For the second year in a row, state Rep. Taylor Barras, D-New Iberia, will file a bill that will authorize the state to sell land to one of his constituents. It is a process, he said, replete with “sunshine” and reflective of the state’s normal procedure.

House Bill 77 has been prefiled by Barras for the regular legislative session that starts Monday. The bill “authorizes the transfer or lease of certain state property in Iberia Parish from the division of administration to Madison Tigers LLC.”
If passed, Barras said, it does not sell the property to the interested party, in this case New Iberia businessman Chris Jordan.

“I cannot stress this enough,” Barras said. “It only opens the discussion between the potential buyer and the state. It stipulates that we are authorizing the state to have this discussion. Appraisals are required and some fees must be paid by the purchaser. The sale can only be consummated for the appraised value of the property. There are no favors or anything else going on with this type of transaction.”

Read more: Barras bill sets wheels for sale