The Louisiana House of Representatives just passed Senate Bill 201 which provides for state funding of up to $250,000 for certain events that would benefit tourism.
The list of events includes the Super Bowl, the Bayou Classic, an Olympic event, the Final Four and regional events. The Senate bill was amended to include the State Fair of Louisiana and the Humor and Harmony Festival.
Key provisions in the proposed bill mandate that the event must "have significant positive impact to the state." Additionally, any state funding will require that the promoter/sponsor make available "all records related to the costs associated with attracting and hosting the qualified major event available for inspection."
The Senate has yet to vote on the bill as amended.
Many videos, purported to be of the Humor and Harmony big downtown tent events, circulated last year on social media. These graphic events are again making the social media circuit. The posts show ladies dancing with minimal clothing, and purported marijuana smoking. (These can be texted to interested readers, although the videos have not been verified by this author.)
Although the festival was touted to be an overwhelming economic success, promoter Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson has not released any records that would show that the event had a "significant positive impact to the state." Nor has Jackson released "all records related to the costs associated with attracting and hosting the qualified event for inspection."
On KEEL radio Mayor Tom Arceneaux stated that there could possibly be a second Humor and Harmony Festival next spring, but not this year. He had no comment on the amended SB 201.
The vote by the Senate on this bill, as amended, will be one to watch. There is speculation that the inclusion of the Humor and Harmony Festival will be problematic to the very conservative Senate.