A. Findings and purpose. (1) The legislature finds that the citizens of the state can benefit from smaller municipalities cooperating with one another to highlight and leverage the creative assets of the municipalities to attract and retain residents and businesses and to bring visitors to experience the unique nature of their areas.

            (2) The legislature recognizes that many smaller municipalities confront structural changes and residential uprooting and that there is a need for revitalization through creative initiatives that animate places and spark economic development. This goal can be better achieved by allowing smaller municipalities to participate in a consortium so that they may use their collective resources to promote their local assets which will help them to achieve gains in jobs, income, diversity, and livability.

            B. Creation. There is hereby created a municipal consortium, referred to in this Section as the “consortium”, comprised of municipalities with a population of not more than thirty-five thousand persons according to the latest federal decennial census that chooses to participate and any state or federally recognized Indian tribe that chooses to participate. Any such municipality or Indian tribe shall indicate its intention to join the consortium through adoption of a resolution. The purpose of the consortium is to promote goods produced by business enterprises owned and operated by residents of the participating municipality or members of the Indian tribe and to otherwise retain and develop locally owned businesses, and the consortium may take actions necessary to achieve such purpose.

            C. Governance. The consortium shall be governed by a board of directors, referred to in this Section as the “board”. The membership of the board shall be comprised of one member appointed by the governing authority of each participating municipality or tribe. The board shall adopt bylaws to govern its meetings and activities.

            D. Powers and duties. The consortium, acting through its board, shall have the following powers and duties:

            (1) To develop a centralized market place, website, or other mechanism for facilitating the sale of locally produced goods to customers.

            (2) To expend funds received pursuant to Subsection E of this Section.

            (3) To enter contracts and agreements with persons or entities, public or private, necessary for its purposes.

            (4) To apply for and receive grant funding that would contribute to the purpose of the consortium.

            (5) To adopt bylaws to govern its affairs and activities.

            E. Funding. The consortium may solicit and accept voluntary contributions and grants to further the purposes of the consortium.

            F. Cooperation with federal and state agencies. The consortium, acting through its board, may cooperate with the government of the United States and may contribute financially to the expense of projects and initiatives as are or may be authorized or adopted by the United States. The consortium may also cooperate with all agencies, departments, and political subdivisions of the state of Louisiana in all undertakings, the purpose of which shall be the furtherance of the objects and purposes for which the consortium is created.

            G. The consortium shall have no authority to tax or levy fees or assessments against any municipality that is a member of the consortium.

            Acts 2018, No. 331, §1.