2025 Legislative Bills
Three Louisiana House Bills (HB) have been filed in the 2025 State Legislative Session that would impact BREC; HB86, HB87 and HB 649.
House Bill 86 would change the make-up of the BREC Commission.
What is House Bill 86?
House Bill 86 is a state bill proposed in the 2025 Louisiana legislative session that would change the make-up of the BREC Commission.
Current: The current make-up of 9 Commissioners with appointments as follows
- 6 Appointed by the Metro Council
- 1 Appointed by the Mayor-President of Baton Rouge
- 1 Appointed by the East Baton Rouge Parish (EBRP) School Board
- 1 Appointed by the East Baton Rouge Parish (EBRP) Planning Commission
Proposed: A proposed make-up of 5 Commissioners being the mayors of the cities within East Baton Rouge Parish as follows:
- Mayor-President of Baton Rouge
- Mayor of the City of Baker
- Mayor of the City of Zachary
- Mayor of the City of Central
- Mayor of the City of St. George
Key Facts
- The Commission make-up is set forth by the law that created BREC and has been the same for almost 80 years while BREC has won 3 National Gold Medal awards and been a finalist for the Gold Medal almost two dozen times.
- The make-up was designed with representation from all across the parish. It requires all 12 elected council members to vote on 6 of the 9 members along with representation from parish-wide stakeholder municipalities, including the City-Parish, the East Baton Rouge Parish School System, and the East Baton Rouge Parish Planning Commission.
- The bill would give equal voting rights on decisions about BREC policies and plans to each of the 5 Mayors.
What is House Bill 87?
House Bill 87 is a state bill proposed in the 2025 Louisiana legislative session that would repeal the law that created BREC in 1946. If passed, this bill proposes to:
- Eliminate BREC as a special district that functions as East Baton Rouge Parish’s parks and recreation system and effectively make it a department of City-Parish government
- Transfer all 175 parks, the Baton Rouge Zoo, its 5 golf courses, 500+ employees, and assets as well as the operations, management and maintenance of the parks and assets to the City-Parish government
These changes, affecting a park system responsible for providing services to all East Baton Rouge Parish residents and funded by the voters of the parish, would be made without a public vote.
Key Facts
- This bill will put YOUR park system, which was built on almost 80 years of input from the residents of East Baton Rouge Parish, at risk of possible closures or reductions in recreational programming. The bill seeks to eliminate a nationally accredited, three-time national Gold Medal award-winning park system. This would place it under the control of City-Parish government, risking the funding approved by voters to fund the operations, maintenance, and improvement of BREC’s 175 parks with 5 golf courses, a Zoo, a waterpark, conservation areas, and many miles of walking/biking trails.
- East Baton Rouge Parish voters have consistently supported BREC, most recently approving two ballot measures renewing 65% of BREC’s funding. Since 1947, BREC has added modest millages gradually, with voter support, to match the growth of the park system, focusing on responsible, transparent funding aligned with community needs.
- Despite decades of voter support for BREC, the bill would fundamentally change how parks and facilities are managed in East Baton Rouge Parish, all with no voter input.
What's at Stake
- This bill may significantly delay or even derail the Imagine Your Parks 3 Master Plan, which was developed with significant community input and approved by the voters in November 2024. This plan includes:
- A new recreation center portfolio with brand new centers across the parish
- Safer parks addressing security issues across the parish
- Enhanced conservation efforts to protect natural habitats and connect parish residents with nature while also addressing localized flooding through green infrastructure
- 450 miles of parish-wide bike/pedestrian trails for walking and biking
- More universal programming for everyone in the community
- More shade and heat relief in parks to beat the Louisiana heat
Major Construction Plans and Projects at Risk
- Future phases of the reimagined Baton Rouge Zoo and Greenwood Community Park
- The Louisiana Watershed Initiative funded Green Infrastructure project at Greenwood Community Park
- The federally funded Safe Rooms at Airline Highway Community Park and Memorial Stadium that will function as first class recreation centers outside of disaster situations
- Federally-funded Greenway Trails from the Health District in South Baton Rouge to Southern University
- New Airline Highway Community Park, which includes 16 new pickleball courts
- Updated master plans for Perkins Road Community Park and City-Brooks Community Park
- Build-out of the Scotlandville Parkway Park Master Plan
What is House Bill 649?
