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ENROLLED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 362
BY REPRESENTATIVE NEWELL
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 33:9091.30, relative to Orleans Parish; to create the Regency Park
3 Townhomes Crime Prevention and Security District; to provide relative to the
4 boundaries, purpose, governance, and powers and duties of the district; to provide
5 for district funding; to provide for effectiveness; 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.
9 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
10 Section 1. R.S. 33:9091.30 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 §9091.30. Regency Park Townhomes Crime Prevention and Security District
12 A. There is hereby created within the parish of Orleans, as more specifically
13 provided in Subsection B of this Section, a body politic and corporate known as the
14 Regency Park Townhomes Crime Prevention and Security District, referred to in this
15 Section as the "district". The district is a political subdivision of the state as defined
16 in the Constitution of Louisiana.
17 B. The district is comprised of the area within the following perimeter:
18 Morrison Road, Downman Road, Seabrook Place, and Countess Lane.
19 C. The district is established for the primary objective and purpose of
20 promoting and encouraging the beautification, security, and overall betterment of the
21 district.
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1 D.(1) The district shall be governed by a board of commissioners, referred
2 to in this Section as the "board", composed of five voting members and one
3 nonvoting member as follows:
4 (a) The president, secretary, and treasurer of the Regency Park Townhomes
5 Association, referred to in this Section as the "association".
6 (b) The governing board of the association shall appoint two members who
7 shall be residents of the district.
8 (c) The manager of the Regency Park Townhomes who shall be a nonvoting
9 member.
10 (2)(a) Board members serving pursuant to Subparagraph (1)(b) of this
11 Subsection shall serve three-year terms after initial terms as follows: one member
12 shall serve an initial term of three years and one shall serve an initial term of two
13 years, as determined by lot at the first meeting of the board.
14 (b) The members serving pursuant to Subparagraphs (1)(a) and (c) of this
15 Subsection shall serve during their terms of office.
16 (3) Any vacancy which occurs prior to the expiration of a term shall be filled
17 for the remainder of the unexpired term in the manner of the original appointment.
18 (4) The board shall elect from its members a chairman, a vice chairman, a
19 secretary, a treasurer, and other officers as it deems necessary. The duties of the
20 officers shall be fixed by the bylaws adopted by the board.
21 (5) The secretary or the treasurer of the board shall maintain the minute
22 books and archives of the district. The monies, funds, and accounts of the district
23 shall be in the official custody of the board.
24 (6) The board may adopt rules and regulations for conducting its business
25 affairs. Rules and regulations of the board relative to the notice and conduct of
26 meetings shall conform to applicable law, including laws relative to open meetings.
27 The board shall hold regular meetings and may hold special meetings at times and
28 places within the district as prescribed in the bylaws.
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1 (7) A majority of the voting members of the board constitutes a quorum for
2 the transaction of business. The board shall keep minutes of all meetings and shall
3 make them available through the secretary of the board to residents of the district.
4 (8) The members of the board shall serve without compensation but shall be
5 reimbursed for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses directly related to the governance
6 of the district.
7 E. The district, acting through its board, shall have the following powers and
8 duties:
9 (1) To sue and be sued.
10 (2) To adopt, use, and alter at will a corporate seal.
11 (3) To receive and expend funds collected pursuant to Subsections F and G
12 of this Section and in accordance with a budget adopted as provided by Subsection
13 H of this Section.
14 (4) To enter into contracts with individuals or entities, private or public.
15 (5) To provide or enhance security patrols in the district and to provide for
16 improved lighting, signage, or matters relating to the security and beautification of
17 the district.
18 (6) To enter into contracts and agreements with one or more other districts
19 for the joint security, improvement, or betterment of all participating districts.
20 (7) To provide for services and make expenditures as the board deems proper
21 for the upkeep and beautification of the district.
22 (8) To acquire or lease items and supplies that the board deems instrumental
23 to achieving the purposes of the district.
24 (9) To procure and maintain liability insurance against any personal or legal
25 liability of a board member that may be asserted or incurred based upon his service
26 as a member of the board or that may arise as a result of his actions taken within the
27 scope and discharge of his duties as a member of the board.
