Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has signed into law a bill that disqualifies many retailers from participating in the state’s Enterprise Zone Program (“Program”) and makes other changes to the Program’s required employment criteria. House Bill 571 (“H.B. 571”) became effective immediately when Governor Jindal signed it on Friday, June 21, 2013. The bill makes several significant changes to the Program.

•  It increases the percentage of new jobs that a participant must hire from targeted groups to qualify for the Program from the current 35% to 50%. Under the bill, companies must hire 50% of their new jobs from at least one of the three targeted groups: enterprise zone residents, persons receiving some type of public assistance during the six-month period prior to employment, and persons who lack basic skills and are unemployable by traditional standards. Read More