This section limits liability for parade-related losses and generally bars lawsuits against listed krewe, organization, nonprofit, contractor, and employee actors, unless the loss was caused by deliberate and wanton conduct or gross negligence.
§2796. Limitation of liability for loss connected with Mardi Gras, St. Patrick's Day, and other parades and festivities; parades associated with fairs and festivals A.(1) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, no person shall have a cause of action against any krewe or organization, any group traditionally referred to as Courir de Mardi Gras, or any member thereof, which presents Mardi Gras parades, including traditional rural Mardi Gras parades, processions, or runs in which participants ride on horseback, march, walk, or ride on horse-drawn or motordrawn floats, or wheeled beds, or other parades, whether held on a public or private street or waterway, or in a building or other structure, or any combination thereof, connected with pre-Lenten festivities or the Holiday in Dixie Parade, or against any nonprofit organization chartered under the laws of this state, or any member thereof, which sponsors fairs or festivals that present parades or courirs, for any loss or damage caused by any member thereof, during or in conjunction with or related to the parades or courirs presented by such krewe or organization, unless said loss or damage was caused by the deliberate and wanton act or gross negligence of the krewe or organization, or any member thereof. (2) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, no person shall have a cause of action against a krewe, organization, or courir listed in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, or a member, contractor, or employee of a contractor of such krewe, organization, or courir who is hired or contracted by the krewe, organization, or courir to construct or stage Mardi Gras parades for any loss or damage caused by the member, contractor, or employee of a contractor through the operation, transfer, or movement of a motordrawn float or other vehicle in connection with a Mardi Gras parade unless the loss or damage was caused by the deliberate and wanton act or gross negligence of the member, contractor, or employee of the contractor. B. Any person who is attending or participating in one of the organized parades of floats or persons listed in Subsection A of this Section, when the parade begins and ends between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 12:00 midnight of the same day, assumes the risk of being struck by any missile whatsoever which has been traditionally thrown, tossed, or hurled by members of the krewe or organization in such parades held prior to the effective date of this Section. The items shall include but are not limited to beads, cups, coconuts, and doubloons unless said loss or damage was caused by the deliberate and wanton act or gross negligence of said krewe or organization. C. The provisions of this Section shall apply also to St. Patrick's Day parades or any other parade. Added by Acts 1979, No. 361, §1; Acts 1987, No. 392, §1; Acts 1988, No. 877, §1; Acts 1997, No. 397, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1998; Acts 1999, No. 1264, §1; Acts 2001, No. 504, §1; Acts 2022, No. 740, §1; Acts 2023, No. 407, §1.