Title 39. Public Finance

Subtitle II. Local Finance

Chapter 4. Bonded Indebtedness and Special Taxes

Part III. Bonded Indebtedness

Subpart A. Bond Issues

39:562      Limit of indebtedness

A. For the purposes of this Section, “general obligation bonds” and “bonded debt” mean bonds or bonded debt, as the case may be, payable solely from ad valorem taxation imposed pursuant to R.S. 39:569. 

B. No debt shall be incurred and general obligation bonds issued therefor by any subdivision hereunder for any one of the purposes herein provided which, including the existing bonded debt of such subdivision for such purpose, but excepting bonds issued and secured by an acreage tax, bonds issued under Section 2 of Article IV of the Constitution of 1921 as amended by Act 212 of 1952,¹ bonds issued under Paragraph (b.2) of Section 14 of Article XIV of the Constitution of 1921,² bonds issued under Section 24 of Article XIV of the Louisiana Constitution of 1921 as amended by Act 420 of 1978,³ bonds issued under Paragraph (e) of Section 14 of Article XIV of the Louisiana Constitution of 1921⁴ and refunding bonds issued under Paragraph (g) of said Section 14,⁵ or their successor laws, shall exceed in the aggregate ten percent of the assessed valuation of the taxable property of such subdivision, including both (1) homestead exempt property, which shall be included on the assessment roll for the purposes of calculating debt limitation and (2) nonexempt property, as ascertained by the last assessment for parish, municipal, or local purposes prior to delivery of the bonds representing such indebtedness, regardless of the date of the election at which said bonds were approved. However, the governing authority of any municipality may incur debt and issue bonds therefor as provided in this Subsection, for the purposes set forth in Louisiana R.S. 39:553, which may exceed ten percent for any one of such purposes, provided that the aggregate for all of such purposes determined at the time of issuance of the bonds does not exceed thirty-five percent of the assessed valuation of the taxable property of the municipality, calculated as set forth in this Subsection. 

C. Except as otherwise provided by law, the governing authority of parishwide school districts and of special school districts, including the city school boards of the cities of Bogalusa and Monroe, which cities shall be treated as special school districts, may incur debt and issue bonds therefor for the purposes set out in R.S. 39:554 which, including the existing bonded debt of the subdivision for such purposes, may exceed ten percent but shall not exceed thirty-five percent of the assessed valuation of the taxable property of such subdivision, including both (1) homestead-exempt property, which shall be included on the assessment roll for the purposes of calculating debt limitation, and (2) nonexempt property, as ascertained by the last assessment for the parish or local purposes prior to delivery of the bonds representing such debt, regardless of the date of the election at which said bonds were approved. 

D. Except as otherwise provided by law, the governing authority of the parishwide school districts and of special school districts in the parishes of DeSoto, Livingston, and Sabine may incur debt and issue bonds therefor for the purposes set out in R.S. 39:554 which, including the existing bonded debt of such subdivision for such purposes, may exceed ten percent but shall not exceed thirty-five percent of the assessed valuation of the taxable property of such subdivision, including both (1) homestead-exempt property, which shall be included on the assessment roll for the purposes of calculating debt limitation, and (2) nonexempt property, as ascertained by the last assessment for the parish for local purposes prior to delivery of the bonds representing such debt, regardless of the date of the election at which said bonds were approved. 

E. The governing authority of Recreation District No. 3 of Livingston Parish may incur debts and issue bonds therefor for the purposes set out in R.S. 33:4563 which, including the existing bonded debt of such subdivision for such purposes, may exceed ten per centum but shall not exceed twenty-five per centum of the assessed valuation of the taxable property of such subdivision, including both (1) homestead exempt property, which shall be included on the assessment roll for the purposes of calculating debt limitation, and (2) nonexempt property, as ascertained by the last assessment for parish, municipal or local purposes prior to delivery of the bonds representing such debt, regardless of the date of the election at which said bonds were approved. 

F. The governing authority of the parishwide school districts and of special school districts in the parishes of DeSoto and Sabine and of School District 27 of Calcasieu Parish may incur debt and issue bonds therefor for the purposes set out in R.S. 39:554 which, including the existing bonded debt of such subdivision for such purposes, may exceed ten percent but shall not exceed thirty-five percent of the assessed valuation of the taxable property of such subdivision, including both (1) homestead exempt property, which shall be included on the assessment roll for the purposes of calculating debt limitation, and (2) nonexempt property, as ascertained by the last assessment for the parish for local purposes prior to delivery of the bonds representing such debt, regardless of the date of the election at which said bonds were approved. 

G. The governing authority of the parishwide school district and of special school districts in the Parish of Lincoln, with the approval of a majority of the voters voting therein at an election held for that purpose, may incur debt and issue bonds therefor for the purposes set out in R.S. 39:554 which, including the existing bonded debt of such subdivision for such purposes, may exceed ten percentum but shall not exceed thirty-three percentum of the assessed valuation of the taxable property of such subdivision, including both: 

(1) Homestead exempt property, which shall be included on the assessment roll for the purposes of calculating debt limitation, and 

(2) Nonexempt property, as ascertained by the last assessment for the parish for local purposes prior to delivery of the bonds representing such debt, regardless of the date of the election at which said bonds were approved. 

