2015 Louisiana Laws
Revised Statutes
TITLE 41 - Public Lands
RS 41:1215 - Opening of bids; execution of leases; exceptions; public benefit corporations; negotiated lease to nonprofit organizations

§1215. Opening of bids; execution of leases; exceptions; public benefit corporations; negotiated lease to nonprofit organizations

A.(1) At the date and hour mentioned in the advertisement for the consideration of bids, the bids shall be publicly opened by the lessor at its office. The lessor shall accept only the highest bid submitted to it by a person or persons who meet all the conditions of this Part except in the case where the lessor is a public benefit corporation as authorized and defined in Subsection B of this Section. The lessor shall have the right to reject all bids.

(2) Successful bidders shall pay for their leases by a certified check. In all other respects, the lessor may execute any lease granted under such terms and conditions as it deems proper or as otherwise provided in this Part.

(3) All leases signed by the lessor shall be executed in triplicate and shall be disposed of as follows: one copy shall be furnished to the lessee; one copy shall be recorded in the conveyance records of the parish or parishes in which the land lies; and one copy shall be retained in the records of the lessor.

B. For the purposes of this Part a "public benefit corporation" is defined to be a nonprofit corporation formed pursuant to the general nonprofit corporation law of the state of Louisiana, except those formed pursuant to specific constitutional or statutory authority, by a political subdivision of the state of Louisiana through its chief executive officer for the purposes of owning, leasing, developing, and operating properties owned by such political subdivision or by such public benefit corporation, including but not limited to planning, renovating, constructing, leasing, subleasing, managing, and promoting such properties, which activity is declared to constitute a public purpose, and which shall meet each of the following requirements:

(1) The corporation must not be organized for profit except to the extent of retiring indebtedness;

(2) The corporate income must not inure to any private person except for operating expenses, salaries;

(3) The political subdivisions must have a beneficial interest in the corporation while the indebtedness issued by the corporation to finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of property remains outstanding and it must obtain full legal title to the property of the corporation with respect to which the indebtedness was incurred upon retirement of such indebtedness;

(4) Nonprofit corporations which meet the requirements of a public benefit corporation as set forth herein and which own, lease, sublease, or control immovable property shall not be required to advertise for and receive bids as provided for in this Part, provided that any lease or sublease entered into by and between such nonprofit corporation and a third party be approved by the governing body of such political subdivision on behalf of which the corporation exercises its powers. Such leases or subleases be negotiated and let in accordance with objective criteria relating to a balance of factors including but not limited to highest rent or highest percentage of gross profits, quality control of products, financial stability, architectural design, uniqueness of operation, and overall economic importance to the primary objective of stimulating other industrial or commercial activity within such development;

(5) In the event that any person or other entity be unsuccessful in the bid for the lease or sublease of immovable property owned, leased or controlled by a public benefit corporation such person or other entity may, not later than thirty days following the occurrence of such event, appeal to the district court in which the political subdivision is located for such relief as may be provided by law. If no appeal is taken within said thirty day period, any such claim shall be prescribed;

(6) The corporation must be approved by the political subdivision creating it and any specific obligations issued or made by the corporation must also be approved by said political subdivision;

(7) All leases or subleases executed by a public benefit corporation under the provisions of this Part shall be for a period not exceeding thirty years and shall provide for a rental payable in cash monthly, quarterly, or annually, at the discretion of the lessor.

(8) Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (7) of this Subsection and R.S. 41:1217, any lease or sublease executed by a public benefit corporation under the provisions of this Part, in the city of New Orleans, shall be for a period not exceeding ninety-nine years and shall provide for a monthly rental payable in cash.

C. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, in the event that a state property designated as nonessential in accordance with R.S. 41:140 has been offered unsuccessfully for lease or sale through public bid due either to lack of receipt of bids or to rejection of all bids received, the commissioner of administration is authorized to negotiate the lease of such property to any nonprofit organization qualified as a tax exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 and organized for a public purpose. Such negotiated lease shall provide that the lessee assumes responsibility for proper maintenance and upkeep of the property for the term of the lease and provide that the state shall be held harmless for any liability arising, in tort or otherwise, from the lease of the property or any use thereof. A notice stating the amount of the lease, the property to be leased and the date, time, and place of the execution of the proposed lease shall be published in the official state journal at least twice within a fifteen-day period before such execution date with the last publication at least seven days prior to the proposed execution date. Publication of the notice shall be the responsibility of the proposed nonprofit lessor.

Acts 1967, No. 33, §2; Acts 1976, No. 693, §1; Acts 1984, No. 807, §1; Acts 1989, 2nd Ex. Sess., No. 3, §1, eff. July 14, 1989; Acts 1990, No. 737, §1, eff. July 24, 1990; Acts 1991, No. 289, §13; Acts 1991, No. 899, §1; Acts 2011, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 37, §1; Acts 2014, No. 236, §1.