§63.  Community action agency; appointment, responsibilities

A.  The parish governing authority, by resolution or ordinance, shall designate a community action agency to administer the applicable provisions of this Part and such designation shall be on an annual basis.  Prior to making such designation, the parish governing authority shall conduct a public hearing, after giving public notice of its intention to designate an agency.  The public hearing shall include an evaluation of the administrative and programmatic capabilities of the agency or agencies under consideration for designation as the community action agency for the area.

Prior to making such designation, the local governing authority shall consider the previous accomplishments of the agency or agencies under consideration for designation and the ability of each to conduct community action programs, including but not limited to the following service components designed to assist program participants to:

(1)  Secure and retain meaningful employment.

(2)  Attain an adequate education.

(3)  Make better use of available income.

(4)  Secure and maintain adequate housing.

(5)  Undertake family planning consistent with personal and family goals, and religious and moral convictions.

(6)  Obtain services for the prevention and treatment of habit forming chemicals and substances, and for rehabilitation services, where needed.

(7)  Obtain emergency assistance through loans or grants to meet immediate and urgent individual and family needs, including health services, nutritious foods, housing, employment, and related assistance.

(8)  Achieve greater participation in the affairs of the community.

(9)  Be informed of and obtain income substitutes.

(10)  Make more frequent and effective use of other programs, public and private, that offer services related to the purpose of this Part.

B.  As may be determined necessary or at the request of a legislator or legislative delegation representing a district or districts in which the community action agency provides services, the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget may direct the Louisiana Workforce Commission, the appropriate state funding agency, or the legislative fiscal office to conduct evaluations of community action agencies providing services under the provisions of this Part.  Such evaluations may involve specific programs or encompass the entire range of activities, including administration, of any community action agency.  Such evaluations shall be transmitted to the local governing authority, the appropriate legislative delegation, the commission, the Senate Committee on Local and Municipal Affairs, the House Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs, and the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget.

C.  A community action agency shall:

(1)  Compile information and data which reflects the needs of low income individuals in the geographical area served by the agency and identify the extent to which those needs are unmet by public and private agencies serving the area.

(2)  Develop and implement programs and projects designed to serve unmet needs of individuals with low income and provide for maximum feasible participation in these programs and projects by eligible individuals.

(3)  Establish procedures and adopt rules which enable area residents to influence the characters of services provided by community action agencies.

(4)  Join with and encourage private organizations to undertake activities in support of the community action program that will result in additional use of private resources and capabilities in accomplishing the purposes of this Part.

(5)  Provide technical assistance to public and private agencies engaged in activities related to the community action program to enable them to seek out, secure, and administer public and private funds available for their activities.

(6)  Provide other services that are determined by the Louisiana Workforce Commission to be consistent with the purposes of this Part.  The department shall establish these requirements in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, R.S. 49:950 et seq.

D.  Each community action agency must prepare and submit annually to the Louisiana Workforce Commission, the Senate Committee on Local and Municipal Affairs, the House Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs, and the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, not later than sixty days prior to the end of the applicable fiscal year period used by the community action agency, a budget document which shall present a complete financial plan for the ensuing fiscal year period which has been approved and adopted by the community action agency's governing board.  The chief administrative officer of the community action agency shall be responsible for the preparation of the budget document, which shall include at a minimum the following:

(1)  A budget message signed by the chief administrative officer which shall present a summary description of the proposed financial plan, policies, and objectives.

(2)  A detailed and comprehensive breakdown of all programs administered, estimates of all grants and funds received, estimates of expenditures itemized by function and object, administrative costs incurred, and contractual services secured, all reported for both the current and succeeding fiscal year periods.  The budget document shall also include a complete listing of all employees and their classifications and salary levels, including any related fringe benefits.

E.  The Louisiana Workforce Commission or the appropriate funding agency shall impose, by rules and regulations, such requirements and restrictions upon the execution of community action agency budgets which provide for sound fiscal management, internal controls, budgetary compliance, and overall fiscal accountability.  These shall, at a minimum, provide for quarterly reporting of actual revenue receipts and expenditures, new or supplementary grants of funds, and all other deviations from the original budget submission.  The departments shall report to the Senate Committee on Local and Municipal Affairs, the House Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs, and the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget instances identified wherein a community action agency's operations have not complied with the requirements of this Section.

Added by Acts 1982, No. 818, §1, eff. Aug. 4, 1982; Acts 1985, No. 993, §1; Acts 1989, No. 512, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1990; Acts 1992, No. 447, §1, eff. June 20, 1992; Acts 2008, No. 743, §7, eff. July 1, 2008.