NOTE: §154.3 eff. until July 1, 2020. See Acts 2018, No. 612.

§154.3. Crescent City Connection amnesty program; Crescent City Amnesty Refund Fund; disposition

A. Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 9:154 or any other provision of law to the contrary, the provisions of this Section shall apply to monies collected as a result of the amnesty program provided for in R.S. 47:7019.1 for those persons who failed to pay a toll to cross the Crescent City Connection Bridge, prior to January 1, 2013.

B. Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 48:1161.2(D)(c), and prior to appropriation of any monies to the New Orleans Regional Planning Commission, on July 1, 2014, one hundred twenty-eight thousand six hundred eighty-one dollars of monies on deposit in the Crescent City Transition Fund shall be deemed abandoned funds for the purposes of treatment as unclaimed property in accordance with the provisions of this Section.

C. Funds that are deemed abandoned funds pursuant to this Section shall be immediately transferred from the Crescent City Transition Fund by the state treasurer in his capacity as administrator of the Uniform Unclaimed Property Act. The state treasurer shall deposit these funds into the Crescent City Amnesty Refund Fund as provided in this Section, and shall provide for the return of such funds to their owners in accordance with the Uniform Unclaimed Property Act during the term set forth in R.S. 47:7019.2. The state treasurer shall further provide for the payment of all unexpended and unencumbered funds remaining in the Crescent City Amnesty Refund Fund as of July 1, 2015, in accordance with the provisions of this Section.

D.(1) There is hereby created the Crescent City Amnesty Refund Fund as a special fund in the state treasury, hereinafter referred to as the "fund". The source of monies for the fund shall be the monies transferred from the Crescent City Transition Fund as provided for in this Section.

(2) After compliance with the requirements of Article VII, Section 9(B) of the Constitution of Louisiana, relative to the Bond Security and Redemption Fund, an amount equal to that deposited into the state treasury from the foregoing sources shall be deposited in and credited to the fund. The monies in the fund shall be invested by the treasurer in the same manner as the state general fund, and interest earnings shall be deposited into the fund.

(3) All unexpended and unencumbered monies remaining in the fund on July 1, 2015, shall be appropriated as follows:

(a) An amount not to exceed thirty percent of the monies in the fund shall be appropriated to the Department of Transportation and Development for operational and maintenance costs for the New Orleans ferries, formerly operated by its Crescent City Connection Division.

(b) The balance of the monies in the fund as of July 1, 2015, shall be appropriated to the New Orleans Regional Planning Commission for lighting of the eastbank and westbank approaches to the Crescent City Connection Bridge, including General DeGaulle and the Westbank Expressway approach through ground level, improvements to ingress and egress points, lighting, maintenance, grass cutting, and landscaping of the Westbank Expressway and its connecting arteries.

(4) The state treasurer shall be relieved of all liability which may arise with respect to such distribution of funds.

E. All data associated with monies deposited into the Crescent City Transition Fund that was collected by the Department of Transportation and Development pursuant to R.S. 47:7013.1 shall be transferred by such department to the state treasurer pursuant to this Section and shall be provided by such department to the Unclaimed Property Division in an electronic format as designated by such division.

F. For the purposes of this Section, holder requirements under R.S. 9:159 shall be deemed waived.

G. The state treasurer in his capacity as administrator of the Uniform Unclaimed Property Act may establish policies and procedures as necessary to implement the provisions of this Section.

H. All books, papers, and records transferred to the state treasurer pursuant to this Section shall be retained for a period of no less than five years following such transfer.

I. The provisions of this Section shall supersede and control to the extent of conflict with any other provision of law.

NOTE: §154.3 eff. July 1, 2020. See Acts 2018, No. 612.

§154.3. Crescent City Connection amnesty program; disposition

Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the Crescent City Amnesty Refund Fund is hereby abolished and any monies remaining in the fund shall be transferred for the use of the Department of Transportation and Development.

Acts 2014, No. 762, §1, eff. June 19, 2014; Acts 2018, No. 612, §3, eff. July 1, 2020.