This section says an economic development corporation must operate as a private nonprofit and not as a state agency, and it limits use of public funds and related-party dealings.
§9024. Incorporation as a private nonprofit corporation A. After the application or applications have been approved by such governing authority and approved by the governor or such local chief executive officer, the proposed corporation shall incorporate itself and shall operate as a private nonprofit corporation pursuant to the laws of Louisiana, and in no manner whatsoever shall funds and assets of the state be used to carry out normal governmental services. B. An economic development corporation organized under the provisions of this Chapter is a private, nonprofit corporation and is prohibited from functioning as an agency of the state or of any political subdivision of the state, and its directors, officers, or employees are prohibited from functioning as and are not to be considered to be public employees for any purpose whatsoever, and neither the state of Louisiana nor any agency or subdivision of the state may assign to any economic development corporation so organized any of the normal powers of government, including the following: (1) The power to impose or collect taxes or fees. (2) The power to license or to exercise governmental regulatory authority over any person or entity. (3) The power to carry out, or to employ or contract with persons to carry out, any governmental function which is purely and solely of a public nature. C.(1) Since economic development corporations are intended to operate as public-private partnerships, persons owning or employed by businesses which participate in and might benefit from growth in the areas of the economy are permitted and encouraged to serve as members of the board of directors of any economic development corporation. (2)(a) Public officials including the chief executive of the local governmental subdivision or members of the governing body of the local governmental subdivision are also permitted and encouraged to serve as members of the board of directors of such a corporation, provided that in no case shall public officials constitute a majority of a quorum of such a board of directors, nor shall a number of members of a governing authority, which would constitute a quorum of that governing authority, serve together on such a board of directors. (b) The presence on the board of directors of said public officials shall not alter the private, nonprofit nature of the corporation and shall not make it an agency of the state or of the local governmental subdivision. D.(1) Except as provided in this Subsection, related party transactions in which the corporation contracts with any related party including any board member, manager, officer, or director for goods or services are prohibited. (2) Any transaction or relationship is authorized if the benefit to the related party is of no greater benefit to such person or entity than to the general class of persons or entities of which such person or entity is a member, or where the opportunity to receive any such benefit has been fairly and equally made available to the general class of persons or entities of which such person or entity is a member. (3) Charges shall be allowed, at cost, for food, drink, refreshments, accommodations, meeting space, round-trip transportation, and other reasonable and necessary expenses which actually reimburse persons or entities which serve or assist such corporations for expenses incurred through activities conducted in good faith in furtherance of the corporation's stated purpose as approved by the governing authority of the affected governmental subdivision. (4) Any transaction or activity which is particular to the purposes and objectives of the economic development corporation, and which has been specifically approved in writing by the funding agency and the governing authority of the affected governmental subdivision is authorized. E.(1) Economic development corporations are not agencies of the state, nor of any subdivision of the state, and are prohibited from exercising governmental powers or carrying out functions which are purely and solely of a public nature. Such corporations are not subject to the laws which govern the operation of public bodies. (2) Without altering the private nature of economic development corporations, any economic development corporation which obtains funds from the state or any agency or subdivision thereof of ten thousand dollars or more in any calendar year shall, as a condition to the receipt or expenditure of such public funds, maintain all of its books and records with respect to the use or receipt of any public funds as public documents and make them available for inspection and copying pursuant to the provisions of the public records law, R.S. 44:1 et seq., hold any and all meetings of such corporation with respect to the receipt or expenditure of public funds in public after due notice thereof in accordance with the provisions of the Open Meetings Law, and comply with any conditions of funding. (3) Any immovable property acquired or constructed by an economic development corporation with public money shall be owned by the state or a political subdivision or some other public entity, and not by any person or private entity. Added by Acts 1978, No. 617, §1; Acts 1997, No. 1179, §1, eff. July 14, 1997; Acts 2002, No. 78, §2, eff. June 25, 2002; Acts 2010, No. 861, §15.