Louisiana Legislative Auditor
Daryl G. Purpera, CPA, CFE

December 23, 2013

Louisiana Boards, Commissions and Like Entities

Louisiana’s 485 boards, commissions and similar entities are the most of any of the 14 states in the southeastern region, three-and-a-half times more than Florida which has the fewest at 106, according to a report to the legislative officials issued Monday by Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera’s office.

The report recommended that the governor or the legislature abolish 27 boards, commissions and like entities - such as task forces and authorities - that were created by the governor or lawmakers during 2011 or earlier that “have never been fully organized, have disbanded or are currently inactive.”

The report said that the 27 entities, created by the governor or lawmakers, “were never fully organized, were disbanded with no plans to reorganize, were inactive or had no funding prospects to undertake the functions for which they were established, even though the board members may continue to meet. Because these entities are not fulfilling their established functions, the legislature or governor, as deemed appropriate, should consider their abolishment.”

As of June 30, 10 other entities had not complied with state law requiring them to provide requested information, the report said.

In a letter to legislative leaders, Purpera said the annual report was “prepared to assist you in controlling the growth and costs of all boards, commissions and like entities within Louisiana.”

The report by the state auditor said that of the 448 entities that are active, 257 pay “per diem, salaries and- or travel of the board members.” Those expenses totaled $5.413 million in 2012 and grew by another $1.6 million in 2013.

Since 1992, the number of entities has increased or held their own, except for 1997, 2005, and 2006, when they dropped. The fewest number of boards, commissions and like entities was in 1992 when 338 were in existence; the most was in 2004 when there were 513.

“Since our last report, 12 entities were created and 19 entities were repealed by law, terminated in accordance with law or executive order, or otherwise removed.” the report said.

The report said that although Gov. Bobby Jindal issued executive orders last year directing that per diem pay be terminated for entities in the executive branch of government, there were many exemptions so that “the executive orders had little or no fiscal impact.” The executive orders exempted elected members of boards; members who are required by law to be to receive the per diem, and any members of entities that the governor’s Division of Administration exempts based on “extreme economic hardship” for a member of a board.

The 27 entities the report recommended should be abolished are:

The Ambulance Service District Commission, the Small Business Compliance Advisory Panel, the Broadband Advisory Council, the Byways Commission, the Catfish Promotion and Research Board, the Historic Cemetery Trust Fund Advisory Board, the Centers of Excellence Financing Corp. Board of Directors, the Civil Rights Museum Advisory Board, the Coastal Land Stewardship Authority Board of Directors, the Coastal Louisiana Levee Consortium, the Concordia Parish Port Commission, the Governor’s Advisory Council on Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities, and the Educator Evaluation Advisory Committee.

Also on the list are: the El Camino East-West Corridor Commission, the Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunity, the Garyville Timbermill Museum Governing Board, the Board of Professional Geoscientists, the Advisory Committee on Hospice Care, the Interstate 10-12 Corridor Commission, the Interstate 49 South Feasibility and Funding Task Force, the Jean Lafitte Marine Fisheries Museum Governing Board, the Task Force on Juvenile Detention Standards and Licensing, the North Bossier Levee and Drainage District Board of Commissioners, the North Lafayette Redevelopment Authority Board of Commissioners, the Board of Morgan City and Berwick Port Pilot Commissioners and Examiners, the Systemic Initiatives Program Council, and the Vidalia Port Commission.

The 10 that did not respond to requests for financial and personnel data are: the Allen Parish Reservoir District Board of Commissioners, the Bayou Desiard Lake Restoration Commission, the Bi-State Corridor Commission, the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys, the Columbia Port Commission, the I-12 Retirement District Board of Directors, the Multi-Disciplinary Committee, the Tri-State Corridor Commission, the Vermilion and Iberia Railroad Development District Board of Commissioners and the West Ouachita Reservoir Commission.

Boards and Commissions 2013 release.pdf

For more information contact:

Legislative Auditor
225.339.3800



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Office of the Louisiana Legislative Auditor | www.LLA.La.gov