DISTRICTS/TAXING: Creates the Violet Economic Development District in St. Bernard Parish

HLS 26RS-357 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 465
BY REPRESENTATIVE GLORIOSO
DISTRICTS/TAXING: Creates the Violet Economic Development District in St. Bernard
Parish
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 33:9038.82, relative to St. Bernard Parish; to create the Violet Economic
3 Development District within the parish; to provide relative to the boundaries,
4 purpose, governance, and powers and duties of the district; to provide for district
5 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. 33:9038.82 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 §9038.82. Violet Economic Development District
12 A. There is hereby created within the parish of St. Bernard, as more
13 specifically provided in Subsection B of this Section, a body politic and corporate
14 which shall be known as the Violet Economic Development District, referred to in
15 this Section as the "district". The district shall be a political subdivision of the state
16 as defined in the Constitution of Louisiana.
17 B. The boundaries of the district shall encompass the following area:
18 Beginning at a point located in the centerline of the Mississippi River, the
19 boundary proceeds in a northeasterly direction, following Camille TLPK, to its
20 intersection with East St. Bernard Highway.
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1 From that point, the boundary turns northwesterly along East St. Bernard
2 Highway, then turns northeasterly onto Livaccari Dr.
3 The boundary continues northwesterly onto Birch Street, then turns
4 northeasterly onto Valmar Drive, and then proceeds northwesterly along East Judge
5 Perez Drive.
6 From East Judge Perez Drive, the boundary turns northeasterly onto Legend
7 Drive, then turns southeasterly onto Fable Drive, which curves and continues in a
8 generally northeasterly direction until it becomes Story Park Boulevard; the
9 boundary follows Story Park Boulevard to its intersection with the 40 Arpent Canal,
10 then turns southeasterly, following the 40 Arpent Canal.
11 Continuing along the 40 Arpent Canal, the boundary crosses East Judge Perez
12 Drive and proceeds southerly along Torres Drive.
13 The boundary then turns westerly onto Farmsite Rd, then turns southerly onto
14 Woodchase Court, which curves in a U-shaped alignment and continues northerly
15 to rejoin Farmsite Road.
16 From this point, the boundary proceeds westerly along Farmsite Rd, then
17 turns southerly onto East St. Bernard Highway.
18 The boundary then turns westerly onto Massicot Road, followed by a turn
19 southerly onto Saro Ln, which continues southerly and then curves to proceed
20 easterly.
21 From Saro Ln, the boundary turns southerly onto St. Bernard Parkway,
22 which proceeds in a generally southwesterly direction.
23 The boundary continues along St. Bernard Parkway until turning
24 northwesterly onto Jeanfreau Drive, then proceeds in a straight line extending from
25 Jeanfreau Drive to the centerline of the Mississippi River.
26 From this point, the boundary follows the centerline of the Mississippi River,
27 proceeding generally northeasterly, then curving and continuing northwesterly, along
28 the river's meander, until returning to the point of beginning.
29 C. The district is created to:
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1 (1) Support long-term, place-based investments in infrastructure, housing,
2 workforce development, and community priorities within Violet.
3 (2) Align state, parish, and community interests related to Louisiana
4 International Terminal impacts and opportunities.
5 (3) Provide transparency and accountability in how incremental revenues are
6 reinvested locally.
7 D.(1) The district shall be governed by a nine-member board of
8 commissioners, referred to in this Section as the "board", composed as follows:
9 (a) The governor or his designee.
10 (b) The member of the Louisiana Senate who represents District No. 1 or his
11 designee.
12 (c) The member of the Louisiana Senate who represents District No. 3 or his
13 designee.
14 (d) The member of the Louisiana House of Representatives who represents
15 District No. 103 or his designee.
16 (e) The president of the governing authority of the parish of St. Bernard or
17 his designee.
18 (f) The Violet Action Committee shall appoint three members.
19 (g) Greater New Orleans Inc. shall appoint one member who is a
20 representative of Greater New Orleans, Inc. or his designee. The designee shall be
21 a resident of the district.
22 (2)(a) Members appointed pursuant to Subparagraphs (1)(f) and (g) of this
23 Subsection shall serve four-year terms after serving initial terms as provided in this
24 Subparagraph. One member shall serve an initial term of one year; one shall serve
25 two years; one shall serve three years; and one shall serve four years, as determined
26 by lot at the first meeting of the board.
27 (b) Members serving pursuant to Subparagraphs (1)(a) through (e) of this
28 Subsection shall serve during their terms of office. Designated members shall serve
29 at the pleasure of the designating authority.
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1 (3)(a) Any vacancy in the membership of the board shall be filled in the
2 manner of the original appointment. If an appointing authority, other than the Violet
3 Action Committee, fails to fill a vacancy within sixty days, the Violet Action
4 Committee may appoint a successor to serve for the remainder of the term.
5 (b) If the Violet Action Committee fails to fill a vacancy within sixty days,
6 the remaining members of the board may appoint a successor to serve for the
7 remainder of the term.
