§11. Powers, duties, and staff of adjutant general

            A. The adjutant general has control of the military department, subject to the orders of the governor, and performs the duties pertaining to the office of adjutant general under the laws of Louisiana and applicable federal law and regulations.

            B. The adjutant general shall have the authority to appoint, assign, promote, transfer, and separate all officers, including assistant adjutants general, in accordance with regulations promulgated and as provided in this Title.

            C. The adjutant general shall have such staff as may be required and any other officers, clerks, or other employees necessary for the operation of the army national guard, the air national guard, and other components of the department. All such personnel authorized herein shall be under the direction and control of the adjutant general. The staff of the adjutant general shall assist the adjutant general.

            D.(1) He shall superintend the preparation of all letters and reports pertaining to military affairs required by the United States of America from the state. He shall have charge of and is the responsible contracting authority for the state military reservations and all other state property kept, used, or operated by the military department.

            (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the adjutant general may authorize the use of federal contracting by the National Guard Bureau through the United States Property and Fiscal Officer (USPFO) for design and construction services on state lands. When the amount of federal funding equals or exceeds the amount of state matching funds required for a project, he may provide the state matching funds to the USPFO to initiate contracts for design and construction services pursuant to cooperative agreements entered into with the National Guard Bureau. The authority to provide the state matching dollars granted by this Paragraph applies only during the last three months of the federal fiscal year and when the amount of the federal funds available for construction does not exceed ten million dollars for any single construction project.

            E. The adjutant general is the official custodian of the military records of all persons who serve in the organized militia of this state.

            F. The adjutant general is hereby authorized and it shall be his duty to issue rules and regulations for the government of the militia. The rules and regulations issued hereunder shall have the same force and effect as provisions of this Chapter.

            G. The adjutant general shall have the power and authority to engage in programs, operations, and military affairs and to provide services to the United States of America and the state of Louisiana and its political subdivisions, and may initiate such other operations, programs, and activities with respect thereto as may be deemed advisable; he may enter into contracts for labor, goods, and supplies with private individuals and entities or governmental agencies; and he may provide labor, goods, and services to the United States and its agencies for any operation, program, or activity authorized by state or federal law. Nothing in this Subsection shall supersede the provisions of Chapter 17 of Title 39 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950 as they apply to entering into contracts with nongovernmental entities.

            H. The adjutant general shall have full power and authority to sign all contracts, papers, deeds, leases, agreements, and cooperative endeavors and to do all acts necessary and proper to accomplish any and all acts necessary or incidental to the operation of the military department.

            Acts 1974, No. 622, §1. Acts 1983, No. 297, §1; Acts 1985, No. 61, §1; Acts 1992, No. 530, §1, eff. July 1, 1992; Acts 1993, No. 795, §1, eff. June 22, 1993; Acts 2015, No. 188, §1.