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Read. Follow. Verify.Louisiana creates Allen Parish Economic Development District and abolishes Tourist Commission
Last action · May 27, 2026: Effective date: 08/01/2026.Sponsor: Dewith Carrier
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What This Bill Does
House Bill 247 creates the Allen Parish Economic Development District, dissolves the Allen Parish Tourist Commission, and transfers all remaining commission funds and property to the new district. The newly established district is authorized to levy a hotel of up to three percent and is governed by a five-member board.
Hotel operators and overnight campers in Allen Parish face a new tax of up to three percent on paid occupancy, while the local tourist commission's assets and responsibilities shift entirely to a newly formed economic development district.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Hotel operators and overnight camping facility owners
Operators are subject to a new district-levied occupancy tax of up to three percent on room and space rentals.
Allen Parish residents
Residents are impacted by new economic development initiatives, infrastructure improvements, and local government oversight by the newly formed district board.
Key Facts
- Creates the Allen Parish Economic Development District as a political subdivision of the state encompassing all of Allen Parish.
- Abolishes the Allen Parish Tourist Commission and repeals prior statutory provisions that created it.
- Transfers all remaining funds and property of the Allen Parish Tourist Commission to the new economic development district to be held in a separate account for conventions and tourism.
- Authorizes the district to levy and collect a tax up to three percent on the paid occupancy of hotel rooms and commercial overnight camping facilities.
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- Establishes a five-member board of commissioners to administer and govern the district, serving without compensation.
- Requires board approval from the governing authority of the parish of Allen for the district to exercise its powers, excluding the occupancy tax.
- Mandates that the district adopt an annual budget under the Louisiana Local Government Budget Act and undergo audits by the legislative auditor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to the money and property of the former Allen Parish Tourist Commission?
Who serves on the board of commissioners for the new economic development district?
Can the new district levy taxes?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Became law without the governor's signature.
Procedural history
22 actions- May 27, 2026HouseBecomes Act No. 398 without the Governor's signature.
- May 27, 2026HouseEffective date: 08/01/2026.
- May 13, 2026HouseSent to the Governor for executive approval.
- May 12, 2026HouseEnrolledEnrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
- May 12, 2026SenateEnrolledSigned by the President of the Senate.
- May 11, 2026HouseIntroducedRead by title, roll called, yeas 100, nays 0, Senate amendments concurred in.
Show 16 earlier actions
- May 7, 2026HouseScheduled for concurrence on 05/11/2026.
- May 6, 2026SenateFloorThe amended bill was read by title, passed by a vote of 35 yeas and 2 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
- May 6, 2026HouseReceived from the Senate with amendments.
- Apr 28, 2026SenateFloorReported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
- Apr 27, 2026SenateFloorCommittee amendments read and adopted. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
- Apr 22, 2026SenateReported with amendments.
- Apr 8, 2026SenateCommitteeRead second time by title and referred to the Committee on Local and Municipal Affairs.
- Apr 7, 2026SenateReceived in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
- Apr 1, 2026HouseFloorRead third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 78, nays 6. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
- Mar 31, 2026HouseScheduled for floor debate on 04/01/2026.
- Mar 30, 2026HouseFloorRead by title, amended, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
- Mar 26, 2026HouseReported with amendments (12-0).
- Mar 9, 2026HouseIntroducedRead by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs.
- Feb 20, 2026HousePrefiled.
- Feb 20, 2026HouseCommitteeUnder the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs.
- Feb 20, 2026HouseFirst appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/20/2026.
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.
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Sources
www.legis.la.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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