28 (10) To perform or have performed any other function or activity necessary
29 or appropriate to carry out the purposes of the district or for the overall betterment
30 of the district.
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1 F.(1)(a) The governing authority of the city of New Orleans may impose and
2 collect a parcel fee within the district subject to and in accordance with the
3 provisions of this Subsection.
4 (b) The amount of the fee shall be as requested by duly adopted resolution
5 of the board. The fee shall be a flat fee per parcel of land not to exceed three
6 hundred dollars per year for each parcel.
7 (c) For purposes of this Section, "parcel" means a lot, a subdivided portion
8 of ground, an individual tract, or a "condominium parcel" as defined in R.S.
9 9:1121.103.
10 (d) The owner of each parcel is responsible for payment of the fee.
11 (2)(a) The fee shall be imposed only after the question of its imposition has
12 been approved by a majority of the registered voters of the district who vote on the
13 proposition at an election held for that purpose in accordance with the Louisiana
14 Election Code. The amount of the fee may be changed by duly adopted resolution
15 of the board, not to exceed the maximum amount authorized in this Subsection. No
16 other election shall be required except as provided by this Paragraph.
17 (b) The fee shall expire at the time provided in the proposition, not to exceed
18 five years, but the fee may be renewed if approved by a majority of the registered
19 voters of the district voting on the proposition at an election as provided in
20 Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph. Any election to authorize the renewal of the fee
21 shall be held for that purpose in accordance with the Louisiana Election Code. If the
22 fee is renewed, the term of the imposition of the fee shall be as provided in the
23 proposition authorizing such renewal, not to exceed five years.
24 (3) The fee shall be collected at the same time and in the same manner as ad
25 valorem taxes are collected.
26 (4) Any parcel fee which is unpaid shall be added to the tax rolls of the city
27 and shall be enforced with the same authority and subject to the same penalties and
28 procedures as unpaid ad valorem taxes.
29 (5)(a) The city of New Orleans shall remit to the district all amounts
30 collected not more than sixty days after collection.
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1 (b) The district shall use the proceeds of the fee solely and exclusively for
2 the purpose and benefit of the district; however, the city may retain one percent of
3 the amount collected as a collection fee.
4 G. The district may solicit and accept additional voluntary contributions and
5 grants to further the purposes of the district.
6 H.(1) The board of commissioners shall adopt an annual budget in
7 accordance with the Louisiana Local Government Budget Act, R.S. 39:1301 et seq.
8 (2) The district shall be subject to audit by the legislative auditor pursuant
9 to R.S. 24:513.
10 I.(1) It is the purpose and intent of this Section that any additional security
11 patrols, public or private, or any other security or other services or betterments
12 provided by the district shall be supplemental to and not be in lieu of personnel and
13 services to be provided in the district by the state or the city of New Orleans or their
14 departments or agencies or by other political subdivisions.
15 (2) If the district ceases to exist, the board shall transmit all district funds to
16 the city of New Orleans, and such funds, together with any other funds collected by
17 the city of New Orleans pursuant to this Section, shall be maintained in a separate
18 account by the city and shall be used only to promote, encourage, and enhance the
19 security of the area included in the district.
20 J.(1) The district shall indemnify its officers and board members to the
21 fullest extent permitted by R.S. 12:227, as fully as if the district were a nonprofit
22 corporation governed thereby, and as may be provided in the district's bylaws.
23 (2) No board member or officer of the district shall be liable to the district
24 or to any individual who resides, owns property, visits, or otherwise conducts
25 business in the district for monetary damages for breach of his duties as a board
26 member or officer, provided that the foregoing provision shall not eliminate or limit
27 the liability of a board member or officer for any of the following:
28 (a) Acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional
29 misconduct or a knowing violation of law.
30 (b) Any transaction from which he derived an improper personal benefit.
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1 (3) To the fullest extent permitted by R.S. 9:2792 et seq., including R.S.
2 9:2792.1 through 2792.9, a person serving the district as a board member or officer
3 shall not be individually liable for any act or omission arising out of the performance
4 of his duties.
5 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
6 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
7 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
8 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
9 effective on the day following such approval.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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