§197. Motor vehicle license tax; Regional Maintenance and Improvement Fund

            A.(1) Beginning January 1, 2013, through June 30, 2019, after compliance with the requirements of Article VII, Section 9(B) of the Constitution of Louisiana, and after making the allocation for state highway fund No. 2, the treasurer shall deposit into the Transportation Trust Fund fifty percent of all funds derived from the collection of registration and license fees and taxes collected by the state pursuant to R.S. 47:462, and as provided in R.S. 47:481, in the parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, St. John the Baptist, St. Charles, Tangipahoa, and St. Tammany.

            (2) Beginning July 1, 2019, and each fiscal year thereafter, after compliance with the requirements of Article VII, Section 9(B) of the Constitution of Louisiana, after making the allocation for state highway fund No. 2 for the Greater New Orleans Expressway Commission, and after making the allocation for the New Orleans Ferry Fund pursuant to R.S. 48:25.2, and after making the allocation to the Regional Maintenance and Improvement Fund, the treasurer shall deposit into the Transportation Trust Fund fifty percent of the remaining monies derived from the collection of registration and license fees and taxes collected by the state pursuant to R.S. 47:462, and as provided in R.S. 47:481, in the parishes of Jefferson, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, Tangipahoa, and St. Tammany.

            B.(1) There is hereby created, as a special fund in the state treasury, the Regional Maintenance and Improvement Fund, hereinafter referred to as the "fund". Beginning July 1, 2019, and each fiscal year thereafter, after compliance with the requirements of Article VII, Section 9(B) of the Constitution of Louisiana, after making the allocation for state highway fund No. 2 for the Greater New Orleans Expressway Commission, and after making the allocation for the New Orleans Ferry Fund pursuant to R.S. 48:25.2, the treasurer shall deposit into the fund fifty percent of the remaining monies derived from the collection of registration and license fees and taxes collected by the state pursuant to R.S. 47:462, and as provided in R.S. 47:481, in Jefferson Parish.

            (2) The monies in the fund shall be subject to an annual appropriation by the legislature and shall be used only as provided in Paragraph (3) of this Subsection. The monies in the fund shall be invested by the treasurer in the same manner as the monies in the state general fund, and all interest earned shall be deposited and credited to the fund. All unexpended or unencumbered monies remaining in the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall remain to the credit of the fund.

            (3) Monies in the fund shall be appropriated to Jefferson Parish and used exclusively for maintenance and improvements along the Westbank Expressway US 90 Business corridor located in Jefferson Parish, including the operation and maintenance of all lighting previously operated and maintained by the Department of Transportation and Development.

            Acts 2012, No. 866, §2, eff. Jan. 1, 2013; Acts 2019, No. 362, §5, eff. June 11, 2019; Acts 2021, No. 315, §1.