Provides for appointments to the Shreveport Downtown Development Authority. (8/1/26)

Senate Bill 285 amends Louisiana Revised Statutes Section 33:2740.38(C)(1)(e) to modify the appointment process for one voting member of the Shreveport Downtown Development Authority. The bill changes the nominating authority for this position by replacing the senator from State Senate District 37 with the senator from State Senate District 38 in the list of legislators authorized to submit nominees to the mayor. The specific mechanism involves substituting the reference to District 37 with District 38 while retaining the participation of the senator from District 39 and the state representative from House District 4 in the nomination process. All other provisions governing the authority's composition, the appointment and confirmation procedures, and the role of the various nominating organizations remain unchanged by this legislation.

The practical effect of this change impacts the governance structure of the Shreveport Downtown Development Authority by altering which state senator participates in the nomination of one of the authority's seven voting members. Previously, the state senator representing District 37 could submit nominees for consideration by the mayor and city council. Under the amended law, this nominating power transfers to the state senator representing District 38. This change affects the legislative districts currently serving the Shreveport area and ensures that representation from updated senatorial district boundaries informs the selection of authority members. The mayor of Shreveport, the city council, and other nominating organizations such as Downtown Shreveport Unlimited and the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce continue their existing roles in the appointment process.

The bill operates within the statutory framework established by Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 33, which governs municipal corporations and special districts. The Shreveport Downtown Development Authority was originally created by Ordinance No. 47 of 1975 and operates under state authorization to encourage preservation, revitalization, and beautification of property within the district and to provide public financial assistance for development projects with city council approval. The amendment references the current senatorial and representative district definitions contained in Louisiana Revised Statutes Chapter 24, which controls the boundaries and numbering of Louisiana legislative districts. The effective date of August 1, 2026 allows for transition before the next regular legislative redistricting cycle.