Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes 3:317

  • Applicant: means any local governing authority requesting a loan from or completing an application form to apply for a loan under the Rural Development Loan Program. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 3:313
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Director: means the chief administrative officer of the state office of rural development. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 3:313
  • Federal agency: means any department, office, council, or agency of the federal government, or any public benefit corporation or authority authorized by federal statute. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 3:313
  • Office: means the state office of rural development created by this Chapter. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 3:313
  • Rural areas: means parishes within the state having less than one hundred thousand population, or municipalities within the state having less than thirty-five thousand population, and the unincorporated areas of a parish with a population of over one hundred thousand. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 3:313
  • Rural development and revitalization: means those policies, programs, laws, regulations, or other matters having to do with rural areas, including but not limited to economic development, employment, local government services and management, business, agriculture, environment, land use and natural resources, human services and community life, health care, education, transportation, community facilities, housing, broadband connectivity, water quality, and sewer treatment. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 3:313

A.  The office shall request such specific information as the director determines to be necessary concerning assistance programs and grants administered by federal, state, and local agencies, individuals, and corporations designed to enhance rural areas.  Such information shall be used to advise local agencies, individuals, or corporations for the purpose of promoting coordination in program or grant efforts wherever feasible or proper.

B.  Any applicant requesting program grants or assistance in order to address rural development and revitalization needs, conditions, or strengths in rural areas may, pursuant to the rules of the office, adopted under the Administrative Procedure Act, confer with the office to obtain assistance in the prompt and efficient processing and review of applications.

C.  The office shall, so far as possible, render such assistance, and the director may designate an officer or employee of the office to act as an expeditor for the purpose of:

(1)  Facilitating contacts for the applicant with state, federal, or local agencies, individuals, or corporations responsible for processing and reviewing grant applications.

(2)  Arranging conferences to clarify the interest and requirements of any such agency, individual, or corporation with respect to grant applications.

(3)  Considering with the agency, individual, or corporation the feasibility of consolidating hearings and data required of the applicant.

(4)  Assisting the applicant in the resolution of outstanding issues identified by the agency, individual, or corporation, including delays experienced in application review.

(5)  Coordinating federal, state, and local grant application review actions and assistance programs to the extent practicable.

D.  No fees of any kind shall be charged or collected under this Chapter, except those monies that may be provided by a federal agency or the state for administrative costs.

Acts 1990, No. 216, §1; Acts 1991, No. 396, §2; Acts 1991, No. 449, §1.