Louisiana § RS 47:820.5.8 - Toll collection on the Crescent City Connection Bridge; proposition

§ RS 47:820.5.8. Toll collection on the Crescent City Connection Bridge; proposition

A.  The governor shall call an election to be held at the same time as the statewide election held on November 6, 2012, in the election area to determine whether tolls shall be collected  beginning on January 1, 2013, and ending on December 31, 2033, on the Crescent City Connection Bridge, at the rate provided by law.

B.  As used in this Section, the following terms shall mean:

(1)  "Crescent City Connection Bridge" collectively shall mean Bridges No. 1 and No. 2, comprising the Crescent City Connection.

(2)  "Election area" shall mean the parishes of Jefferson, Orleans, and Plaquemines.

C.  The ballot for the election shall state as follows:

"PROPOSITION ON CRESCENT CITY CONNECTION BRIDGE TOLL

Shall the toll be renewed and collected on the Crescent City Connection Bridge at the rate provided by law beginning on January 1, 2013, and ending on December 31, 2033, with the toll revenue dedicated solely for the following purposes along U.S. 90Z from Interstate 10 to U.S. 90: operations, maintenance, landscaping, grass cutting, trash pickup, functional and ornamental lighting, police functions, inspections, motorist assistance patrols, and capital projects on the bridges, approaches, and roadways and with further authorization for such tolls to be funded into revenue bonds for any one or more capital projects?"

D.(1)  If a majority of the qualified electors of the election area voting on the proposition approve the proposition, the tolls shall be renewed and collected on the Crescent City Connection Bridge, at the rate provided by law, such collection beginning on January 1, 2013, and ending on December 31, 2033.

(2)  If a majority of the qualified electors of the election area voting on the proposition vote against such proposition, then no such toll shall be renewed and collected on the Crescent City Connection Bridge.

E.  The secretary of state shall prepare the ballot for the election.

F.  Except as otherwise provided, the election required pursuant to this Section shall be conducted in accordance with the Louisiana Election Code.

G.  Notwithstanding Chapter 8-A of the Louisiana Election Code, the costs of the election required pursuant to this Section shall be borne by the state.

Acts 2012, No. 865, §1, eff. June 15, 2012.

NOTE:  The election provided for in Section 1 of Act 865 was held on November 6, 2012, resulting in the renewal of the tolls.  The election was challenged in December, 2012 in the suit entitled Michael J. Teachworth v. Bobby Jindal, et al.  In March, 2013, the November election result was nullified and the court ordered an election on the toll referendum for voters in Orleans, Jefferson and Plaquemines parishes on May 4, 2013, at which time the tolls were rejected.