§208. Offices; purposes and functions

A. The purposes for which the offices of the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism are created shall be as set forth in this Section.

B. The office of the state library shall perform the duties and functions of the state library in accordance with applicable law. The state librarian shall be responsible for establishing a system of depositories for state public documents, and for the deposit and distribution of state public documents to the depositories, as provided in R.S. 25:121 through R.S. 25:124.1.

C. The office of the state museum shall administer, manage, operate, and maintain the Louisiana State Museum, including all buildings, collections, and exhibitions of the Louisiana State Museum complex in New Orleans and other museums which may be established under the jurisdiction of the museum; except that the board of directors of the Louisiana State Museum shall continue to exercise its powers, duties, and functions with respect to accessions and deaccessions of museum properties and collections, and the members thereof shall continue to serve as trustees for the William Irby Trust.

D. The office of state parks shall plan, design, construct, operate, and maintain a system of parks, natural areas, and recreational facilities and shall perform the functions of the state relating to outdoor recreation development and trails, all in accordance with applicable laws.

E. The office of cultural development shall perform the functions of the state relating to the arts, historical and archaeological preservation, crafts, humanities, cultural heritages and traditions, and related cultural programs and activities assigned to it by law or by the secretary. The office shall administer the provisions of law relating to the State Capitol Historic District. In addition, the office shall perform the functions of the state relating to planning and development of all museums and cultural collections transferred to the department, except state historic sites of the office of state parks and the Louisiana State Museum. The office shall be comprised of three divisions: the division of the arts as created by R.S. 25:891 et seq., the division of historic preservation as created by R.S. 25:911 et seq., and the division of archaeology as created by R.S. 41:1601 et seq.

F. The office of tourism shall develop and implement a program to promote the historical, cultural, recreational, and scenic legacy of the state, and all activities of the department, based on a master plan; shall be responsible for performing the functions of the state relating to promotion and advertisement of the historical, cultural, recreational, and commercial sites, events, and assets of the state; shall encourage and promote tourism and the tourist industry for the benefit of the people of this and other states and as a developing economic resource; and shall cooperate with local tourist promotion and convention agencies; all in accordance with applicable laws.

G. Repealed by Acts 2001, No. 9, §10, eff. July 1, 2001.

H. Repealed by Acts 1998, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 148, §10.

Acts 1970, No. 137, §1; Acts 1975, No. 292, §1; Acts 1976, No. 513, §1; Acts 1977, No. 83, §1, eff. June 22, 1977; Acts 1979, No. 215, §1; Acts 1979, No. 650, §2; Acts 1982, No. 154, §1, eff. July 1, 1982; Acts 1982, No. 264, §1; Acts 1982, No. 329, §1, eff. July 18, 1982; Acts 1982, No. 511, §2; Acts 1982, No. 698, §1. Acts 1983, No. 687, §5; Acts 1983, No. 688, §5; Acts 1986, No. 372, §2; Acts 1986, No. 464, §2; Acts 1986, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 17, §1, eff. Dec. 24, 1986; Acts 1988, No. 326, §1, eff. July 7, 1988; Acts 1988, 2nd Ex Sess., No. 1, §2, eff. Oct. 13, 1988; Acts 1989, No. 687, §2; Acts 1990, No. 726, §2; Acts 1991, No. 9, §2, eff. June 6, 1991; Acts 1992, No. 655, §2; Acts 1997, No. 785, §2; Acts 1998, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 148, §10; Acts 1999, No. 709, §1; Acts 2001, No. 9, §10, eff. July 1, 2001; Acts 2008, No. 908, §2, eff. July 11, 2008.

NOTE: See Acts 1998, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 147, §§2 and 3.