H. The governing authority of Waterworks District No. Twelve of Ward Three of Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, may incur debt and issue bonds therefor for the purposes set out in R.S. 39:557 which, including the existing bonded debt of such subdivision for such purposes, may exceed ten percent, but shall not exceed twenty percent of the assessed valuation of the taxable property of such subdivision including both: 

(1) Homestead exempt property, which shall be included on the assessment roll for the purposes of calculating debt limitation, and 

(2) Nonexempt property, as ascertained by the last assessment for parish, municipal or local purposes prior to delivery of the bonds representing such debt, regardless of the date of the election at which said bonds were approved. 

I. The governing authority of the parishwide school district and of special school districts in the parish of Natchitoches, with the approval of a majority of the voters voting therein at an election held for that purpose, may incur debt and issue bonds therefor for the purposes set out in R.S. 39:554 which, including the existing bonded debt of such subdivision for such purposes, may exceed ten percent but shall not exceed fifty percent of the assessed valuation of the taxable property of such subdivision, including both (1) homestead exempt property, which shall be included on the assessment roll for the purposes of calculating debt limitation, and (2) nonexempt property, as ascertained by the last assessment for the parish for local purposes prior to delivery of the bonds representing such debt, regardless of the date of the election at which said bonds were approved. 

J. The governing authority of any parishwide school district and of special school districts in the parish of Richland, with the approval of a majority of the voters voting therein at an election held for that purpose, may incur debt and issue bonds therefor for the purposes set out in R.S. 39:554 which, including the existing bonded debt of such subdivision for such purposes, may exceed ten percent but shall not exceed fifty percent of the assessed valuation of the taxable property of such subdivision, including both: 

(1) Homestead exempt property, which shall be included on the assessment roll for the purposes of calculating debt limitation, and 

(2) Nonexempt property, as ascertained by the last assessment for the parish for local purposes prior to delivery of the bonds representing such debt, regardless of the date of the election at which said bonds were approved. 

K. The governing authority of any parishwide school district and of special school districts in any parish having a population of more than fifteen thousand people and less than twenty-five thousand people according to the latest federal decennial census of record at the time such bonds are issued, with the approval of a majority of the voters voting therein at an election held for that purpose, may incur debt and issue bonds therefor for the purposes set out in R.S. 39:554 which, including the existing bonded debt of such subdivision for such purposes, may exceed ten percent but shall not exceed fifty percent of the assessed valuation of the taxable property of such subdivision, including both: 

(1) Homestead exempt property, which shall be included on the assessment roll for the purposes of calculating debt limitation, and 

(2) Nonexempt property, as ascertained by the last assessment for the parish for local purposes prior to delivery of the bonds representing such debt, regardless of the date of the election at which said bonds were approved. 

L. The governing authority of any parishwide school district and of special school districts in any parish having a population of more than thirty thousand people and less than fifty thousand people according to the latest federal decennial census of record at the time such bonds are issued, with the approval of a majority of the voters voting therein at an election held for that purpose, may incur debt and issue bonds therefor for the purposes set out in R.S. 39:554 which, including the existing bonded debt of such subdivision for such purposes, may exceed ten percent but shall not exceed fifty percent of the assessed valuation of the taxable property of such subdivision, including both: 

(1) Homestead exempt property, which shall be included on the assessment roll for the purposes of calculating debt limitation, and 

(2) Nonexempt property, as ascertained by the last assessment for the parish for local purposes prior to delivery of the bonds representing such debt, regardless of the date of the election at which said bonds were approved. 

M. The governing authority of any parishwide school district and of special school districts in any parish having a population of more than ninety-one thousand persons and less than ninety-eight thousand persons according to the latest federal decennial census of record at the time such bonds are issued, with the approval of a majority of the voters voting therein at an election held for that purpose, may incur debt and issue bonds therefor for the purposes set out in R.S. 39:554 which, including the existing bonded debt of such subdivision for such purposes, may exceed ten percent but shall not exceed fifty percent of the assessed valuation of the taxable property of such subdivision, including both homestead exempt property, which shall be included on the assessment roll for the purposes of calculating debt limitation, and nonexempt property, as ascertained by the last assessment for the parish for local purposes prior to delivery of the bonds representing such debt, regardless of the date of the election at which said bonds were approved. 

