Provides relative to the Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce

House Bill 433 amends seven provisions of Louisiana Revised Statutes to change all references to the Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce to the Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership throughout various statutes governing East Baton Rouge Parish economic development entities and programs. The bill modifies R.S. 33:2740.8, 2740.19, 2740.53, 2740.67.1, and 4720.151, which establish and govern the Downtown Development District of the city of Baton Rouge, the Baton Rouge Inner City Economic Development District, the Florida Boulevard Economic Development District, the Plank Road Business Economic Development District, and the East Baton Rouge Redevelopment Authority respectively. Additionally, the bill amends R.S. 38:3051 regarding the Greater Baton Rouge Water Conservation District and R.S. 39:1482 concerning the Louisiana Competes Regional Economic Development Program. The mechanism of the legislation is straightforward textual substitution, replacing every instance of the old chamber name with the new name while preserving all other statutory language regarding appointment powers, board composition, and governance structures.

The practical effect of this legislation touches numerous constituencies involved in Baton Rouge area economic development and governance. The Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership, whatever entity this name change applies to, will continue to exercise its existing powers to nominate or appoint members to the governing boards of six separate economic development and redevelopment districts. Specifically, the organization will submit nominees to the mayor-president for certain board positions, appoint members directly to some boards, and designate appointees to the Water Conservation Commission. The economic development organizations and districts themselves experience no change in their powers, structure, or operations; only the identity of the nominating entity referenced in their governing statutes is updated. Likewise, the Louisiana Economic Development agency's administration of the Louisiana Competes Regional Economic Development Program continues unchanged except for the updated name reference in the definition of eligible regional economic development organizations.

House Bill 433 operates within the broader statutory framework of East Baton Rouge Parish economic development governance established through Title 33 of Louisiana Revised Statutes, which authorizes and establishes various special districts as political subdivisions. The bill also intersects with Title 38 provisions governing water conservation districts and Title 39 provisions establishing the Louisiana Competes Program administered by Louisiana Economic Development. The name change reflects an organizational transition but does not alter the statutory authority delegating to this chamber or partnership entity significant influence over the composition of multiple governmental boards. The amendments assume continuity of the organization under its new name and explicitly reference it as the successor entity in the Louisiana Competes Program definition, ensuring its continued eligibility for regional economic development grants under state law.