Louisiana Revised Statutes 34:3463 – Misuse of funds; withholding of distribution; notification of district attorney
Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes 34:3463
- Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
- Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
- Joint committee: Committees including membership from both houses of teh legislature. Joint committees are usually established with narrow jurisdictions and normally lack authority to report legislation.
- Joint committee: means the House Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works and the Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works, functioning as a joint legislative committee. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 34:3451
- Port authority: means the governing authority of any port area or port, harbor, and terminal district. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 34:3451
A.(1) If, on the basis of the report of the legislative auditor, or from its own investigation, the Legislative Audit Advisory Council, hereinafter referred to as the “council”, determines that there has been a misuse by a recipient port authority of funds from the program, it shall then determine whether a partial or total withholding of the authority’s appropriation for any remaining portion of the current fiscal year shall be necessary. Should the council determine that it is necessary to withhold all or any part of the authority’s appropriation, the council shall send notification of its determination to the co-chairmen of the joint committee and to each member of the legislature who represents any portion of the authority.
(2) If, thirty days after the co-chairmen and the members of the legislature are notified, the council determines that the misuse has not yet ceased, the council shall, by written resolution, instruct the state treasurer to immediately suspend distributions to the port authority of funds appropriated for the program. The suspension of funds shall remain in effect until the Legislative Audit Advisory Council verifies, in writing, to the state treasurer that the offending authority is again in compliance with this Chapter. Such written verification shall be given when the legislative auditor certifies to the council that, to the best of his knowledge, the authority is in compliance with this Chapter or, in the absence of said certification, when the council determines that the authority is in compliance with this Chapter. Upon receipt of the council’s written verification, the state treasurer shall reinstate the distribution of funds and distribute all funds previously withheld to the affected recipient port authority.
(3) The council shall report any action it has taken with regard to the suspension of funds to the joint committee and to the legislature at the next regular session, along with any recommendations it may have for forfeiture of suspended funds by those authorities which are still in noncompliance with this Chapter. Forfeiture of funds can be authorized only by the legislature.
B. In any case where there has been a determination made by the council that there has been a misuse by a recipient port authority of funds appropriated for the program, the council shall furnish a copy of the written resolution directing the state treasurer to withhold funds to the district attorney of the parish or parishes where the misuse of funds occurred. The district attorney shall, within thirty days, advise the chairman of the council as to action he has taken or proposes to take in connection with the misuse of funds cited in the resolution. Where future action is proposed by the district attorney, the council shall set a date for receipt of further advice in the matter. Where such advice is not forthcoming from the district attorney, or where it is evident that suitable action has not been taken, the council shall report the matter to the joint committee and to the legislature at its next regular session for whatever action the joint committee and the legislature deems advisable under the circumstances.
Acts 1989, No. 452, §1, eff. June 30, 1989.