The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Louisiana creates Avondale and Waggaman Economic Development District in Jefferson Parish
Last action · April 27, 2026: Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Local and Municipal Affairs.Sponsors: Rodney Lyons and 9 others
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What This Bill Proposed
House Bill 447 establishes the Avondale and Waggaman Economic Development District in Jefferson Parish as a governed by a seven-member board. The district is authorized to acquire property, enter into contracts, and plan for public improvements along Highway 90, though it is explicitly barred from levying taxes.
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Property owners within the district
Property owners within the designated Highway 90 corridor are included in a new economic development district subject to local improvement planning.
Jefferson Parish
The parish is the location of the new district and its governing authority holds a designated seat on the board of commissioners.
Key Facts
- Establishes the Avondale and Waggaman Economic Development District as a political subdivision within Jefferson Parish.
- Defines the district boundaries to include the area along Highway 90 from the St. Charles/St. Bernard parish line to Lapalco Boulevard.
- Creates a seven-member board of commissioners composed of representatives from four local civic associations, state legislators representing the area, and the Jefferson Parish governing authority member for District No. 3.
- Prohibits the newly formed district from exercising any power of taxation.
Show all 7 facts
- Grants the district the authority to sue and be sued, adopt bylaws, accept grants and donations, enter into contracts, and acquire property.
- Requires the board to prepare public improvement plans, hold public hearings, and include cost estimates for any proposed projects.
- Subjects the district's annual budget to the Louisiana Local Government Budget Act and mandates audits by the legislative auditor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the newly created district levy taxes on property owners?
Who appoints the members of the district's board of commissioners?
What geographic area does the district cover?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · passed the House · in Senate committee.
Procedural history
10 actions- Apr 27, 2026SenateCommitteeRead second time by title and referred to the Committee on Local and Municipal Affairs.
- Apr 22, 2026HouseFloorRead third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 83, nays 11. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
- Apr 22, 2026SenateReceived in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
- Apr 21, 2026HouseScheduled for floor debate on 04/22/2026.
- Apr 20, 2026HouseFloorRead by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
- Apr 16, 2026HouseCommitteeReported favorably (13-0).
Show 4 earlier actions
- Mar 25, 2026HouseIntroducedRead by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs.
- Mar 24, 2026HouseIntroducedRead by title. Lies over under the rules.
- Feb 27, 2026HouseFirst appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.
- Feb 26, 2026HouseIntroducedPrefiled. To be introduced at a later date.
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
www.legis.la.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 45)
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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