General compliances; enhancement

A. Except as otherwise specifically provided by Subsection D of this Section, no provision of this Subpart shall be construed so as to exempt the district from compliance with the provisions of Louisiana laws pertaining to open meetings, public records, fiscal agents, official journals, dual officeholding and employment, public bidding for the purchase of supplies and materials and construction of public works, the Code of Governmental Ethics, the Right to Property in Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution of Louisiana, or the Louisiana Election Code. B. The district shall have the power and right to adopt a program or programs awarding contracts to, and establishing set-aside goals and preference procedures for the benefit of, businesses owned and operated by socially or economically disadvantaged persons in accordance with any of the provisions of R.S. 38:2233 and of Chapter 19 of Title 39 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, entitled "Louisiana Minority and Women's Business Enterprise Act". C. The financial records of the district shall be subjected to audit pursuant to R.S. 24:513. D. Records in the custody of the district pertaining to an active negotiation with a person for the purpose of retaining, expanding, or attracting economic or business development in Vernon Parish shall be confidential on the same basis as such records in the custody of Louisiana Economic Development as set forth in R.S. 44:22, with the district's executive director performing the duties and obligations of the secretary of Louisiana Economic Development and with any notice required therein being published in the official journal of Vernon Parish rather than the official journal of the state.