The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument, were prepared by Senate Legislative Services. The keyword,
summary, 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)]
DIGEST
SB 187 Original 2025 Regular Session Boudreaux
Proposed law provides for the creation of the St. Martin Parish Economic and Industrial
Development District.
Proposed law provides that the boundaries of the district shall be coterminous with the boundaries
St. Martin Parish.
Proposed law provides that the district is established for the primary purpose of stimulating industrial
and commercial development in St. Martin Parish.
Proposed law provides that the district shall be governed by a board of directors appointed as
follows:
(1)The St. Martin Parish Council shall appoint two commissioners.
(2)The St. Martin Parish School Board shall appoint three commissioners.
(3)The St. Martin Parish Sheriff shall appoint one commissioner.
(4)The Breaux Bridge City Council shall appoint one commissioner.
(5)The St. Martinville City Council shall appoint one commissioner.
(6)The village of Parks Council shall appoint one commissioner.
Proposed law provides that the board shall prescribe rules and bylaws to govern its meetings and
activities. The board may amend or repeal its rules.
Proposed law provides that the district shall have and exercise all powers of a political subdivision
necessary or convenient to implement its objects and purposes, including but not limited to rights
and powers:
(1)To sue and be sued.
(2)To adopt, use, and alter at will a corporate seal.
(3)To acquire by gift, grant, purchase, lease, option, bequest, mortgage device, exchange, or sale, or otherwise all property, and to hold and use any franchise or property, real, personal,
or mixed, tangible or intangible, necessary or desirable for carrying out the objects and
purposes of the district.
(4)To purchase, acquire, construct, improve, equip, and furnish works and facilities.
(5)To require and issue licenses with respect to the use of its properties and facilities.
(6)To regulate the imposition of fees and rentals charged by the district for its facilities and
services rendered by it.
(7)To appoint, contract with, or employ officers, attorneys, clerks, engineers, deputy
commissioners, a director, and other agents and employees, prescribe their duties, and fix
their compensation and terms of employment.
(8)To provide or arrange or contract for the furnishing or repair by any person or agency, public
or private, of or for services, privileges, or works on streets, roads, public utilities, or other
facilities for or in connection with a redevelopment project to install, construct, and
reconstruct streets, utilities, parks, playgrounds, and other public improvements.
(9)To establish business and industry foundations or nonprofit economic development
corporations, for the purpose of providing venture capital, equity loans, or financing, and to
take stock as security for an equity position in start-up and expanding businesses and
industries.
Proposed law provides that in order to provide growth and development of the district the board
shall:
(1)Make recommendations concerning natural and environmental factors, needs, and trends of
business and industry, housing needs, social or educational trends, population, or other
developments; the habits and lifestyles of the people of the district; the relation of land use
within the district as it relates to the parish as a whole; areas for the concentration of
wholesale, retail, housing, business, and other commercial or industrial uses; and areas for
recreational uses and for spaces and areas of mixed uses.
(2)Make recommendations concerning the need for and the proposed general location of public
and private works and facilities or to provide those facilities.
(3)Make or assist in studies and investigations of the resources of the district and the existing
and emerging problems of industry, commerce, transportation, population, housing, and
public service affecting the redevelopment of the district, and in making such studies to seek
the cooperation and collaboration of the appropriate departments, agencies, and
instrumentalities of federal, state, and local government, educational institutions, research
organizations, whether public or private, and of civic groups and private persons and
organizations. (4)Prepare, and from time to time revise, inventory listings of the district's resources and of the
major public and private works and facilities of all kinds.
(5)Cooperate and confer with and upon request supply information to federal agencies and to
local and regional agencies, and cooperate and confer, as far as possible, with economic
development districts in and outside of the state.
(6)Advise and supply information, as far as available, to civic groups and private persons and
organizations who may request such information or advice.
(7)Provide information to officials of departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of state and
local government and to the public at large.
(8)Accept and receive, in furtherance of its functions, funds, grants, and services from the
federal government or its agencies, from departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of
state, parish, municipal, or local government, or from private or civic sources.
(9)Solicit the assistance and active cooperation of industry and private civic organizations
which are active in anti-litter programs in the district and recycling efforts to assist in the
control and reduction of litter in the district.
(10)Hold public hearings and sponsor public forums.
(11)Exercise all other powers necessary and proper for the discharge of its duties.
Proposed law provides that the district shall have a revitalization plan.
