Title 42. Public Officers and Employees

Chapter 1-a. Open Meetings Law

42:19.1     Procedure for the proposal, increase, renewal, or continuation of a tax or for calling an election for such purposes by political subdivisions

A. (1) Except as provided for in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection, in addition to any other requirements provided for in R.S. 42:19 or other provisions of law, public notice of the date, time, and place of any meeting at which a political subdivision as defined in Article VI, Section 44(2) of the Constitution of Louisiana intends to propose a new ad valorem property tax or sales and use tax, or increase or renew any existing ad valorem property tax or sales and use tax, and authorize the calling of an election for submittal of such question to the voters of the political subdivision shall be published in the official journal of the political subdivision no more than sixty days nor less than twenty days before such public meeting; shall be announced to the public during the course of a public meeting of such political subdivision no more than sixty days nor less than twenty days before such public meeting; and notice of such meeting shall be written and hand delivered or transmitted by email to each voting member of any governing authority of a political subdivision that is required to approve such a measure previously adopted by another governing authority and to each state senator and representative in whose district all or a portion of the political subdivision is located, no more than sixty days nor less than twenty days before such public meeting. Email delivery shall be made to the official email address of such voting members or legislators and to any other address provided in writing to the political subdivision by such a voting member or legislator. The inadvertent failure to notify a state senator or representative as required by this Subsection shall not constitute a violation of this Section; however, the knowing failure to notify a state senator or representative as required by this Subsection or the willful disregard of the requirement to notify a state senator or representative as required by this Subsection shall constitute a violation of this Chapter. 

(2) If at a meeting held in accordance with Paragraph (1) of this Subsection a political subdivision adopts such a measure, the provisions of this Section shall not apply to a subsequent meeting of such political subdivision if the only action taken at the subsequent meeting is one which results in a change to the previously adopted measure that reduces the rate or term of the tax in the measure and thereby reduces the total amount of tax that would be collected under the measure, or substantially reduces the cost to the political subdivision of any bond or debt obligation to be incurred by the political subdivision. 

B. (1) In the event of cancellation or postponement of a meeting at which consideration of or action upon a proposal to increase, renew, or continue any ad valorem or sales and use tax and authorize the calling of an election for submittal of such questions to the voters of the political subdivision was scheduled, notice of the date, time, and place of any subsequent meeting to consider such proposal shall be published in the official journal of the political subdivision no less than ten days before such subsequent meeting. 

(2) However, in the event that consideration of or action upon any such proposal was postponed at the scheduled meeting, or any such proposal was considered at the scheduled meeting without action or vote, then any subsequent meeting to consider such proposal shall be subject to the requirements of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection. 

Added by Acts 2013, No. 267, § 1. Amended by Acts 2014, No. 694, § 1; Acts 2014, No. 791, § 15; Acts 2018, No. 486, § 1.