§2077. Jurisdiction; powers of authority

The authority may exercise powers necessary, appurtenant, convenient, or incidental to the carrying out of its purposes, including but not limited to the following rights and powers:

(1) The authority may adopt rules and regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, subject to oversight by the House and Senate Transportation, Highways and Public Works Committees, necessary to carry out the purposes of the authority, for the governance of its affairs, and for the conduct of its business.

(2) To adopt, use, and alter at will an official seal.

(3) To plan, or construct, reconstruct, maintain, improve, operate, own, or lease projects within its jurisdiction in the manner determined by the authority and to pay any project costs in connection therewith.

(4) To sue and be sued in its own name.

(5) To impose, revise, and adjust from time to time tolls, fees, and charges in connection with its projects sufficient to pay all project costs, maintenance, operation, debt service and reserve or replacement costs, and other necessary or usual charges.

(6) To regulate speed limits on the tollways consistent with state speed limits.

(7) To contract with any person, partnership, association, or corporation desiring the use of any part of a project, including the right-of-way adjoining the paved portion, for placing thereon telephone, fiber optic, telegraph, electric light, or power lines, gas stations, garages, and restaurants, or for any other purpose, and to fix the terms, conditions, rents, and rates of charges limited to no more than the authority's direct and actual cost of administering the permitting process.

(8) To acquire, hold, and dispose of real and personal property in the exercise of its powers and the performance of its duties under this Chapter in accordance with law.

(9) To acquire public or private lands in the name of the authority by purchase, donation, exchange, foreclosure, lease, or otherwise, including rights or easements, or by the exercise of the power of eminent domain in the manner hereinafter provided, as it may deem necessary for carrying out the provisions of this Chapter.

(10) To hold, sell, assign, lease, or otherwise dispose of any real or personal property or any interest therein; to release or relinquish any right, title, claim, lien, interest, easement, or demand however acquired, including any equity or right of redemption in property foreclosed by it; to take assignments of leases and rentals; to proceed with foreclosure actions; or to take any other actions necessary or incidental to the performance of its corporate purposes.

(11) To establish control of access, designate the location, and establish, limit, and control points of ingress and egress for each project as may be necessary or desirable in the judgment of the authority to ensure its proper operation and maintenance, and to prohibit entrance to such project from any point or points not so designated, subject to the prior written concurrence of the department when the state highway system is affected.

(12) To relocate parish, municipal, or other public roads affected or severed by authority projects with equal or better facilities at the expense of the authority.

(13) To enter, or authorize its agents to enter, upon any lands, waters, and premises within the geographic boundaries of the authority for the purpose of making surveys, soundings, drillings, and examinations as it may deem necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this Chapter provided that the authority shall reimburse any actual damages resulting to such lands, waters, and premises as a result of such activities; such entry shall not be deemed a trespass or unlawful.

(14) To procure insurance in such amount or amounts appropriate to the size of the project, as determined by the authority, insuring the authority against all losses, risk, and liability arising out of the construction, operation, maintenance, and ownership of any project.

(15) To apply for, receive, and accept grants, loans, advances, and contributions from any source of money, property, labor, or other things of value, to be held, used, and applied for its corporate purposes.

(16) To open accounts at financial institutions necessary for the conduct of its business and to invest any funds held in reserves or sinking funds, or any funds not required for immediate disbursement in such investments as may be provided in any financing document relating to the use of such funds, or, if not so provided, as the authority may determine, subject to compliance with state laws relative to investments by political subdivisions.

(17) To borrow money and issue bonds for any authority purpose. The bonds shall be authorized and issued by one or more resolutions adopted by a majority vote of the members of the authority and shall be payable solely from the income and revenues as set forth in the resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds.

(18) To enter contracts and agreements and execute all instruments necessary or convenient thereto with any federal or state governmental agency, public or private corporation, lending institution, or other entity or person for accomplishing the purposes of the authority.

(19) To enter into agreements with a public or private entity to construct, maintain, repair, or operate authority projects.

(20) To authorize the investment of public and private money to finance authority projects, subject to compliance with state law relative to use of public funds.

(21) To employ consultants, engineers, attorneys, accountants, construction and financial experts, superintendents, managers, and such other employees and agents necessary for the accomplishment of authority purposes, and to fix their compensation.

(22) To exercise the power of eminent domain in accordance with Part XVIII of Chapter 1 of this Title.

(23) To receive, administer, and expend appropriations from the legislature and financial assistance, guarantees, insurance, or subsidies from the federal or state government.

(24) Repealed by Acts 2015, No. 275, §2, eff. June 29, 2015.

(25) To do all acts and perform things necessary or convenient to execute the powers granted to the authority by law.

Acts 2001, No. 1209, §2; Acts 2005, No. 256, §2, eff. June 29, 2005; Acts 2006, No. 685, §1; Acts 2015, No. 275, §2, eff. June 29, 2015.