House Bill 649, introduced during the 2025 Louisiana Regular Legislative Session, would separate the City of Central from BREC’s nationally accredited, parish-wide park system and establish a separate state-created recreation and park district, duplicating BREC’s current responsibilities and run solely by the City of Central. If passed the bill would:
- Remove all parks, conservation areas, and responsibilities within the City of Central from BREC’s parish-wide park system
- Transfer annual tax revenue to a new, separate state recreation and park district controlled by the City of Central
- Eliminate parish oversight and remove these assets from a system funded and supported by all East Baton Rouge Parish taxpayers
What would this mean for East Baton Rouge Parish and the City of Central?
- Creates a New, Duplicative Government Entity: HB649 would establish a duplicative state government entity with no existing infrastucture, accreditation, nor proven success in managing parks and conservation areas.
- Strips Central Residents of Parish-Wide Key Benefits: Removal from the BREC system would strip Central residents of key benefits, such as early registration and reduced rates for parish-wide programs, camps, and events across the parish, currently subsidized by BREC’s robust parish-wide framework. The strength of this system lies in its diverse offerings and amenities that cater to all ages and backgrounds, ensuring equitable access for everyone. Dismantling it would lead to fewer choices, diminished opportunities, and a decline in quality for all.
- Possible Higher Costs for All: Reduced parish-wide revenue for BREC will lead to higher admission fees at shared BREC amenities like Liberty Lagoon, BREC golf courses, and the Baton Rouge Zoo.
- Potential Loss of CAPRA Accreditation Best Practices and National Standards: Parks, conservation areas, playgrounds, and more would be removed from a nationally accredited, award-winning system and placed under city control, jeopardizing the professional standards and long-term sustainability that have defined their success. The bill turns those responsibilities over to a new entity with no current recreation infrastructure, staff, or proven success.
- Risks to major Parish-Wide Projects: Major, parish-wide projects funded by shared tax dollars, including future phases of the Baton Rouge Zoo and Greenwood Community Park, the Bike/Ped Master Plan, and Frenchtown Conservation Area upgrades that are built on pooled parish-wide funding, could be delayed or scaled back.
- Broader Implications: Parks in the City of Central were developed using tax revenue collected from all residents of East Baton Rouge Parish. Transferring these assets out-of-parish oversight would remove them from the governance structure supported by those parish-wide contributions and could establish a precedent for similar efforts in other areas.
BREC's Ongoing Committment to the City of Central
- Investment: Over the past 5 years, BREC has invested over $20 Million within the City of Central’s parks and conservation areas. Since 2021, BREC has completed significant capital projects in Central, including the new Jackson Community Park, a brand-new dog park at Lovett Road Park, a new Nature Center at Frenchtown Conservation Area, several improvements at Central Sports Complex, and more.
- Activated Spaces: Following significant investments, parks in the City of Central have experienced a remarkable 49% surge in attendance from 2021 to 2024. This growth is notably fueled by a 25% increase at the Central Sports Complex, which attracts visitors from across the region. The addition of artificial turf by BREC at the complex has been particularly impactful, leading to a staggering 200% rise in tournament rentals.
- Increased Community Engagement: In 2021, Senator Bodi White deferred a bill to remove the City of Central from the BREC system in exchange for BREC’s creation of a community advisory council. BREC has implemented a Community Engagement Policy mandating community advisory councils for major parish-wide projects. The inaugural community advisory council played a pivotal role in shaping BREC’s Imagine Your Parks 3 Plan, a nationally recognized, equity-focused roadmap for park enhancements across East Baton Rouge Parish. Voters approved this funding for this transformative initiative that is equity-centered plan for the next decade in November 2024, ensuring continued investment in accessible, resilient, and community-driven recreational spaces.
- Kept Promises: In 2022, Senator White publicly recognized BREC’s efforts and threw out the ceremonial first pitch to celebrate the completion of Central Sports Park, in which BREC invested almost $3 Million to match approximately $500,000 in capital outlay funds secured by Senator White.
- Willing Collaborator: BREC has consistently expressed willingness to negotiate a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (CEA) with the City of Central that would provide both tax revenue and operational oversight of park systems to the city. In exchange, BREC seeks assurances that parks and conservation areas would adhere to professional management standards and best practices in alignment with Louisiana's constitutional requirements for CEAs, including demonstrable public benefit and equivalent value exchange.
How to Get Involved
Email or call your legislator
Spread the word: Download the fact sheets in each section above and share with friends, family, and neighbors + Post key points on social media using the hashtag #BRECmakesParksBETTER
Show up: Attend public meetings and legislative sessions.
The bills will go before the House Committee on Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs when the committee places each bill on its agenda for a scheduled meeting. The Baton Rouge Zoo Foundation will send text messages notifying subscribers when the bills are placed on a scheduled committee agenda.