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HB 803

PORTS/NEW ORLEANS: Changes the membership of the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Mike Bayham

The bill increases the Port of New Orleans Board size to 8, adds a second St. Bernard Parish seat, and allows post-2026 appointees to have maritime-industry experience.

Involuntarily deferred in committee.
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Bill Summary · HB 803

Summary of HB 803 (Louisiana, 2026 Regular Session)

Title

PORTS/NEW ORLEANS: Changes the membership of the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans

Purpose

To modify the composition and appointment process of the Board of Commissioners for the Port of New Orleans, increasing the number of board members and adjusting representation from St. Bernard Parish, Jefferson Parish, and Orleans Parish. The bill also aligns certain qualification and appointment timing provisions with new dates.

Key Provisions

  • Board size increase
    • Increases members from 7 to 8.
  • Geographic representation changes
    • Orleans Parish: 4 members (unchanged in principle)
    • Jefferson Parish: 2 members (unchanged in principle)
    • St. Bernard Parish: increases from 1 member to 2 members
  • Board seat designations (existing structure retained with adjusted counts)
    • Orleans members occupy Positions D, E, F, G
    • Jefferson members occupy Positions A and C
    • St. Bernard members occupy Position B (now two members)
  • Experience and qualifications
    • All members must be experienced in commerce or industry of the port area.
    • A notable change: for members appointed on or after August 1, 2026, the requirement explicitly allows maritime industry employment as acceptable experience, subject to applicable provisions of Title 42.
    • For current members (appointed prior to August 1, 2018), and continuing terms, existing Title 42 requirements remain as they applied on their appointment date.
  • Appointment timing alignment (date shift)
    • The bill shifts several date references from “August 1, 2018” to “August 1, 2026,” affecting:
    • Eligibility window for maritime-industry-experienced appointees
    • Which existing members’ terms are governed by current law
    • The applicability of Title 42 provisions for those terms
  • Nominating organizations (St. Bernard Parish)
    • The governor selects nominees from entities designated as the St. Bernard Parish nominating organization.
    • The bill increases the number of nominees from St. Bernard Parish from 1 to 2.

Who Is Affected

  • Port of New Orleans Board of Commissioners
    • Board size increases from 7 to 8.
    • St. Bernard Parish gains an additional seat (2 total).
    • Overall geographic balance among Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Bernard Parishes is adjusted accordingly.
  • Nominating organizations
    • St. Bernard Parish nominating organization gains one additional nominee (total of 2 nominees).
  • Potential appointees
    • Individuals seeking appointment must meet port-area experience criteria, with new 2026-date alignment allowing maritime-industry experience for post-2026 appointments.

Procedural / Timeline Considerations

  • Effective date considerations
    • The bill explicitly shifts key eligibility and term-related dates to August 1, 2026, affecting how current and future appointments are governed.
  • Current members
    • Members appointed prior to August 1, 2018, previously governed by earlier Title 42 provisions continue under those terms until their respective end dates; the bill clarifies applicability based on the new 2026 framework for future appointments.
  • Legislative process
    • The bill has a digest and committee-vote history indicating it was temporarily deferred in committee as of April 13, 2026.

Summary in Plain Language

HB 803 beefs up the Port of New Orleans Board from seven to eight members and adds a second seat for St. Bernard Parish, preserving four Orleans seats and two Jefferson seats. It clarifies that new appointees (on or after August 1, 2026) may come from maritime-industry backgrounds, subject to state-law requirements, and aligns several timing rules with the 2026 date. The governor will nominate two individuals from St. Bernard Parish (up from one), while the other parishes maintain their respective seat allocations. Overall, the bill aims to broaden governance representation and modernize eligibility timelines for board members.

If you’d like, I can provide a side-by-side comparison of current law vs. HB 803 language to highlight every numerical and designation change.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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