1. A. Companies primarily engaged in the following sectors are ineligible for participation in the program:

   1. 1. gaming;
   2. 2. retail sales;
   3. 3. professional sports teams;
   4. 4. state and political subdivision enterprises;
   5. 5. automotive rental and leasing;
   6. 6. local solid waste disposal;
   7. 7. local sewage systems;
   8. 8. local water systems;
   9. 9. professional service organizations primarily engaged in providing legal services;
   10. 10. professional service organizations primarily engaged in providing accounting services;
   11. 11. telemarketing and other call centers;
   12. 12. solar farms
   13. 13. motion picture and video industries, primarily engaged in producing, or producing and distributing, motion pictures, videos, televisions programs or commercials, broadly defined by NAICS Code 5121.
   14. 14. live entertainment and performing arts companies, primarily engaged in producing live presentations involving the performance of actors, singers, dancers and other performing artists, broadly defined by NAICS Code 7111.
   15. 15. LED may utilize economic impact methodology when evaluating submissions. Using this methodology, industries with a multiplier effect at or below 1.85 may be considered ineligible for program participation. LED shall maintain a listing by NAICS codes of such industries on its website, which may be updated annually.
   16. 16. non-profit organizations;
   17. 17. organizations primarily involved in political activities;
   18. 18. organizations primarily involved in advocacy activities;
   19. 19. organizations primarily involved in religious activities;
   20. 20. social organizations.
2. B. To ensure fair and transparent use of funds allocated for this program, sole proprietorships shall be considered ineligible for program participation, and small companies seeking to hire individuals closely connected to the business owner may be subject to heightened scrutiny or restrictions on related party transactions.

3. C. Companies primarily engaged in the following sectors are eligible for participation in the program:

   1. 1. industry sectors identified in LED’s strategic plan, as may be amended from time to time;
   2. 2. energy and process industries, including but not limited to liquefied natural gas services, nuclear components and carbon ecosystem management;
   3. 3. logistics, including but not limited to ports and maritime freight, warehousing and transportation equipment;
   4. 4. aerospace and defense, including but not limited to ship building, instrument and propulsion unit manufacturing;
   5. 5. agribusiness, including but not limited to fertilizer and food manufacturing, precision and digital agriculture;
   6. 6. professional services, including but not limited to data centers and general management operations;
   7. 7. life sciences; including but not limited to medical device manufacturing, pharma manufacturing and biotech research and development;
   8. 8. technology services, including but not limited to robotics and industrial controls, IoT software and cybersecurity;
   9. 9. manufacturing;
   10. 10. biomedical or biotechnology industries;
   11. 11. corporate headquarters or regional headquarters of a multi-state business;
4. D. NAICS codes are one factor to be considered by LED in determining program eligibility, however, they shall not be considered dispositive for eligibility purposes.

5. E. For applications received on or after July 1, 2025, qualifying companies may be eligible for the following incentives:

   1. 1. A reimbursable grant based upon the annualized wages paid for qualifying new jobs, not to exceed two hundred thousand dollars per year, per job, based upon the parish average wage paid where the project is located at the time the incentive contract is executed, subject to the following conditions;

      1. a. eight percent for a project located in a distressed area with wages equal to or greater that one hundred and ten percent but less than one hundred and twenty five percent of the lesser of the parish average wage or the regional average wage;
      2. b. eighteen percent for a project located in a parish with wages equal to or greater than one hundred and twenty five percent but less than one hundred and fifty percent of the parish average wage;
      3. c. twenty-two percent for a project located in a parish with wages equal to or greater than one hundred and fifty percent of the parish average wage.
   2. 2. A reimbursable grant to retain highly skilled workers with advanced degrees, at the invitation of, and as approved by the secretary.

Authority Note

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 36:104 and R.S. 51:2771

Historical Note

HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by Louisiana Economic Development, Office of Economic Development, LR 51:2103 (December 2025).