SUBPART H. STATE CAPITOL COMPLEX

§150.1. State capitol complex; allocation of space; maintenance; law enforcement officer and firefighter memorial; Gold Star Families monument; African-American military service members monument

            A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, and particularly any contrary provision of R.S. 49:146, the allocation and use of space within the state capitol, pentagon courts buildings, and the Old Arsenal Museum shall be as provided in this Subpart. The provisions of this Subpart shall apply to the subbasement, basement, and all floors of the state capitol, all buildings in the pentagon courts, and the Old Arsenal Museum.

            B. The fourth floor and three floors of the state capitol building shall be allocated to and be used by the governor for his office, the offices of the members of his personal staff, and the offices of such other personnel of agencies within the office of the governor as the governor shall determine.

            C. In addition to the provisions of Subsection B of this Section, four floors of the state capitol building shall be designated for use by the attorney general and one floor of the state capitol building shall be designated for use by the treasurer and the secretary of state. That space leased to members of the press on July 1, 1979, by the division of administration shall constitute the press area of the capitol and shall be under the control of the governor; provided however, if renovations require temporary or permanent reassignment of the press to another area of the capitol such reassignment shall be determined and made jointly by the governor, the speaker of the House of Representatives, and the president of the Senate.

            D. The designation of the eight floors as set forth in Subsections B and C of this Section, not including the fourth floor, shall be jointly determined by the governor, the speaker of the House of Representatives, and the president of the Senate.

            E.(1) All areas of the state capitol, pentagon courts buildings, and Old Arsenal Museum not allocated under the provisions of Subsections B and C of this Section shall be for the sole use of the legislature, its agencies and officers, and the employees of the legislature and its agencies. In addition, the former nurses' dormitory at the Our Lady of the Lake Hospital, located on Capitol Lake, shall be for the sole use of the legislature, its agencies and officers, and the employees of the legislature and its agencies until such time as it shall be renovated in accordance with the Capitol Complex Master Plan and it shall then revert to the control of the division of administration.

            (2) The time at which such renovation shall begin shall be determined jointly by the president of the Senate, the speaker of the House of Representatives, and the commissioner of administration. The allocation of these areas shall be made by the legislature by joint rule or through the Legislative Budgetary Control Council.

            F. Except as otherwise provided in this Section, the director of the office of state buildings shall have charge of the management, operation, and maintenance of the state capitol building, pentagon courts buildings, the Old Arsenal Museum, and the capitol complex grounds. In the performance of the duties specified in this Subsection, the director shall be under the authority and direction of the governor, the speaker of the House of Representatives, and the president of the Senate.

            G. In accordance with R.S. 25:781 through 785 and subject to the joint approval and oversight of the governor, the president of the Senate, and the speaker of the House of Representatives, the director of the office of state buildings shall:

            (1) Set aside and maintain an area on the grounds of the state capitol east of the Old Arsenal Museum for a memorial honoring law enforcement officers and firefighters who are killed in the line of duty;

            (2) Plan, implement, and maintain the memorial itself; and

            (3) Establish and maintain a fund to consist of private donations, grants, and other similar, but non-state, monies which he shall use with respect to the establishment, and maintenance of the memorial.

            H.(1) Subject to the joint approval and oversight of the governor, the president of the Senate, and the speaker of the House of Representatives, the director of the office of state buildings shall do all of the following:

            (a) Set aside and maintain an appropriate area accessible to the public on the east side of the state capitol on the grounds surrounding the Old Arsenal Museum known as the Louisiana Veterans Memorial Park, for a monument honoring the sacrifices of Louisiana Gold Star Families.

            (b) Plan, implement, and maintain the monument.

            (2) The funding source for the initial construction of the monument shall consist solely of private donations, grants, and other nonpublic monies; however, public funds may be used to maintain the monument.

            I.(1) Subject to the joint approval and oversight of the governor, the president of the Senate, and the speaker of the House of Representatives, the director of the office of state buildings shall do all of the following:

            (a) Set aside and maintain an appropriate area accessible to the public on the east side of the state capitol on the grounds surrounding the Old Arsenal Museum, known as the Louisiana Veterans Memorial Park, for a monument honoring the service and sacrifices of African-American military service members and their families throughout the history of the United States of America, including their service and sacrifices in the longest siege in American history at Port Hudson during the American Civil War, and their service and sacrifices in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, among other conflicts.

            (b) Plan, implement, and maintain the monument.

            (2) The funding source for the initial construction of the monument shall consist solely of private donations, grants, and other nonpublic monies; however, public funds may be used to maintain the monument.

            Amended by Acts 1979, No. 204, §1; Acts 1984, No. 882, §1, eff. July 20, 1984; Acts 1987, No. 260, §1; Acts 1989, No. 710, §1; Acts 2018, No. 1, §1, eff. April 19, 2018; Acts 2021, No. 432, §1, eff. June 21, 2021.