Proposed law provides that any plan may specify and encompass any public services, capital
improvements, and facilities which a parish may undertake, furnish, or provide pursuant to present
law, and such specified public services, capital improvements, and facilities shall be special and in
addition to all services, improvements, and facilities which the parish is then furnishing or providing
or may then or in the future be obligated to furnish or provide.
Proposed law provides that the district may construct and acquire facilities.
Proposed law provides that the district may sell, lease, contract for the use or otherwise dispose of,
by suitable and appropriate contract, to any enterprise locating or existing within the district, all or
any part of a site, building, or other property owned by the district.
Proposed law provides that district may:
(1)Lease or contract for the use of any or all of its authorized projects and charge and collect
rent, fees, or charges therefor, and terminate any such lease or contractual arrangement upon
the failure of the lessee or contracting party to comply with any of the obligations thereof.
(2)Sell, exchange, donate, grant, and convey any or all of its projects. (3)As security for the payment of the principal of and interest on any bonds, notes, or other
obligations of the district and any agreements made in connection therewith, mortgage and
pledge any or all of its projects or any part or parts thereof, whether then owned or thereafter
acquired, and to pledge the revenues and receipts therefrom or from any other source.
Proposed law provides the resolution adopted by the board or the executive committee authorizing
any lease, sale, or other disposition of lands, buildings, or other property of the district or any
attachment thereto shall set forth, in a general way, the terms of the authorized lease, sale, or other
disposition, and such resolution shall be published as soon as possible in one issue of the official
journal of the district.
Proposed law provides that the board of commissioners may, when necessary, levy annually an ad
valorem tax, provided that the amount, term, and purpose of said tax, as set out in a proposition
submitted to the electors in accordance with the Louisiana Election Code, shall be approved by a
majority of the qualified electors.
Proposed law provides that the board of commissioners may, subject to approval of a majority of the
electors voting at an election held for the purpose, levy and collect a sales and use tax within the
boundaries of the district for such purposes and at such rate as provided by the proposition
authorizing its levy, not exceeding one percent, which tax may exceed the limitation set in present
constitution.
Proposed law provides that the tax shall be levied upon the sale at retail, the use, the lease or rental,
the consumption, the distribution and storage for use or consumption of tangible personal property,
and upon the sales of services within the district.
Proposed law provides that except where inapplicable, the procedure established by present law shall
be followed in the imposition, collection, and enforcement of the tax, and procedural details
necessary to supplement the provisions of present law and to make them applicable to the tax herein
authorized shall be fixed in the resolution imposing the tax.
Proposed law provides that all funds derived under proposed law may be used only for expenses or
specified purposes of the district.
Proposed law provides for a revolving loan guarantee fund, to be used to guarantee business,
housing, industrial or business terminal development loans.
Proposed law provides that the district may loan or grant funds to businesses, industries,
manufacturing firms, housing programs, and wholesale distribution firms and service firms.
Proposed law provides that any tax levied under proposed law shall be in addition to all other taxes
which the city, parish, or any other political subdivision within the parish of St. Martin are
authorized to levy and collect.
Proposed law provides that the district shall have authority to incur debt for any one or more of its lawful purposes.
Proposed law provides that the district may in its own name and behalf incur debt and issue general
obligation ad valorem property tax secured bonds.
Proposed law provides that the district may in its own name and behalf issue revenue bonds.
Proposed law provides that the district may in its own name and behalf borrow from time to time in
the form of certificates of indebtedness.
Proposed law provides that the district may borrow the amount of the anticipated ad valorem tax,
not to exceed 10 mills, for a period not to exceed 20 years and may issue certificates of indebtedness.
Proposed law provides that the board of commissioners is authorized to adopt all necessary
resolutions or ordinances.
Proposed law provides that for a period of 30 days from the date of publication of any resolution or
ordinance authorizing the issuance of any bonds, certificates of indebtedness, notes, or other
evidence of debt of the district, any interested person may contest the legality of such resolution or
ordinance and the validity of such bonds, certificates of indebtedness, notes, or other evidence of
debt issued or proposed.
Proposed law provides that the issuance and sale of such bonds, certificates of indebtedness, notes,
or other evidence of debt by the district shall be subject to approval by the State Bond Commission.
Proposed law provides that such bonds, certificates of indebtedness, notes, or other evidence of debt
shall have all the qualities of negotiable instruments pursuant to present law.
Proposed law provides that bonds, certificates, or other evidences of indebtedness issued by the
district are deemed to be securities of public entities within the meaning of present law.
Effective August 1, 2025.
(Adds R.S. 33:130.883-889)