N. Notwithstanding any contrary provisions of this Section, in any parish where the construction of pump and levee drainage systems are required in order to drain its territory, and the need for such construction has been verified by the Department of Transportation and Development, the governing authority of such parish or any parish wide hurricane flood protection and drainage district (“district”), which district is hereby authorized to be created by and governed by such governing authority, may incur debt and issue bonds for the purposes of constructing and improving levees and gravity and forced drainage works which, including the existing bonded debt of the parish or the district for such purposes, may exceed ten percent but shall not exceed twenty percent of the assessed valuation of the taxable property of such parish, including both: 

(1) Homestead exempt property, which shall be included on the assessment roll for the purposes of calculating debt limitation; and 

(2) Nonexempt property as ascertained by the last assessment for any parish for local purposes prior to delivery of the bonds representing such debt, regardless of the date of the election at which such bonds were approved. 

O. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Section or of any other law, the governing authority of any parishwide school district and of special school districts in any parish having a population of more than fifteen thousand people and less than fifty-five thousand people according to the latest federal decennial census of record at the time such bonds are issued, with the approval of a majority of the voters voting therein at an election held for that purpose, may incur debt and issue bonds therefor for the purposes set out in R.S. 39:554 which, including the existing bonded debt of such subdivision for such purposes, may exceed ten percent, but shall not exceed fifty percent of the assessed valuation of the taxable property of such subdivision, including both of the following: 

(1) Homestead exempt property, which shall be included on the assessment roll for the purposes of calculating debt limitation. 

(2) Nonexempt property, as ascertained by the last assessment for the parish for local purposes prior to delivery of the bonds representing such debt, regardless of the date of the election at which said bonds were approved. 

P. Notwithstanding any provision of this Section or any other law to the contrary, the governing authority of any school system created by the legislature after January 1, 1999, in any parish having a population of at least three hundred thousand persons and fewer than four hundred fifty thousand persons according to the most recent federal decennial census at the time any bonds authorized by this Subsection are issued, with the approval of a majority of the voters voting thereon at an election held for that purpose, may incur debt and issue bonds for the purposes specified in R.S. 39:554 which, including the existing bonded debt of the school board for such purposes, may exceed ten percent but shall not exceed fifty percent of the assessed valuation of the taxable property within the geographic boundaries of the school system, including both of the following: 

(1) Homestead exempt property, which shall be included on the assessment roll for the purpose of calculating debt limitation. 

(2) Nonexempt property, as ascertained for local purposes by the last assessment of property within the geographic boundaries of the school system prior to the delivery of the bonds representing the debt, regardless of the date of the election at which said bonds were approved. 

Q. The governing authority of any parish school district in any parish having a population of more than one hundred forty-nine thousand persons and less than one hundred eighty-four thousand persons according to the latest federal decennial census of record at the time such bonds are issued, with the approval of a majority of the voters voting therein at an election held for that purpose, may incur debt and issue bonds therefor for the purposes set out in R.S. 39:554 which, including the existing bonded debt of such subdivision for such purposes, may exceed ten percent but shall not exceed fifty percent of the assessed valuation of the taxable property of such subdivision, including both: 

(1) Homestead exempt property, which shall be included on the assessment roll for the purposes of calculating debt limitation. 

(2) Nonexempt property, as ascertained by the last assessment for the parish for local purposes prior to delivery of the bonds representing such debt, regardless of the date of the election at which said bonds were approved. 

Amended by Acts 1952, No. 469, § 1; Acts 1955, No. 136, § 1; Acts 1975, 1st Ex.Sess., No. 20, § 1, eff. Jan. 28, 1975; Acts 1979, No. 375, § 1; Acts 1980, No. 103, § 1; Acts 1980, No. 546, § 1; Acts 1980, No. 555, § 1; Acts 1981, No. 718, § 1; Acts 1986, No. 604, § 1, eff. July 6, 1986; Acts 1986, No. 617, § 1; Acts 1987, No. 221, § 1; Acts 1987, No. 250, § 1, eff. July 3, 1987; Acts 1987, No. 550, § 1, eff. July 9, 1987; Acts 1988, No. 706, § 1, eff. July 15, 1988; Acts 1988, No. 866, § 1, eff. July 18, 1988; Acts 1988, 2nd Ex.Sess., No. 15, § 1, eff. Oct. 27, 1988; Acts 2006, No. 187, § 1, eff. June 2, 2006; Acts 2007, No. 179, § 1, eff. June 27, 2007; Acts 2008, No. 863, § 1, eff. July 9, 2008; Acts 2009, No. 415, § 1, eff. July 1, 2009; Acts 2015, No. 413, § 1, eff. July 1, 2015; Acts 2018, No. 569, § 1, eff. July 1, 2018.

Footnotes

¹ See, now, Const. Art. 7, §§ 4, 6; Art. 9, §§ 3, 4.

² See, now, R.S. 39:471, 39:551.1, 39:551.2, 39:570.1.

³ Article 14, § 24 of the 1921 Constitution (as amended by Acts 1978, No. 420) is continued as a statute by Const. 1974, Art. 14, § 16.

⁴ See, now, R.S. 39:611, 39:612.1, 39:615, 39:615.1, 39:615.2, 39:616, 39:1103, and 39:1104.

⁵ See, now, R.S. 39:691 to 39:697.