational jurisdiction has been
10 transferred to the district, all money held under an ordinance, resolution, or indenture
11 related to or securing obligations of the local government that have been assumed by
12 the district, all of the accounts receivable or actions arising from operations of the
13 airport, and all benefits of contracts and agreements.
14 (7) Assume ownership of all vehicles, office equipment, furniture and
15 furnishings, and movable assets, including but not limited to computers, records and
16 files, software licenses required for financial management, personnel management,
17 accounting and inventory systems, and general administration.
18 §350.5. Audit
19 The district shall submit an annual financial report disclosing all receipts and
20 disbursements to the Claiborne Parish Police Jury within one hundred twenty days
21 following the end of each calender year.
22 §350.6. Local government compliance
23 The local government shall comply with all of the following:
24 (1) Refrain from any action that would impair the district's exercise of the
25 powers granted to the district under this Subpart or that could cause the district to
26 violate its rate or bond covenants.
27 (2) Refrain from any action to sell, transfer, or otherwise encumber or
28 dispose of airport facilities owned by the local government without the consent of
29 the district and, if necessary, the FAA.
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1 (3) Take all action reasonably necessary to cure any defects in title to airport
2 facilities transferred to the district.
3 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
4signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
5by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
6vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
7effective 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 651 Original 2025 Regular Session Young
Abstract: Creates Claiborne Parish Airport District No. 31.
Proposed law creates the Claiborne Parish Airport District No. 31.
Proposed law specifies that the domicile of the district is in Claiborne Parish. Further,
authorizes the board of commissioners to move the domicile to any place located within the
boundaries of the district, or may be the seat of any political subdivision a portion of which
is included within the boundaries of the district.
Proposed law specifies that the control and management of the district be vested in a board
of commissioners composed of five members as follows:
(1)Two members appointed by the state representative of House District No. 11.
(2)One member appointed by the state senator from Senate District No. 33.
(3)One member appointed by the mayor of Homer, or his designee.
(4)One member appointed by the Claiborne Parish Police Jury.
Proposed law specifies that the commissioners serve at the pleasure of the appointing
authority.
Proposed law allows commissioners to receive a per diem of $75 for each meeting, not to
exceed 24 meetings in one calender year, as funds are appropriated by the governing authority
of Claiborne Parish or as otherwise made available for such purpose.
Proposed law specifies that the district is a public corporation and has all powers of public
corporations including the right and power to incur debt and contract obligations, to sue and
be sued, to have a corporate seal, and to perform in its corporate capacity and in its corporate
name all acts necessary and proper for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, maintaining,
and operating airports and airport facilities, including both movable and immovable property
within its jurisdiction.
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Proposed law grants the district all authority as provided in present law and upon the
"approval date" which is defined as the date on which the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) issues a certificate to the district, conferring operational jurisdiction over the airport
under present law, the board will acquire the following powers:
(1) Accessibility to the FAA's approval of the assignment of existing grant agreements
to the district, in the case of an uncertified report, the date specified in the agreement
under which the airport is to be transferred to the district.
(2)Enter into contracts and agreements necessary or incidental to the performance of its
duties and execution of its powers under proposed law, with a department or agency
of the U.S., with a state or local governmental agency, or with another person, public
or private, with terms and conditions acceptable to the district.
(3)Exercise exclusive responsibility to study and plan any improvements, expansion, or
enhancements that affect the airport and commission planning, engineering,
economic, and other studies to provide information for making decisions about the
location, design, management, and other features of the airport or airport facilities.
(4)Exercise responsibility for developing all aspects of the airport and airport facilities,
including, but not limited to, all the locations of terminals, hangars, aids to air
navigation, parking lots and structures, cargo facilities, and all other facilities and
services necessary to serve passengers and other customers of the airport.
(5)Obtain street and highway access and egress with the objective of minimizing, to the
extent practicable, traffic congestion on access routes in the vicinity of the airport.
(6)Participate in demonstration programs and economic development that directly
benefits the district.
(7)Act as a sponsor and submit requests for, accept, and be responsible to perform all of
the assurance associated with accepting grants from the FAA, or another agency of
the U.S. or of this state, with respect to the airport under the operational jurisdiction
of the district, and perform the duties and responsibilities previously assumed by the
local government by virtue of its acceptance of grants from the FAA or another
agency of the U.S. or this state. Requires the district to serve as the agent of the local
government for the preparation, submission, execution, and administration of any
state or federal grants pending the effective date of proposed law.
Proposed law requires the district to submit an annual financial report disclosing all receipts
and disbursements to the Claiborne Parish Police Jury, within 120 days following the end of
each calendar year.
Proposed law specifies the district has the additional power to do the following:
(1)Acquire, and assume the exclusive right, responsibility, and authority to occupy,
operate, control, and use, the airports and the airport facilities owned by the local
government on that date, or under the jurisdiction of the Claiborne Parish Police Jury
subject only to any restrictions imposed by present law.
(2)Exclusive rights and authority to occupy, operate, control, and use the district
facilities.
(3)Acquire the operational jurisdiction over all real property of the district, including, but
not limited to, terminals, runways, taxiways, aprons, hangars, aids to air navigation,
vehicles or facilities, parking facilities for passengers and employees, and all
buildings and facilities used to operate, maintain, and manage the district, including
governmental, industrial, commercial and agricultural within the geographical area
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of the airports property, subject to any liens on the real property and restrictions and
limitations on the use of real property.
(4)Assume the local government's right, title, and interest in, and to all of the local
government's responsibilities arising under, leases, concessions, and other contracts
for the district facilities.
(5)Assume all financial obligations secured by revenues and fees generated from the
operations of the district, including, but not limited to, airport revenue bonds, special
facilities revenue bonds, and all bonded indebtedness associated with the airport.
(6)Assume ownership of all cash balances and investments relating to or resulting from
operations of the district for which operational jurisdiction has been transferred to the
district, all money held under an ordinance, resolution, or indenture related to or
securing obligations of the local government that have been assumed by the district,
all of the accounts receivable or actions arising from operations of the district, and all
benefits of contracts and agreements.
(7)Assume ownership of all vehicles, office equipment, furniture and furnishings, and
movable assets, including, but not limited to, computers, records and files, software
licenses required for financial management, personnel management, accounting and
inventory systems, and general administration.
Proposed law requires local government comply with all of the following:
(1)Refrain from any action that would impair the district's exercise of the powers granted
to the district under proposed law or that could cause the district to violate its rate or
bond covenants.
(2)Refrain from any action to sell, transfer, or otherwise encumber or dispose of airport
facilities owned by the local government without the consent of the district and, if
necessary, the FAA.
(3)Take all action reasonably necessary to cure any defects in title to airport facilities
transferred to the district.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 2:350.1- 350.6)
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