A Louisiana House bill to create an independent district for the Acadiana Regional Airport passed through the House Transportation Committee Monday, with amendments that will give the Iberia Parish Council a final vote in its approval and authority in appointing and terminating members of the district. 

Rep. Beau Beaullieu, R-New Iberia, said the amendment was a sort of compromise after members of the parish council vehemently opposed the bill earlier this month. 

“After releasing the bill, some of our parish council members had some issues,” Beaullieu said. “They felt this was stepping backwards in their authority. To make sure this is the best thing for the parish, it would only move forward after their approval. 

The amendment would also give the parish council a “veto” to the final passage of the bill. The Iberia Parish Government has been the governing authority for the Acadiana Regional Airport for 50 years, Parish President Larry Richard said at the hearing, and one of the main contentions from parish government members was that they had only heard of the attempt to create an independent district weeks ago. 

“This is something we found out about five weeks ago,” Richard said. “I don’t think this is something we should be rushing to Baton Rouge for.”

After being asked whether he supports the amended version of the bill that adds parish government authority to the district, Richard said it was a step in the right direction but there was still a lot of work to do in regards to the bill. 

“Hopefully we can work with our representatives so this can be something we want for Iberia Parish,” Richard said. 

Chairman of the Iberia Parish Airport Commission Pat Norris said the creation of an independent airport district comes at a time when several other Louisiana airports are vying for the same strategy, and the plan had been approved by tenants of the airport as well as several other aviation organizations. 

Councilwoman Lady Brown, also present at the hearing, said she could not support the bill partly because of the process in which it occurred. 

“Such an approach undermines public trust and threatens the integrity of local oversight,” she said. 

With the passage of the amended bill, it now heads to the Louisiana House floor. If the bill passes in the House, the parish council will then have the final approval vote on the creation of the airport district.