8 (4) The board shall elect from its members a president, a vice president, a
9 secretary, a treasurer, and such other officers as it may deem necessary. The duties
10 of the officers shall be fixed by the bylaws adopted by the board.
11 (5) The minute books and archives of the district shall be maintained by the
12 secretary of the board. The monies, funds, and accounts of the district shall be in the
13 official custody of the board.
14 (6) The board shall adopt such rules and regulations as it deems necessary
15 or advisable for conducting its business affairs. It shall hold regular meetings as shall
16 be provided for in the bylaws and may hold special meetings at such times and
17 places within the district as may be prescribed in the bylaws.
18 (7) A majority of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the
19 transaction of business. The board shall keep minutes of all meetings and shall make
20 them available through the secretary of the board to residents of the district.
21 (8) The members of the board shall serve without compensation; however,
22 they may be reimbursed for expenses incurred while attending to the business of the
23 board or the district.
24 E. The district, acting by and through its board, shall have and exercise all
25 powers of a political subdivision necessary or convenient for carrying out its objects
26 and purposes, including but not limited to the following:
27 (1) To sue and to be sued.
28 (2) To adopt, use, and alter at will a corporate seal.
29 (3) To adopt bylaws and rules and regulations.
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1 (4) To receive by gift, grant, or donation any sum of money, property, aid,
2 or assistance from the United States, the state of Louisiana, or any political
3 subdivision thereof, or any person, firm, or corporation.
4 (5) To enter into contracts, agreements, or cooperative endeavors with the
5 state and its political subdivisions or political corporations and with any public or
6 private association, corporation, business entity, or individual.
7 (6) To appoint officers, agents, and employees; prescribe their duties; and
8 fix their compensation.
9 (7) To acquire by purchase, gift, grant, donation, or lease property as may
10 be necessary or desirable for carrying out the objectives and purposes of the board.
11 (8) To perform any other necessary and ancillary acts to effectuate its
12 functions, to perform its duties, or to give effect to its powers in accordance with this
13 Section.
14 F. In order to fund development within the district, the district shall have
15 state sales tax increment finance authority that is provided to local governmental
16 subdivisions pursuant to R.S. 33:9038.34. The district shall capture no more than
17 twenty-five percent of incremental state sales tax growth generated within the
18 district. The annual pledged state increment would be capped at two million one
19 hundred thousand dollars. The cap may be adjusted for inflation. The district shall
20 not implement ad valorem or local sales tax increment finance authority. The district
21 shall have no other taxing authority.
22 Section 2. This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2026; if vetoed by the governor
23 and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become effective on July 1,
24 2026, or on the day following such approval by the legislature, whichever is later.
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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 465 Original 2026 Regular Session Glorioso
Abstract: Creates the Violet Economic Development District in St. Bernard Parish.
Proposed law creates the Violet Economic Development District as a political subdivision
in St. Bernard Parish for the following purposes:
(1) To support long-term, place-based investments in infrastructure, housing, workforce
development, and community priorities within Violet.
(2) To align state, parish, and community interests related to Louisiana International
Terminal impacts and opportunities.
(3) To provide transparency and accountability in how incremental revenues are
reinvested locally.
Proposed law provides for district boundaries.
Proposed law provides that the district is governed by a nine-member board of
commissioners composed as follows:
(1) The governor or his designee.
(2) The member of the La. Senate who represents District No. 1 or his designee.
(3) The member of the La. Senate who represents District No. 3 or his designee.
(4) The member of the La. House of Representatives who represents District No. 103 or
his designee.
(5) The president of the governing authority of St. Bernard parish or his designee.
(6) Three members appointed by the Violet Action Committee.
(7) One member appointed by the Greater New Orleans Inc. who is a representative of
Greater New Orleans, Inc. or his designee.
Proposed law provides that members serve five-year staggered terms.
Proposed law provides for the powers and duties of the district, including but not limited to
the following:
(1) To sue and to be sued.
(2) To adopt, use, and alter at will a corporate seal.
(3) To adopt bylaws and rules and regulations.
(4) To receive by gift, grant, or donation any sum of money, property, aid, or assistance
from the U.S., the state, or any political subdivision thereof, or any person, firm, or
corporation.
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(5) To enter into contracts, agreements, or cooperative endeavors with the state and its
political subdivisions or political corporations and with any public or private
association, corporation, business entity, or individual.
(6) To appoint officers, agents, and employees; prescribe their duties; and fix their
compensation.
Proposed law provides that the district shall have state sales tax increment finance authority
that is provided to local governmental subdivisions pursuant to present law (R.S.
33:9038.34). Provides that the district shall capture no more than 25% of incremental state
sales tax growth generated within the district. Provides that the annual pledged state
increment would be capped at $2,100,000, but may be adjusted for inflation. Prohibits the
district from implementing ad valorem or local sales tax increment finance authority.
Provides that the district shall have no other taxing authority.
Effective July 1, 2026.
(Adds R.S. 33:9038.82)
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