One of the critical functions that I think the Planning Director’s Council should perform, in conjunction with the Chapter’s Legislative Committee, is to keep the leadership of the public sector planners in Louisiana informed on potential issues with proposed legislation in Baton Rouge.

With the release of the 2010 census numbers, the State Legislature is going into “extraordinary session” on March 20, 2011 to address eight specific issues.

Items 1-7 of the call to session are to address the re-districting for Congress, the State Legislature, the Board of Education, the Public Service Commission, State Supreme Court, and the Court of Appeals. Clearly these are important decisions to be made by the Legislature, but the last item warrants special attention of planning directors statewide.

Item No. 8 To legislate with regard to classifications of parishes, municipalities, or other political subdivisions or local areas according to population by adjusting the population ranges affected by the 2010 census; by repealing certain provisions based upon certain population classification ranges; or by enacting local bills to limit the application of laws based upon specific classifications to one or more parishes, municipalities, or other political subdivisions or local areas."

Historically, the State Legislation has used population ranges to create specialized enabling legislation, so that it only affects one or two local governments. As the changes in a local jurisdictions population is officially documented by the decennial census, some of your enabling legislation may no longer apply to your jurisdiction.

It is important that each local governing body review their enabling legislation to make sure that any corrections that need to be made are done so during this “extraordinary session”.

Planning Directors Council Chair
Sidney Fontenot, AICP