This section sets up the board for the authority, limits its size and membership, and requires appointments, meetings, officer elections, and vacancy handling on set timelines.
§704. Board of commissioners; creation; membership; terms; officers; meetings A.(1) The authority created pursuant to this Chapter shall be directed and governed by a board consisting of not fewer than five and not more than nine members, who shall be appointed by the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council and serve five-year terms. The initial terms of the board members shall be specified in the articles of incorporation and staggered in a manner that the terms of not less than one member expire each year. No board member shall be appointed to more than three consecutive terms in office. (2) In addition to those board members appointed by the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council, the state senators from state senatorial districts fourteen and fifteen and the state representatives from state representative districts sixty-three and sixty-four shall serve as ex officio members of the authority with all voting rights and privileges afforded to other members. They shall serve terms concurrent with their term of elected office. Membership seats held by the state senator for district fourteen and the state representative for district sixty-four shall cease to exist and terminate from the board on December 31, 2027. B. The articles of incorporation of the authority created pursuant to this Chapter shall specify the number and qualifications of the members of the board. However, not more than thirty-three percent of the members appointed by the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council may be elected officials. At a minimum, a board member shall be domiciled in East Baton Rouge Parish and have experience in aviation, business, accounting, finance, marketing, engineering, law, real estate, economic development, management, or another field of value to the operation of the airport. A full-time paid employee of the local government shall not be eligible for appointment to the board. C. Within sixty days after incorporation of a regional authority, the members of the governing body of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council shall appoint the members of the board. Before assuming the duties of office, a member of the board shall qualify by taking and subscribing to the constitutional oath of office. D. A member of the board whose term has expired shall hold office until the board member's successor is appointed and qualified, or until resignation or removal. If a member of the board is removed or is unable to complete his term of office, the governing body shall appoint a successor to complete the term. A member of the board may resign by written notice to the regional authority. The resignation is effective on receipt by the secretary or chairperson of the regional authority or at a subsequent time as set forth in the notice of resignation. The regional authority shall promptly advise the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council in writing of any vacancy. The Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council shall appoint a new member to fill the vacancy within sixty days after the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council is advised of the notice of resignation by the regional authority. E. The Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council shall only remove a board member for cause. The definition of cause shall include failure to attend at least seventy-five percent of the meetings of the board each fiscal year, conviction of a felony, breach of fiduciary duty to the regional authority, and other conduct as specified in the articles of incorporation or bylaws of the regional authority. F. Within ninety days after the regional authority is incorporated pursuant to this Chapter, the board of the regional authority shall hold its first meeting. At the first meeting, the board shall elect a chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary, and any additional officers that the board considers necessary. With the exception of the treasurer, all officers of the board shall be elected annually by, and shall be members of, the board. G. Except for those powers reserved or delegated to the chief executive officer of the regional authority by this Chapter or by the board, the board may withdraw from the chief executive officer any power that the board has delegated to the chief executive officer. H. The regional authority shall not compensate a member of the board for service to the authority or attendance at a meeting, but may reimburse a member for an actual and necessary expense incurred in the discharge of the member's official duties. I. The board shall act only by resolution or ordinance. A vote of the majority of the board members present at a meeting of the board or a committee of the board at which a quorum is present constitutes the action of the board or committee unless the articles of incorporation or bylaws of the regional authority require otherwise. Acts 2025, No. 118, §1, eff. June 8, 2025.