§337.2. Intent; application and interpretation of Chapter

            A.(1) The intention of the legislature in enacting the provisions of this Chapter is as follows:

            (a) To exercise the authority provided to it in Article VI, Section 29 of the Constitution of Louisiana and recognized by a long line of jurisprudence to define and limit the scope of all state and local sales and use taxes, including all of the definitions and limitations in the statutes generally applicable to such taxes.

            (b) To benefit both taxpayers and local tax collectors by promoting uniformity to the extent possible in the assessment, collection, administration, and enforcement of the sales and use taxes imposed by taxing authorities and, by compiling them, making them readily available in one place in the revised statutes.

            (c) To provide, in addition to existing judicial remedies, for an impartial, economical, and expeditious forum where a taxpayer may choose to resolve disputes arising under sales and use taxes imposed by local taxing authorities before the Board of Tax Appeals, an independent quasi judicial agency within the Department of State Civil Service; and to provide a uniform remedy for taxpayers appealing assessments or denials or inaction on a refund claim, all for the purpose of promoting uniformity and consistency in the interpretation and application of law governing such taxes.

            (2) Nothing in this Chapter is intended to increase or decrease the amount or type of taxes imposed by local taxing authorities, nor is it intended to repeal any taxes, exemptions, exclusions, credits, rebates, or refunds existing on July 1, 2003, including those taxes ratified by Article VI, Section 31 of the Constitution of Louisiana.

            B.(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law or local ordinance to the contrary, and except as provided for in Paragraph (3) of this Subsection, the provisions of this Chapter shall apply in the assessment, collection, administration, and enforcement of the sales and use tax of any political subdivision.

            (2) In particular, the provisions of this Chapter shall apply notwithstanding any contrary provisions in Title 33 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950 providing with respect to the sales and use tax of a particular political subdivision.

            (3) Other provisions of law or local ordinance shall control and be applicable only with respect to the following:

            (a) The rate of the sales and use tax.

            (b) The effective date of such tax.

            (c) The term of the tax.

            (d) The purpose for which the proceeds of the tax shall be used.

            (e) Vendor's compensation.

            (f) Optional exclusions or exemptions allowed by state sales and use tax law, adopted by the local ordinance pursuant to such state law.

            (g) Exclusions and exemptions in the local ordinance which were adopted prior to July 1, 2003, pursuant to state law authorizing such adoption, but not allowed as an exclusion or exemption from state sales and use tax.

            (h) Exclusions and exemptions in the local ordinance adopted pursuant to legislation enacted under Article VI, Section 29(D)(1) of the Constitution of Louisiana, but not allowed as an exclusion or exemption from state sales and use tax.

            C. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, in order to ensure taxpayers of uniformity of tax collection, the regulations applicable to the sales and use tax of the tax authorities provided for in this Chapter shall be the following:

            (1) For purposes of this Section, the following terms shall have the following definitions:

            (a) "Board" means the Louisiana Uniform Local Sales Tax Board created by R.S. 47:337.102.

            (b) "Common sales tax law" means a provision of law relative to the sales and use tax law of the state which is applicable to the state and to local taxing authorities and which is intended to have the same meaning and application as provided for in R.S. 47:337.2(D). The term "common sales tax law" shall mean and include the provisions of Part F of this Chapter.

            (c) "Regulation" means a rule or regulation as those terms are defined in the Administrative Procedure Act.

            (d) "Regulatory action" means the adoption, amendment, or repeal of a regulation.

            (2) Until January 1, 2004, any collector may file a written request with the secretary for amendment in the manner provided for in Paragraph (4) of this Subsection of any regulation of the Department of Revenue in effect on July 1, 2003, concerning a common sales tax law. If no request for an amendment of a particular regulation has been received by the secretary by January 1, 2004, then that regulation shall be applicable to all local tax authorities. If the regulation is amended, then that regulation as amended shall be applicable to both the state and to local taxing authorities notwithstanding any prior construction of such law.

            (3) If no regulation concerning a common sales tax law has been adopted by the secretary, any collector may file a written request with the secretary for the adoption of such regulation in the manner provided for in Paragraph (4) of this Subsection.

            (4)(a) No regulatory action of the Department of Revenue concerning a common sales tax law shall be applicable to local tax authorities unless such regulatory action is proposed and adopted in accordance with the provisions of this Paragraph. The procedure provided for in this Paragraph shall be specifically applicable to the following regulatory actions:

            (i) Regulations in effect on July 1, 2003, for which a written request for an amendment has been received as provided for in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection.

            (ii) Written requests by a collector for the adoption of a regulation as provided for in Paragraph (3) of this Subsection.

            (iii) Adoption, amendment, or repeal of regulations proposed after July 1, 2003, by the secretary.

            (b)(i) Any regulatory action concerning the regulations provided for in this Section shall be the same as is provided for in the Administrative Procedure Act, except as follows:

            (aa)(I) Before the secretary gives any notice of an intended regulatory action or submits a proposal to public review as required by R.S. 49:961(A) or (B), the secretary shall make a written request to the board for their input.

            (II) The secretary shall also make the same request of the board when a request has been received for an amendment of a regulation as provided for in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection or for the adoption of a regulation as provided for in Paragraph (3) of this Subsection.

            (bb)(I) Upon receipt of the secretary's request, the board may make a written request that the secretary convene a meeting at which she will receive the board's input and, if the board has requested such a meeting, it may appoint two representatives to attend the meeting. The meeting shall be held within fifteen days of such request, unless another time is agreed to by the board, at a time and location chosen by the secretary.

            (II) In the same manner, the secretary shall provide for the receipt of input from a representative of any collector who has made a written request for the amendment of a regulation as provided for in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection or for the adoption of a regulation as provided for in Paragraph (3) of this Subsection. In that case, if the collector also requests a meeting, the secretary shall convene such a meeting to receive such input from the collector within fifteen days of the request, unless another time is agreed to by the collector, at a time and place of the secretary's choosing; however, if more than two collectors have made a request for such a meeting, they shall select not more than two representatives to participate in such meeting on their behalf.

            (ii) Only after the procedure provided for in this Subparagraph has been followed may the secretary proceed to adopt, amend, or repeal the regulation in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. Oversight of such regulatory action shall be with the Senate Committee on Revenue and Fiscal Affairs and the House Committee on Ways and Means.

            (iii) After the regulation is finally adopted, amended, or repealed pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act, any taxpayer or collector may file an action in any court of competent jurisdiction seeking a declaratory judgment to declare such regulatory action contrary to or inconsistent with the statute.

            (iv) The regulatory action shall be effective for local taxing authorities in the same manner and at the same time it becomes effective for the state.

            (5) The provisions of Part H of this Chapter shall be the applicable procedure for the adoption of uniform regulations for provisions of law relative to sales and use tax law or its administration that is applicable only to local taxing authorities.

            D. However, in the interest of making the assessment, collection, administration, and enforcement of state and local sales tax uniform, it is the intention of the legislature that both the provisions of this Chapter and the provisions of local ordinances which are similar to provisions in Chapters 2, 2-A, 2-B, and 18 of this Subtitle shall be interpreted by the Board of Tax Appeals and the courts of this state to have the same meaning and application as the provisions in those Chapters.

            Acts 2003, No. 73, §1, eff. July 1, 2003; Acts 2004, No. 469, §1, eff. July 1, 2004; Acts 2014, No. 640, §2, eff. June 12, 2014; Acts 2017, No. 274, §2, eff. June 16, 2017.