Bill
HB 433
Renames BRAC to Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership and preserves its nomination/appointment role for key local development boards.
HB 433 Summary (Louisiana, 2026 Regular Session)
Overview
- Title: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Provides relative to the Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce
- Purpose: Rename the Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce to the Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership in specified provisions and align related appointments/nominations accordingly. The bill also references the Louisiana Competes Regional Economic Development Program in relation to regional economic development entities.
Core changes and provisions
- Name change of the regional economic development entity:
- The Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce is renamed to the Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership (GBREP) in the exact provisions listed below.
- Affected statutory references:
- R.S. 33:2740.8(D)(1)(b)
- R.S. 33:2740.19(D)(1)(e)
- R.S. 33:2740.53(B)(1)(b)
- R.S. 33:2740.67.1(C)(1)(f)
- R.S. 47:20.151(G)(1)(b) (Note: section numbers may reflect the state’s economic development code)
- R.S. 38:3051
- R.S. 39:1482(4)
- Appointment and nomination authority to district boards:
- The bill changes convention so that the GBREP (formerly BRAC) continues to nominate or appoint certain board members for several East Baton Rouge Parish districts and authorities, including:
- Downtown Development District (city of Baton Rouge)
- Baton Rouge Inner City Economic Development District
- Florida Boulevard Economic Development District
- Plank Road Business Economic Development District
- East Baton Rouge Redevelopment Authority
- Greater Baton Rouge Water Conservation District
- In each listed district/authority, a board member is specifically designated to be appointed by the mayor-president (with the approval of the metropolitan council) from a nomination list submitted by GBREP.
- Specific board-member appointment language appears consistently across districts (e.g., “one member shall be appointed by the mayor-president, with the approval of the metropolitan council, from a list of nominees submitted by the Greater Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership”).
- Related scope:
- The bill references the Louisiana Competes Regional Economic Development Program, noting its structure to provide grants to regional economic development organizations and includes GBREP as a regional economic development organization in the program’s definitions.
- By renaming BRAC to GBREP, GBREP would be the recognized regional economic development organization for purposes of the Competes program where BRAC is named or referenced.
Impact and who would be affected
- Entities affected:
- The Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce (BRAC), as an institution, would be renamed to the Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership (GBREP in all affected provisions).
- Governing boards of the following East Baton Rouge Parish entities would continue to have GBREP’s nominees/appointments, maintaining GBREP as a key local stakeholder:
- Downtown Development District
- Baton Rouge Inner City Economic Development District
- Florida Boulevard Economic Development District
- Plank Road Business Economic Development District
- East Baton Rouge Redevelopment Authority
- Greater Baton Rouge Water Conservation District
- Practical effect:
- Streamlines branding and formal recognition of the regional economic development organization.
- Maintains established appointment procedures to ensure GBREP continues to influence local economic development governance.
Procedural and timeline aspects
- Effective date: The bill would become law upon passage and the governor’s signature (not stated explicitly in the text provided, but standard for enacted legislation).
- Notice and introduction: The bill has undergone standard legislative steps (prefiled, read by title, reported favorably in committee, etc.).
- Related references: The bill’s action is limited to amending and reenacting specific sections of the Louisiana Revised Statutes and the definitions within R.S. 39:1482(4).
Key takeaways
- The central purpose is to rename BRAC to GBREP in relevant statutory provisions and preserve the current nomination/appointment framework linking GBREP to multiple local development districts and authorities.
- The bill aligns the governance structure with the renamed entity, ensuring continuity of influence over regional economic development efforts and eligibility for the Louisiana Competes program.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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