§323. Administration of funds; rules and regulations; program guidelines

            A. The Rural Development Fund shall be administered by the office of rural development. Subject to the budget process and appropriations made for such purposes, the director of the office of rural development may employ personnel necessary for the efficient and proper administration of this Chapter.

            B. The office shall adopt rules and regulations governing the use of this fund and shall adopt rules and regulations governing any program or funding action that it implements prior to the initiation of the program or funding action. Specifically, rules and regulations shall establish a formula for the distribution of funds. Such formula shall use as its basis all relevant data including but not limited to the affected population, unemployment, and other elements that may assist in the determination of the direct and indirect social and economic benefit to the rural community and the relationship of the project or activity to the overall rural revitalization plan for the state. All rules and regulations shall be adopted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act with legislative review by the House and Senate committees on agriculture, forestry, aquaculture, and rural development.

            C. The office shall clearly delineate the projects that are to be implemented and the functions that each project will fulfill. The office shall apply the following guidelines to any project funded:

            (1) All projects or activities funded shall be related to the revitalization of a designated rural area, as defined in R.S. 3:313.

            (2) All funds shall be used to mitigate the rapid deterioration of rural health, education, transportation, public facilities, tourism, infrastructure, or other systems essential to the socioeconomic well-being of the state's rural areas.

            (3) All projects or activities should enhance and broaden rural employment opportunities and community services.

            (4) All projects or activities should further the provisions of the Louisiana Rural Development Law.

            Acts 2021, No. 331, §1.