Committee approves amendments to bill creating Iberia Parish airport district after local objections

The House Transportation Committee on Monday adopted amendments to House Bill 6 13 that would create an Iberia Parish airport district for the Acadiana Regional Airport but preserve parish council authority over appointments and final approval. The committee adopted two amendment sets, including one that added a requirement that the district not be created without majority approval of the Iberia Parish Council and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Representative Volier introduced the bill as a mechanism to transition the municipal airport to a district similar to other airport districts around the state. "In Iberia Parish, we have the Acadiana Regional Airport. It's set up as a municipal airport ... we're looking to create an airport district," Volier told the committee. Staff presented a set of 23 amendments (identified as 13 46) that were primarily technical; a second 4‑amendment set (25 58) added the council and FAA approval language and altered board composition and quorum rules. "We are amending the bill to give the Iberia Parish Council the full appointing authority," Volier said.

Public comment reflected both support and opposition. Patrick Norris, chairman of the Iberia Parish Airport Commission, spoke in favor, saying the commission and local airport tenants back the move and that other airports are forming districts this legislative session. "The commission wants to be on the same playing field as so many other airports throughout the state," Norris said. Two Iberia Parish officials — Councilwoman Lady Fontenette Brown (District 12) and Parish President M. Larry Richard — spoke in opposition, saying they had not been consulted and expressing concern about local control over a parish asset. "This is a failure of transparency and respect for local governance," Councilwoman Brown said, urging the committee to consider the broader impact on local authority.

Key changes and reasoning

The amendments: (1) require majority approval of the Iberia Parish Council and the FAA before the district can be created; (2) give the parish council authority to appoint all district board members and to remove members by majority vote; (3) revise domicile requirements for board members to ensure representation from New Iberia and the city of Jeanerette; and (4) raise the quorum requirement for the district board to four members. Representative Volier said those changes were made after parish council members raised concerns that the original bill reduced their current appointing authority.

Committee action and next steps

Both amendment sets were adopted without recorded objection; the bill was reported by the committee as amended. Supporters said the changes attach county oversight to the new district and will require the parish council’s "stamp of approval" before a district could be established. Opponents, including a councilwoman and the parish president, asked for more time and more local engagement before the legislature moves the measure further.

Why it matters

The change would alter governance of local airport operations: moving from a municipal commission appointed by the parish council to a district with statutory authority. The adopted amendments preserve the council’s power to appoint and remove board members and require its approval to create the district, addressing the objections raised during public testimony. The bill as amended proceeds in the legislative process.