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 224 Original 2025 Regular Session Barrow
Proposed law creates the Parish Preservation Act.
Proposed law provides for the following legislative findings:
(1)The legislature strives to ensure that Louisiana's government is responsive to the needs of the
people of this state and that the government of this state is accountable, efficient, and
effective.
(2)The use by a municipality of tax revenues previously used to provide services to the parish
as a whole impacts the parish government and its local residents.
(3)All citizens, including those who reside in historically underserved areas of the parish,
deserve high-quality services.
(4)Seeking to reduce the benefit to parish government of tax revenues collected from and on
behalf of significant public entities such as airports, recreation and park commissions,
libraries, transit systems, and concert and sporting venues, as well as from private businesses
who have invested long-term in the parish, should cause grave concern as to the impact of
taking resources away from neighborhoods and areas of the parish which have benefitted
from the parish investment.
(5)Operating efficiently and cost-effectively is best for each municipality, parish government
and the state of Louisiana.
(6)Working cooperatively, involving public input, ensuring high quality services for all parish
residents and providing consistent transparency will improve outcomes.
Proposed law provides that in a parish with a population of not less than 445,000 persons and not
more than 460,000 persons according to the latest federal decennial census, prior to final local
approval and implementation of a change in the allocation of tax revenue proceeds from the
consolidated parish government to an incorporated municipality within that parish when the amount
of the revenue loss to the consolidated parish government would represent a greater than five percent
impact on the parish general fund budget, both the municipality and the consolidated parish
government shall provide reports at a public meeting held in compliance with the Open Meetings
Law and the Louisiana Public Records Act. Proposed law provides that the report shall include:
(1) Need for the additional revenue and plan for the use of the revenue by the municipality.
(2) Manner in which the municipality would assume, deliver and fund any particular service
currently being provided by the consolidated parish government, and the anticipated impact
on residents of the municipality as a result of that change in delivery.
(3)Anticipated impact on the ability of the consolidated parish government to deliver public
services after the anticipated loss of parish revenues, any anticipated cessation or reduction
in parish government services, and the resulting anticipated impact on residents of the parish
who currently receive the services.
(4) Anticipated impact of the loss in parish government revenue on any historically underserved
areas of the parish as a result of any projected reduction in services or community
investments.
Proposed law provides that nothing in proposed law shall be construed to conflict with the plan of
government of the parish.
Effective August 1, 2025.
(Adds R.S. 33:3080.1-3080.3)